Her Pain, His Heart
by Thine Dreamer Doth Take Flight
Summary: Yugi didn't solve the Millennium Puzzle. Somehow it ended up in the hands of a girl in New York City. At first, Yami doesn't understand why the gods would place him with someone who had no connection to him. Full summary inside. Yami X OC.
1. 1 - In Which We Meet the Heroine

_A/N: This is my first attempt at a multi-chapter Yu-Gi-Oh story. Bear with me as I work out all the kinks. If you have any questions about the OCs involved, message me or ScarlethasPhoenixpowers, as these are characters shared by the both of us. Carrie is mine, Alyssa is hers. Read on to see how good this story could be._

* * *

**Her Pain, His Heart**

_Summary:_ Yugi didn't solve the Millennium Puzzle. Somehow it ended up in the hands of a girl in New York City. At first, Yami doesn't understand why the gods would place him with someone who had no connection to him. But as he spends more time with her, he realizes she needs him more than anyone else. He witnesses her being neglected, abused, and having to fight daily just to survive. She puts on a brave face, but he is the only one who sees her break down and cry. He yearns to make the world better for her because her pain is his pain. Yami x OC.

Chapter 1

She walked home from school in the streets of New York City, scanning the area silently for any sign of danger. There were other places she'd rather be going, but she had to get home before her parents got angry at her for being late.

_Bandit Keith better not show his face today,_ the girl thought, running across the street and keeping a lookout for the said person. _I'm running late as it is. Carl and Megan are going to be pissed no matter what, but it'll be worse if I come home covered in bruises. Can't he and his gang give me a break just this once?_

She turned down an alley, a shortcut to her apartment. This was her most vulnerable moment, and she knew it. Bandit Keith and his gang had often caught her offguard here. So she kept her guard up as she proceeded forward.

"Where you going, sweetheart?" a husky male voice asked as a blonde with sunglasses and a patriotic bandana emerging from the shadows with several other figures.

"…Home," the girl grumbled, continuing to walk although she was surrounded on almost all sides. "Now leave me alone, Keith. I'm not in the mood to fight."

"Well, too bad. We're going to fight. You not punching our faces in will make it too easy for us, sweetheart. Not that we're ungrateful; we just prefer a challenge," Bandit Keith said as he and his gang closed in on her. "Oh well. Thanks for going easy on us this time, sweetheart. We promise not to hurt you too much."

The girl side-stepped Bandit Keith when he lunged at her, causing him to fall flat on his face. She heard him bark at his men to attack, and readied herself for the battle ahead. In this alley, she would have to defeat five men without taking too long or receiving major injuries, or else she was doomed.

She dodged a punch from one guy, which collided with the face of another, knocking that idiot out cold. Then she hit the guy who had tried to punch her in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards. She kicked him into the brick wall behind him. He hit his head hard and fell down, unconscious. The other two thugs grabbed her arms and forced her against the wall. They drew back their fists to hit her in the face, but somehow she managed to duck out of the way in the nick of time. There was the sound of cracking bones as their fists hit the wall; it was sickening, but their cries of anguish were no better. She quickly bonked their heads and knocked them out. All that remained now was Bandit Keith.

He grabbed her from behind, immobilizing her arms. Angrily, she kicked him in the groin, forcing him to let go. Then the girl turned around and kicked Bandit Keith in the face as he collapsed due to her previous attack. He fell backwards, hitting the ground hard and becoming unconscious.

_Too easy,_ the girl thought. Then she ran off towards home again.

"Where have you been?" her father demanded.

"…I was at school…and now I'm here," the girl replied, keeping her gaze on the floor. "It takes awhile to get here from school, you know."

Her father, a gray-haired, hard-eyed businessman, did not like her response. He raised his hand and slapped her across the face. Her right cheek began to sting. She knew that in a few days, a nice purple bruise would be there, shining with all its ugliness. For now, there would just be a red mark in the shape of a hand.

"Do not talk back to me, Carrie!" her father hissed. "Now, your cousin Alyssa is here. Greet her with a smile and treat her with respect. Otherwise, you'll get more than a slap on the face. Understand?"

"Yes sir," Carrie murmured, pulling her blonde hair over her stinging cheek so her cousin wouldn't see the mark.

He ushered her into the living room. Both Carrie and her father feigned a smile as they came into view of Carrie's beautiful brunette cousin, Alyssa Pegasus, niece of Maximillion Pegasus. Carrie herself was his niece, but wasn't famous like Alyssa. Alyssa lived with Pegasus and worked for Seto Kaiba while Carrie only lived with Pegasus' sister, Megan. But the blonde liked Alyssa, even if she rarely saw her.

Carrie sat down on the couch beside Alyssa and Jessica, her black-haired, pink-eyed sister who was also her hell mate. Jessica wasn't even trying to smile or cover up her bruises, and Carrie winced as she thought of how her sister would suffer later.

"Hey, Aly. What's up?" Carrie asked, trying to sound happy.

"Nothing much. Just came to check up on my cousins," Alyssa replied. "God, how long has it been since I last saw you?"

"Five months, give or take," Jessica grumbled, not even looking at Alyssa. It wasn't because she hated her cousin, but because she was angry at her parents.

"Whoa…we have a lot of lost time to catch up on," Alyssa remarked, jumping to her feet. "Let's go to your room and talk privately about girl stuff. See you later, Aunt Megan and Uncle Carl."

Carrie and Jessica stood up and followed Alyssa into the older sister's room. Once inside, Carrie locked the door so her parents couldn't invade. They all sat on the bed and glanced at one another.

"Are they still at it?" Alyssa inquired in a hushed tone, just in case someone was eavesdropping.

The sisters gave a small nod. Alyssa brushed aside Carrie's hair and eyed the red mark with narrowed eyes. Then she studied Jessica with the same distaste. Jessica, who was fourteen and two years younger than Carrie, was more rebellious and often took the brunt of their parents' anger. Her bruises were far worse than Carrie's ever were.

"I'm sorry…I should come over more often…or maybe I could convince Pegasus to take you guys in," Alyssa murmured, pitying her cousins.

_That's what you always say,_ Carrie thought. _You might be trying, but we haven't seen any results. Can you speed up the process of shipping us out? Please?_

"In the meantime, I come bearing gifts," Alyssa announced, pulling two wrapped boxes out from underneath Carrie's bed. "I know it won't help ease your pain…but it's something to do while you're hiding from them."

She handed one box to each sister. Jessica's turned out to be a book she'd been dying to read. Carrie's was a box with thousands of golden pieces in it. The blonde looked at Alyssa with a raised eyebrow.

"What's this?" she asked nervously.

"It's some…Egyptian artifact," Alyssa said, pointing at the lid to the ancient box. "See the hieroglyphics?"

"Yeah…but what is it exactly?" Carrie inquired.

"Well, I heard Uncle calling it a Millennium Puzzle, but I have no idea what that's supposed to mean," Alyssa admitted. "All I know is that it's five thousand years old and Egyptian, and that you love Egyptian stuff and solving puzzles, so this should keep you busy."

"Thanks, Aly." Carrie gave her a hug for her thoughtfulness, knowing this so-called Millennium Puzzle would indeed keep her busy.

Alyssa smiled slightly. "You're welcome." She glanced back at Jessica, who was too busy reading her book to pay attention to them, before continuing. "I got you a job interview with Kaiba a week from today. He'll be coming to talk with you while you're in school and although you've been suspended a few times for fighting, your high grades should get you the job."

"And what is the job?"

"Personal assistant."

"Doesn't Rich Boy have enough of those? I mean, even you have that job."

"He's always in need of workers. Besides, the pay is high, and after a few weeks of working, you should be able to bring Jessica over to Japan with you."

"Wait. I'm going to have to move? What about school? And why would Rich Boy hire a sophomore? I don't even have a resume' yet."

"Don't worry. Kaiba would allow you to work on weekends and breaks so you can finish your education. And he would have to be dumb not to hire someone as smart as you. As for your resume'…I typed one up for you. You'll be fine."

Carrie sighed. She longed to escape the hellhole that was NYC with her sister, but not by working for a man she hated with a passion. But if there was no other way, she would work her life away to be free at last.

* * *

Later that night, after Alyssa had left to return to Japan, Carrie hid out in her room with tears streaming down her face. She could hear her parents yelling at Jessica, who was being difficult and yelling back. The sound of a hand slapping something echoed throughout the apartment every now and then, followed by a scream from Jessica. Carrie couldn't stand hearing this, but there was nothing she could do to stop it without receiving the worst end of their anger. So she cried, thinking about how tough she pretended to be and how weak she really was.

_How can I protect her in the future...if I can't even protect her now?_ Carrie thought, sobbing into her pillow. _...I pretend to be strong...but I'm so weak. Jessie deserves better...I'll never be good enough for anyone._

Carrie, unable to listen to her sister's pain any longer, pulled out her I-Pod and tuned into some heavy rock to drown out what would cause her great pain. Her tears continued to fall as her mind remained on how weak she was, and how she was never good enough. She needed to occupy her mind with something more than music, or she would surely lose it.

Her gaze wandered over to the gift Alyssa had given her. She picked up the ancient box and looked at the many golden pieces inside.

_...Wonder if a five thousand-year-old puzzle can keep me busy for a few hours,_ Carrie thought.

She began sorting the pieces by size and shape. There were two pieces that were larger than the others. One had an Egyptian eye on it; the other had a loop attached to it. Carrie set those aside and started attempting to put the other pieces together.

At first, Carrie was unsure of the dimensions and shape of this ancient puzzle. But as time passed, she realized the puzzle would eventually form a pyramid, which made sense since it was Egyptian. She didn't know how the pieces would stay together, but somehow they did, and she guessed it was due to ancient magic.

She slaved away for hours on that puzzle, unaware of the passing of time. Into the night, she worked without fatigue. Carrie did not understand what kept her going, but supposed that she just wanted to accomplish something, no matter how small that accomplishment was.

When her alarm clock said it was half-past midnight, she placed the eye piece in the last open spot in the pyramid pendant. At last, she had finished it. She let out a sigh of contentment as she collapsed into her pillows, holding the complete Millennium Puzzle in her hands. Then she gasped when she saw the time.

_Oh shit! It's way past my bedtime!_ Carrie thought, turning off her I-Pod and throwing it onto her dresser. She placed the Millennium Puzzle beside it before grabbing her pajamas and walking into her closet to change.

The Millennium Puzzle glowed with a blinding light in the vacant room. Unknown to Carrie, she had just unlocked something that had been sealed away for, well, five thousand years.

* * *

_A/N: Well, this chapter was shorter than I expected. As I have said, this is my first attempt at a multi-chapter Yu-Gi-Oh story, and I'm going off information that I can remember from when it still aired on TV. I haven't seen the show in forever, so bear with me. Whatever you thought of this, please tell me. Review. Thank you for giving this story a shot._


	2. 2 - In Which We See More

_A/N: Well, here's the second chapter. There's not much I can say, so just read on._

* * *

Chapter 2

_...Wh...Where am I?_ a man wondered, standing in a room so foreign to him that he could have sworn it wasn't real.

The man had strangely spiked tri-colored hair that was red, black, and blonde; crimson eyes; and was dressed in a blue jacket, black muscle shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers. Those crimson eyes were scanning his surroundings, trying to determine his location. Being around the unknown made him uncomfortable.

He determined that he was no longer in the Millennium Puzzle, where he had resided for the past few millennia. Instead, he was in someone's bed chamber. The times had changed so much that he almost couldn't label the room. But then he saw the bed and the name came to him.

The man could not remember much of his past, and what he did recall made no sense. He knew that he was eighteen years of age, but no other personal information came to mind. He knew that the Millennium Puzzle belonged to him and that he had been sealed into it, but could not remember why. He couldn't even remember his own name. Everything else he knew wasn't too important; it was probably outdated, anyway.

His eyes fell upon the Millennium Puzzle, which sat upon a chest of drawers not too far from him. He went to retrieve it, but could not pick it up. His hand went right through it. He glanced at his hand in surprise to find that it, as well as the rest of him, was transparent.

_What in the world...?I'm a spirit?_ he thought, puzzled. Then he realized that it made sense that he was a spirit; five thousand years had passed since he was sealed away.

_Who now possesses the object which has been my prison for so long?_ the man wondered, glancing back at the bed, where he heard someone snoring softly. Whoever was there, he could not see from his present location, so he walked over to the side of the bed to get a better look.

Sleeping restlessly in the bed was a girl near his age with long blonde hair and slightly sun-kissed skin. But even though it seemed she spent time in the sun, the man could clearly see bruises on her person. And even in sleep, she looked unhappy.

_Why did the gods place me with this girl? Why did they destine her to solve the Puzzle when there is no clear connection between the two of us?_ he thought, watching the rise and fall of the girl's chest before she rolled over again. _Did they make a mistake, or are they planning something that I cannot foresee?_

The girl muttered something in her sleep before turning her back on the spirit. He thought about returning to the Millennium Puzzle, but decided against it. He wouldn't learn anything by being cooped up in that thing all day. So instead, he watched the girl sleep.

_Why do you look so unhappy?_

Suddenly, the girl stirred and opened her eyes. The spirit saw that they were misty green, very dim for such a beautiful girl. She stared at him as if he were alive and supposed to be there.

"…Would you shut up? Some people need to sleep because they have school tomorrow," she murmured tiredly, stifling a yawn.

_She can see me?_ the man thought, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, I can see you, Spiky," the girl mumbled. "I can hear you, too, remember?"

_But I'm not talking. I'm thinking._

The girl slowly became more awake. Her eyes widened at the sight of the spirit, and he could tell she wanted nothing more than to scream, but something forced her to keep her scream in her throat.

"Wh…Who are you? And what are you doing in my bedroom?" she demanded in a hushed tone.

"I do not remember my name. I am here because you solved the Millennium Puzzle, which I was sealed away in many, many years ago," the man stated, his voice on the deep side.

The girl stared at him in disbelief. "I must be dreaming. That Puzzle's messing with my head." She pinched her arm, wincing in pain, and groaned when she saw the spirit was still there. "Damn! Why couldn't I be dreaming? This means I'm going crazy."

"You're not crazy. I'm really here," the man insisted. "Now stop being foolish just because you're looking upon an ancient spirit. Just accept what your eyes are showing you."

His voice had a hint of authority in it. The girl still seemed wary of him, but dropped her guard slightly.

"Fine. I'll accept that there's an ancient dead guy in my room," the girl grumbled, crossing her arms.

"What is your name?" the man asked.

"Carrie," the girl said.

"Where are we?"

"New York City, New York, located in the United States of America. We're very far away from Egypt, if that's what you're wondering."

"What time is this?"

"Three o'clock on a Friday morning."

"I meant what year are we in."

Carrie told him, and he was taken aback by the date. The girl raised her eyebrow at his reaction.

"You should have known about how far in the future you were, since it's been about five thousand years. This shouldn't come as a surprise to you. But you sure missed out on a lot of stuff. Cell phones, indoor plumbing, the creation of jeans…Yup. You're so outdated."

"Will you help me learn the ways of your world, Carrie?"

"Sure, sure." Carrie yawned, suddenly tired again. "But not right now. I need to sleep so I don't doze off in school. I'll talk to you later today, all right?"

The man nodded. Carrie fell back into her pillows and pulled her sheets over her.

"Since you can't remember your own name, what shall I call you, spirit?" Carrie inquired.

He shrugged, no name coming to mind. The girl pondered the subject for a moment before something came to her.

"How about…Yami?" she suggested.

"…Yami?"

"Yeah. It means dark in Japanese. And you're dark and mysterious. So Yami kinda fits you. What do you say? Can I call you Yami?"

The man thought about it for a moment before giving her a small nod.

"Okay. Good night, Yami."

* * *

When Carrie awoke at six thirty because of her alarm clock, she found that Yami was no longer in her room. This left her questioning whether or not she had dreamed the whole thing. But she did not have much time to dwell on the subject, for she had to be out of the apartment in an hour if she wanted to get to school on time, even if Bandit Keith jumped her along the way.

She took a quick shower and changed into a white tank top, faded blue jeans, and tennis shoes. A black leather jacket went on top of that, covering her arms. People often mistook her as a badass biker chick because of that jacket and her fighting habits, but she wasn't one. She just liked to fight, and the jacket covered up her bruises.

Carrie was just about to leave her room when she remembered her promise to Yami. She had told him that she would help him understand her world.

_That was just some crazy dream,_ Carrie thought, glancing at the Millennium Puzzle. _...But, just in case it wasn't, I suppose I should bring the Puzzle with me._

She found an old but strong chain in her jewelry box and looped it through the ring of the Puzzle. Then she put it around her neck. It was a bit uncomfortable, but she'd grow used to it. Besides, Bandit Keith wouldn't be able to break it off, so there was no chance that she'd be able to lose it.

Jessica had already left on her bike when Carrie walked outside, not even bothering to eat breakfast. There was once a time when the sisters would have walked to school together, but that time had passed when Bandit Keith began targeting Carrie. She didn't want to endanger Jessica, so she told her sister to go alone before her. Jessica had understood, and it had just become a part of her routine.

_She's so strong for someone so young,_ Carrie thought, blinking back the tears that welled up in her eyes. _I'm so weak compared to her. Why can't I be strong, too?_

The Millennium Puzzle around her neck glowed for a moment before returning to normal. Carrie thought she had just imagined it…until she heard someone talk.

"Are you all right, Carrie?"

Carrie turned her head to see Yami walking beside her, concern showing in his crimson eyes.

_So it wasn't a dream...He's real,_ she thought.

"You thought you were dreaming again?" Yami asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yeah…How did you read my thoughts?" Carrie wanted to know.

"The same way you read mine last night. The Puzzle has connected us. And I wouldn't speak out loud if I were you. Only you can see and hear me, and I'd hate for you to be viewed as crazy by others."

Carrie smiled slightly as that, recalling how she had thought she had been crazy the first time Yami had appeared. Yami was pleased to see her smile, but he returned to his serious expression.

"Are you all right, Carrie?" he repeated.

_...No. I'm never all right._

"Why?"

_...You'll see..._

Yami was puzzled by her vague answer, but did not say anything. Carrie didn't seem to want to voice her problems, and he supposed that he could live with it. She would open up to him in time, and he had all the time in the world.

They turned down the same alley where Carrie had fought the other day. She scanned the area for any sign of Bandit Keith and his uninjured thugs, for she knew he'd be wanting revenge after his humiliating defeat. He always did. Yami sensed her expectancy and wariness, and he wondered what would happen next.

"Good morning, sweetheart," the voice of Bandit Keith said from directly behind Carrie.

Carrie turned to face him and was greeted with a punch to the jaw. She fell to the ground from the force of the blow, a little blood beginning to trickle out of the corner of her mouth. She glared up at the laughing Bandit Keith, who was alone for once, and got to her feet, wiping away the blood on the back of her hand.

_Yami, get back in the Puzzle, _Carrie ordered, not looking at the concerned spirit hovering at her side.

"But Carrie-"

_Just do it! You can watch from in there, and you won't distract me that way! If I lose this fight, this creep's gonna rape and probably murder me, so I need you to disappear so I can focus!_

Reluctantly, Yami disappeared into the Puzzle. Carrie let out a silent sigh of relief, glad that she would no longer see those crimson eyes looking over her as she fought. It would kill her on the inside to witness her pain reflected in this stranger's eyes.

"Where are your goons, Keith?" You never go anywhere without those dogs following you," Carrie stated, keeping her gaze on Bandit Keith as she backed away from him.

"I decided to face you like a man and claim the prize alone," Bandit Keith said.

"Damn! And I was so looking forward to a gangbang," Carrie muttered sarcastically. "But…You won't get the 'prize,' cuz you can't beat me, Bandit Keith. You never have been able to, and you never will."

Bandit Keith smirked and began to close the gap between them. "We'll just see about that, sweetheart!"

Carrie blocked his fist as he tried to punch her again. He pulled out a pocket knife and slashed her across the arm. She gritted her teeth against the pain, kicking Bandit Keith away before he could doing any more harm, her hand instinctively flying to her cut. The blonde threw off her jacket so it would suffer no more damage, but had to redirect her attention from her injury to her foe as he came at her again. This time, she kicked the knife out of his hand so it would pose no present threat. Angry, he kicked her in the knee with his steel-toed boot.

The girl collapsed to the ground, grimacing from the pain in her knee. Bandit Keith stood triumphantly over her, a sinister smirk planted on his wicked lips. He began kicking her in the stomach as hard as he could. She screamed in agony, something she never wanted to do, no matter how much pain she was in. Carrie started spitting up blood with every blunt hit she received in her gut.

_**CARRIE!**_

_...Shut up...Spiky...I'll...get out of this...Just watch..._

Carrie caught Bandit Keith's foot before it could impact her again. He looked down at her, surprised that she was still conscious. She pushed him backwards, causing him to fall on his ass. Then she got up, wincing as every movement caused pain to shoot up through her body. She saw Bandit Keith going after his knife, and hurried to get it first. She grabbed it a split second before he did and threw it into a crack in the wall. It became wedged in the brick, so much so that Bandit Keith could not remove it. When he turned around to charge Carrie, he was met with a fist to the face. He fell to the ground, unconscious yet again.

Carrie fell back against the wall and slid into the seated position. Pain continued to attack her body, and she was pretty sure that she was bleeding internally. But there was nothing she could do about that. She could, however, take care of the cut on her arm. She pulled her jacket to her side and took a first aid kit out of one of its pockets.

_**Are you all right, Carrie?**_

_Didn't I...answer that already? I'm never all right._

_**How often does this man target you?**_

_...Twice on schooldays...Countless times on weekends...But he hardly ever fights...alone. And I...I don't know how...he got the best of me..._

_**This is horrible.**_

_It gets worse, Spiky. A lot worse. You'll see._

_**How can things get worse than this?**_

_You'll see._

Carrie hissed as she put the rubbing alcohol on her bloody cut to disinfect it. The teen grabbed bandages from the kit and wrapped them over her injury. Somehow she managed to stand on her lame knee. All things considered, she was in a better condition than she could have been.

_I'll have to change the bandages before lunch, and as long as I don't eat anything or get into another fight, I'll be fine._

_**You should go home.**_

_I can't. I have to go to school._

_**Why? You cannot possibly concentrate with all the pain you're suffering.**_

_...I've suffered worse. Now shut up. Just watch...and learn the ways of my world._

* * *

Yami watched Carrie go off, shaking his head in disapproval. He knew he should force her to return home due to her current state, but his curiosity kept him from doing so. He let her stumble to the place she called school.

_Why does she put up with the pain and that man?_ Yami wondered, knowing that his thoughts would not be heard by Carrie unless he willed her to hear. _That man... Bandit Keith...He had evil intentions for her in his mind. His heart was dark and sinister. She shouldn't face him alone. Even in my time, criminals such as him were dealt with accordingly. Surely there's a justice system established in this country that she could lean on. Why does she not do so? And why did her mind shrink away from me when I mentioned going home? What does home hold for this girl?_

_The gods sure placed me in the hands of a peculiar girl. I have so many questions about her, and yet I find no answers. Why her? All she seems to be is a girl with many problems. She does not require me. But she has a good heart full of pain and sorrow, and so I suppose my purpose will be revealed in time. She may need me after all._

* * *

Somehow Carrie made it through the school day. She had skipped lunch, changed her bloody bandages, and avoided getting into any fights. In fact, she hardly spoke to anyone the whole day. But it wasn't as if anyone wanted to talk to her. She was the outcast with no friends. Her mother had made sure of that.

The worst thing that Carrie had done that day in school was punch a kid in the face when he poked her bruised stomach. Other than that, her day was spent ignoring insults, doing work, enduring pain, and accepting challenges. She was a duelist, born and bred to win, and other students were eager to break her winning streak. They all failed, much to their dismay.

Yami observed everything silently, only raising his voice when something confused him. He seemed to be very interested in the world Carrie would have given anything to escape. His interest intensified when he saw Carrie dueling. She hadn't bothered to ask why, but the question kept pressing her mind. He told her that he vaguely recalled there being duels in Egypt when he was alive, but they were not the same as these.

The bell rang, signaling the end of school. Every other student hurried to escape the place, this hellhole of education. Carrie took her time, because escaping this hellhole would mean heading home to a worse hellhole. She knew that Jessica, too, would be in no rush to go home. But not coming home at an appropriate time would result in hits from their father and threats from their mother. They would have to get there around four…or else.

_Did you learn anything, Yami?_ Carrie asked, glancing at the spirit, out of the corner of her eye.

"I learned much, but most of what I learned was negative or inappropriate," Yami told her, shaking his head. "The world has changed so much…I don't know if I'll ever adapt to it."

_I'm sure you'll adjust. The world's not that complicated, and you seem to be the brainy type. You'll know the ways of this world as if it's always been yours by next week, I bet. And you'll see how cruel people still are._

Carrie took the long way home, for she didn't feel like fighting Bandit Keith again after what he had done to her. She was already limping due to him busting up her knee, and her insides hurt from the impact of his repeated attacks. Anything else would push her over the edge.

Because of her last remark, Carrie felt the questioning gaze of Yami on her. But she remained silent, for he would know what she meant oh too soon.

She came to her apartment much quicker than she would have liked, but still too late to please her quick-tempered parents. Jessica's bike was nowhere to be seen, so Carrie concluded that her little sister was being rebellious again. She wondered how much Jessica would suffer when she finally came home, and had to bite her tongue to keep from crying.

"Where have you been? You're late!" her father boomed as soon as she entered the apartment.

"…I took the long way home…" Carrie grumbled, her father standing in front of her and Yami still at her side. "And, according to you…I'm always late."

A fist came flying into her face, hitting her in the same spot that Bandit Keith had first struck. Carrie fell backwards and, had Yami not been a spirit, she would have knocked him to the floor with her. Her jaw hurt like hell now, but she was used to it.

"Don't talk back to me, bitch!" Carl hissed, grabbing her injured arm without knowing of its pain and pulling her to her feet. "I am your father, and you will treat me with respect! Understand?"

Carrie winced as her father's grip on her injured arm tightened. She ripped it out of his grasp, not caring that doing so would result in more abuse until it was too late to take it back. Carl growled and grabbed Carrie's hair, pulling with all his might. She forced herself to endure the pain without screaming, no matter how bad it felt. She would not give him what he wanted. Her father would have none of that. He kicked Carrie, causing her to fall to her knees. Then he let go of her hair and punched her in the back of her head. She collapsed to the ground, her forehead hitting the tile floor in the kitchen so hard the tile cracked a little.

Her father, still not satisfied, picked Carrie up by her throat and held her high in the air. Her breathing became ragged as his grip cut off the majority of her air supply. She began to feel lightheaded and feared that she might pass out or die in her father's hands. She tried to pull his hand from her, but she was too weak. She kicked him feebly, only to receive the same result. Then, seeing as she had no way of escaping, she admitted defeat and gave up.

Carl threw her to the floor, finally satisfied with her pain. Carrie bit her lip to keep from screaming as she felt something snap inside her upon impact with the floor. She wanted so badly to cry, but kept her tears at bay because she knew that her father would find pleasure in her tears.

"Go to your room and don't come out until I say you can!" her father ordered, briskly walking past the fallen Carrie with a huge smirk on his face.

The blonde gritted her teeth against the pain as she pushed herself to her feet and staggered off towards her room.

Yami had observed this whole ordeal, and with every blow Carrie received, his anger became stronger. He now possessed a rage so great that he couldn't recall ever feeling before. The Millennium Puzzle had remained unscathed, but that didn't matter to him. All he could think about was hurting Carrie's father and making Carrie feel better, both mentally and physically. But he was a spirit and could not harm her father. So he ended up following Carrie with his rage still intact.

Carrie collapsed onto her bed, her back to Yami. She had shut and locked her door, so her parents would get no joy from her pain. Her small form began to tremble as she let the tears fall at last.

Yami walked through her locked door and sat on the dresser. He was about to question why she hadn't fought back when he noticed that she was shaking. His anger ceased as he heard her sobs. He stared at her quivering form, and was surprised to find tears welling up in his own eyes. He wanted to make her stop crying, because every sob penetrated his heart, causing him great pain that he couldn't remember feeling before.

_...I'm...so weak...I'm nothing to everyone...,_ Carrie whimpered in her thoughts, forgetting to block them from Yami because she was so sad. _...I can't even take care...of myself... Jessica deserves a better sister than me...I'll never be able to...to take care of her...in the future...I'm too weak. I...I shouldn't...I shouldn't even...be alive..._

Now Yami understood what Carrie had meant before. People were cruel, just as they had always been, even in this time. People were especially cruel to this girl. She pulled a brave face to the world, but on the inside, she was dying. Only when alone could she let the tears flow and show her true colors.

And he was probably the first person to see her like this.

Yami hopped down from his seat on her dresser and strode over to the bed. Carrie took no notice of him as she continued to cry. Although he thought it inappropriate, he laid down beside her trembling form, slipping his spiritual arms around her in a comforting manner. In his mind, holding a girl he hardly knew seemed wrong, but somehow it felt right.

Carrie felt the spiritual arms encircle her and looked over her shoulder at him, surprised that Yami was holding her. No one had ever cared about her pain before.

"We'll get through this, Carrie. I promise…I'll never let _anyone_ hurt you again," Yami whispered in her ear.

_...But how can you-?_

Yami silenced her by putting a finger to her lips. "There are ways I can help you, Carrie, and prevent you from being injured. I'll find a way to protect you, I swear it."

Carrie gave him a teary smile as she turned around in his arms to face him. He returned her smile, glad that he could make her just a little bit happy. She rested her head on his ghostly chest, feeling completely at peace. Her sadness had gone.

"…Thank you…" she mumbled, and she didn't have to say any more. Yami understood.

"You're very welcome, Carrie," he said simply, resting his head upon hers.

He felt Carrie wince in his arms and glanced down. The blonde was clutching her stomach, the place where Bandit Keith had done the most damage. From her expression, Yami could tell she was in a great deal of pain. He had to do something. He had to end her pain.

"We must do something about those injuries of yours," Yami stated as she noticed his crimson gaze.

"…No…There's nothing we can do but let them heal," Carrie told him. "I'll endure them just fine…I've had far worse and they healed in time."

"I know someone who can heal you now, without wait," Yami remarked. "But we must go into the Puzzle to find her…together."

"How can I get in there? I'm no spirit."

"The Puzzle shall grant you entrance."

Carrie doubted him, but said nothing. She closed her eyes and focused her thoughts on one thing: Yami, for she trusted him to lead the way. He was her guiding light now.

When she opened her eyes again, her surroundings had completely changed.

* * *

_A/N: Chapter two is now done. This one was much longer than the last one, and in my opinion, much better. What did you think? Tell me! Please review this, even if Yami is a bit out of character. Thank you for reading._


	3. 3 - Fighting Back

_A/N: Well, it didn't appear like many people liked the first two chapters. But for those who did, here's the third. Thank you for checking this story out, and please read on._

* * *

Chapter 3

"What the hell? Where…Where am I?" Carrie demanded, glancing around at her new surroundings.

The whole place looked like a labyrinth. A giant, ancient stone labyrinth. Getting lost in here seemed like a huge possibility. Just looking at it made Carrie's head spin.

"You are in the Millennium Puzzle," Yami replied, appearing by her side. But unlike before, in the real world, he did not seem spiritual. In fact, he seemed as solid as anyone else.

"Really? Whoa…," Carrie murmured. "This is where you've lived for a few millennia? How is that even possible? I mean, I may be a blonde, but even I can tell this place is meant to make the inhabitants get lost or die. There are probably thousands of traps just waiting for someone to trigger them. How can you live here, Yami?"

Yami shrugged. "The Puzzle accepts and protects me. I do not understand why, but that does not mean I wish it did otherwise. Let's just be grateful that its traps do not spring on us."

"It might spring on me," Carrie muttered under her breath in hopes that Yami wouldn't hear her.

She had no such luck.

"I doubt the Puzzle would attempt to hurt the one who solved it," Yami remarked. "You have nothing to fear here, Carrie. Even if you do manage to trigger something, I will save you. I promise."

Carrie smiled. He was making so many promises to her, and they had just met the previous night. How someone could promise things to a girl he hardly knew was beyond her, but she didn't doubt his ability to keep his promises. He was, after all, from another time and place. It might be considered a sin if he did not do what he said he would.

Yami led the way through the Puzzle that had been his prison for so many years. The labyrinth that it was proved to be no enigma to him; he had become familiar with it a long time ago. Carrie did her best to remain at his side, but even in the Puzzle her injuries presented a problem. Walking was extremely difficult, thanks to Bandit Keith banging up her knee. All she could do was limp. But even though Carrie slowed them down, Yami did not complain. He just matched her pace and led her towards the being that would heal her injuries.

All the turns that Yami made through the Puzzle seemed to have no connection. Carrie could not determine where they were heading, no matter how hard she tried. They'd turn one way, go down a flight of stairs, turn another way, go up another flight of stairs, and go through other such directions. Carrie thought they might have gone in some weird circle, and could've sworn that she had walked upside-down at least once. But she trusted Yami more than she trusted herself at the moment. So she remained silent about the whole thing as she followed him through numerous twists and turns.

After some time, Carrie realized that the labyrinth had disappeared. She was no longer surrounded by stone walls but by stone tablets. Each tablet had a different depiction of a creature on it, and she could have sworn that some of them looked like Duel Monsters in her deck. But that couldn't be possible, could it? How could the Puzzle have stone versions of Duel Monsters in it? She didn't take much time to think about it, for it seemed too ridiculous to be true.

_But then, why is Yami taking me here?_ Carrie wondered, amazingly keeping her thoughts out of his head. _Does he believe that there are Duel Monsters with healing abilities within these tablets? If he does, he has been locked away in this Puzzle for far too long and has lost his mind._

Yami stopped walking, drawing Carrie's attention. He stood in front of a tablet that sort of looked like Mystical Elf. The blue elf's card description had said something about the Monster having magical healing abilities. That's when it hit Carrie. He really did believe that these were Duel Monsters and could heal people.

_Oh God, I'm stuck with a crazy person,_ she thought, wanting to bang her head against a wall for thinking that someone who had been locked away so many millennia ago could be sane.

"Your injuries will not be a hindrance soon, Carrie. I have brought you to the person who can make it all go away now," Yami said, turning to look at her. She tried to hold his gaze, but it was too hard, so she diverted it to the stone floor. He did not know how to respond to that, so he just turned his attention back to the stone tablet. "Come forth, Mystical Elf! Your assistance is required!"

A golden light emitted from the tablet, catching Carrie's attention. She gaped at it as the blue elf with very long orange-blonde hair appeared from the stone, her large green dress billowing out from her person. Her big beautiful eyes looked at Yami as if he was a very important man. When Mystical Elf noticed Carrie's gaze, she gave her a huge innocent smile, looking magnificent and normal despite her blue skin.

"What do you need assistance with, my Pharaoh?" she asked, bowing to Yami.

"My friend Carrie has some injuries that need healing. See to it that her pain is gone, and that there is nothing on her to show where she had once been hurt. That is all," Yami said, an authoritative and royal tone in his voice.

"Yes, my Pharaoh. As you wish," Mystical Elf murmured before coming over to Carrie.

She began chanting some sort of spell that Carrie did not understand. The language was not English, Spanish, or even Japanese. She doubted that it was even a human language, living or dead. Carrie tried not to think about it too much; her head was already spinning from finding out that Duel Monsters lived in the Millennium Puzzle. Anything more would drive her over the edge and cause her to go insane. So instead she watched in amazement as her injuries healed. The cut on her arm vanished before her eyes, her knee stopped throbbing, and her abdomen did not hurt anymore. Everything felt normal again. Even some of her old scars disappeared without a trace.

"…Um…Thank you…," she mumbled, feeling slightly awkward now.

Mystical Elf smiled. "You are welcome, child. It was my pleasure to help you in this life. May the gods give you a better chance this time around."

Yami dismissed her and Mystic Elf disappeared once more into the tablet. Carrie's head felt numb, for the Duel Monster had pushed her over the edge. She held her head in her hands and put her back up against the tablet behind her, afraid she was going to fall down now that she was so overwhelmed. Yami just looked at her without a clear expression on his face.

"…Okay…Today has…definitely been a crazy one…," Carrie muttered. "How the hell can Duel Monsters be in here? They're just cards. It's not like they're real…right?"

"The Duel Monsters are not just cards. They are as real as you and I. Their spirits were locked away a long time ago inside these tablets in Egypt. As to how they are within the Puzzle, that is beyond even me. But Duel Monsters are real, Carrie. You just use them in duels," Yami explained.

"…Why was she calling you 'her Pharaoh?' Is that what you were before…you know… being locked away?" Carrie asked.

Yami shrugged. "If that is what she said, then I suppose I was. Her memory remains intact while mine is flawed due to being stuck in here for so many years."

"Then I suppose it would be pointless to ask you about what she meant by helping me in this life and saying that she hoped I got a better chance this time around," Carrie grumbled. "One life is complicated enough. I can't imagine having any others. All hell would probably have broken loose by now if all my lives were this bad or worse."

"I don't know exactly what she meant by the mentions of another life, but you should not be troubled by the thought of being a reincarnation. Many people die and come back at a different time without memory of who they once were. Perhaps your other lives were not so bad. Perhaps you were happy then. And I promise that I'll make sure you are happy in this life, no matter what it takes," Yami said.

"…But if I was happy in my other lives, why did I come back again?" Carrie wanted to know. "I thought that you were only reincarnated if you did things wrong. If you're happy, then you must be good…unless you were a crazy serial killer. Oh my God…I was a crazy serial killer, wasn't I? Oh my God, I killed people…lots of people…There's so much blood and I felt happy about it."

Yami almost wanted to laugh at Carrie's rambling about being a serial killer in a past life, but knew it would have been inappropriate and she would have taken it the wrong way. People in this time overreacted easily, but that was not to say that people in his time hadn't been the same. They were really more serious back five thousand years ago. This time was actually a break compared to ancient Egypt and their seriousness.

"…And my first victim was a girl named Reba….I can remember it…I'm getting a bunch of mental pictures now…I slit her throat and her blood spilled everywhere. I laughed evilly while licking her blood from my lips…and then I took her body and-!"

"Calm down, Carrie. I doubt you were a murderer in a past life. A warrior maybe. A murderer no. Now stop making up such lies before you make yourself go mad. I do not want to have to deal with a mad person. I prefer the company of you," Yami stated.

Carrie stopped talking about what she had done to Reba and looked up at Yami with a small smile. "Thank you. I prefer your company to a lot of other peoples', too, seeing as you're the only one besides my sister who is nice to me on a daily basis."

"Please, tell me more about your sister."

"Well…Her name is Jessica, and we don't really look anything alike. She has black hair and pink eyes and is two years younger than me. She gets abused by our parents more than I do because she is a young teenager and doesn't want to put up with this shit. She's been dealing with it almost all of her life. I can't really say the same; it started when I was seven. But she receives the brunt of their anger because she talks back, something I don't do especially when I've been attacked by Bandit Keith."

"Your sister doesn't have to worry about Bandit Keith?"

"No. He only goes after me. Jessie and I used to walk to and from school together, but when he began to come after me, I told her to go alone and take the long way so that she'd be safe. She didn't ask why or complain; she just did it. I guess she understood the danger the situation presented and decided to do the smart thing."

"Why don't you go with her? You wouldn't have to deal with him then."

"He'd find out eventually and we'd be stuck in the same position that we were in the first place. I take the way he knows I'll come to keep him from hurting Jessica. She already has enough to deal with at home without him interfering with her life. Let him ruin mine, but at least give her a chance. That's what I always say. But we won't have to deal with him that much longer, if I can get a job from a jerk in Japan."

"That sounds like it should be a reprieve."

Carrie snorted. "Yeah. Working for the jerk named Seto Kaiba who is still in school yet runs a corporation and screws most of his female employees and classmates _really_ sounds like a reprieve. It's a good thing he hates me. That means he won't try to get into my pants if he hires me. But I can't say the same about my cousin, though. Poor Alyssa."

"At least you'll be getting away from your abusive parents and Bandit Keith."

"Yeah…But I won't be able to bring Jessica with me right away. She'll have to remain here until I can get the money to move her to Japan. Alyssa says it will only take a few weeks to get enough money, but I'm not so sure. Kaiba and I have met before, since he's a friend of hers, and he hates me. He might make my paycheck worth a lot less than hers. Who knows? It might take months to get enough money for anything while working for him. But I shouldn't worry about this now. First I have to get the job before thinking about getting Jessie out of here. And my interview with Kaiba isn't until next Thursday, so I've got time. Less than a week of time."

Carrie had managed to come back to herself, now that everything had been explained and was not so crazy anymore. She didn't know how long she had been inside the Puzzle, as there was no sense of time in it. But she felt like she should be getting back to reality, just in case her sister needed her. Even if she was not strong enough to protect her, she could be there to comfort her, like a big sister should. Yami seemed to understand that she wanted to leave because he was looking at her again.

"How do I return to the real world?" Carrie asked.

"The same way you entered. The Puzzle granted you entrance, and now it shall grant you leave. Just think about the world outside, and you should find yourself back in your room," Yami told her.

Just like she had done before, Carrie closed her eyes and focused on where she wanted to go. She pictured her room in her head, as bare and full of pain as it had been before she had followed Yami into the Millennium Puzzle. There was only one difference. Jessica was sitting on her bed, shaking her in an attempt to wake her up. Carrie had no idea where that came from, but just went with it.

_Thank you, Yami,_ she thought before opening her eyes.

* * *

Jessica was shaking her, tears running out of her pretty pink eyes. Carrie blinked a few times, confused from her trip within the Puzzle and finding her sister there. The door had been locked. She was sure of it. And yet Jessica had found a way to get into her room.

"Carrie!" Jessica cried, hugging her sister as Carrie sat up. "For a moment there I thought you were dead! You wouldn't respond no matter how hard I shook you! Don't scare me like that again; never, never again!"

"I'm sorry, Jessie. I guess I just dozed off. I'm sorry," Carrie apologized, taking notice of a large gash across the back of her sister's shirt as she hugged her. "How did you get in here? And what happened to you?"

"I picked the lock when you didn't come to the door. And…And the reason I'm cut on my back…is because Carl pulled a knife on me when I came home late. I turned…I turned my back to him for a second…and next thing I know…I feel the slashing of something across my back…feel a flood of pain rush through me…and turn around to find Carl holding a carving knife with blood on it. He tried to kill me, Carrie! He tried to kill me! Now it hurts to move!"

Carrie did not know what to say to that. Carl had always been abusive, but he had never touched them with anything more than his hands or feet. This was the first time he had actually used a weapon. This shocked her, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Jessica could bleed to death because of him. It was time to take action.

"Jessie, we're going to the hospital," she stated.

"What? But how? We'll never get past Carl! And you'd have to drive me; my back hurts too much for me to walk anymore! We can't do it!" Jessica whimpered.

"Yes, we can. I know how to deal with abusive men. Let me take care of Carl. You steal the keys while I keep him busy, okay? Then we're going to take care of you," Carrie said.

Jessica still looked fearful, but she gave a nod to show that she understood. There was admiration in her eyes as she looked at Carrie, something she hadn't seen in awhile, since she hardly spent time with Jessica anymore. Carrie smiled reassuringly at her as she helped her sister to stand. She grabbed her jacket and told Jessica to go ahead. Jessica opened the door, and they both walked out.

Carl spotted them almost immediately. His anger came about, but when he saw Jessica grimacing with every step, an evil smirk broke out on his lips. He didn't even look at the healed Carrie; he was enjoying Jessica's pain more. That just pissed Carrie off.

"What the hell do you two think you're doing? You bitches are supposed to be in your rooms! Go back in there THIS INSTANT!" he exclaimed, going to grab Carrie by her hair, but she blocked his arm.

"Go fuck yourself! I'm taking Jessie to the hospital to deal with what you did to her that might end up killing her! And you can't stop me! You know why? Because I'm stronger than you think, and I will not put up with your shit any longer! You cannot try to kill my little sister and get away with it, you bastard! Mess with me all you want, but leave Jessica the hell alone!" Carrie shouted, knocking him backwards. Jessica snuck around towards the table where the car keys were held, watching Carrie and Carl while she did so, for she feared for her sister's safety.

"Do not talk that way to me, bitch! I am your father!" Carl yelled.

"Some father you are! Having you as a dad makes me wish I had no father at all! That's pretty much how it is, anyway!" Carrie shot back. "All you are is an abusive son of a bitch who has to hurt his children to feel better about himself! And it's all because your business sucks and your life sucks and your wife thinks you're so lame that she has to go sleep with other men!"

Carl got really pissed at that. He tried to punch Carrie, but she ducked and used her legs to knock his feet out from under him. He fell to the ground, landing on his back and hitting his head pretty hard. But he was still conscious. He scrambled to his feet, but that's when Carrie punched him in the face. He ended up on the floor again.

Jessica had the keys by then and was standing by the door. Carrie began to walk towards her, but then her pink eyes got wide.

"Carrie! Look out! He's got the knife!" she shrieked, pointing.

Carrie turned around just in time to see her father holding the bloody knife that he had used to hurt Jessica. He stabbed at her with it, but she dodged it with ease. Moving quickly to avoid being cut, she got into a position she had had to get into so many times with Bandit Keith. With one swift movement of her leg, she knocked the knife out of his hand, sending it flying into the wall. He growled and tried to punch her, but she ducked again and popped up behind him. She hit him in the back of the head with as much force as she could, causing him to fall forward. He was unconscious.

"Come on, Jessica. Let's go," Carrie muttered, taking the keys from her sister as she walked out of the apartment.

* * *

Carrie sat outside her sister's room in the hospital, ignoring the glances she was getting from other patients and medical personnel as they walked past. Jessica was going to be fine, but right now they were giving her stitches for the cut on her back. Carrie was giving her sister privacy, as she really didn't like seeing needles of any kind going into someone. And besides, she was busy.

As soon as she had gotten Jessica where she needed to be, Carrie had called Alyssa and explained the situation. After talking with her cousin and Pegasus, it was decided that they would pick up the tab for the medical stuff. Alyssa also announced that she and Pegasus both would be coming to visit tomorrow to straighten out her parents. Carrie thanked them for their concern and told them not to come, but they would not be dissuaded. For once, Carrie was almost glad that they were coming. It meant that they cared what happened to her and Jessica.

The second call she made was to the police. She reported a domestic disturbance at her address, and told them that she had already taken the victim to the hospital. The person on the other end of the line said they would dispatch a couple of cops to investigate. Carrie told the dispatcher where the knife was and explained that she had had to fight her father in order to take Jessica to safety. It was assumed that Carl would be arrested and charges would be pressed. And it turned out Carrie was not the only one to call about the attack. A few of her neighbors called it in, too, although all they heard was a lot of screaming. Still, it felt good to know her neighbors cared.

What was she busy with now? Her thoughts. This had been the first time she had fought her father. She had never had the nerve to hit him before because he was so imposing and intimidating. But he had never tried to kill anyone before. Maybe it was because of his attempt at murder that she had finally been brave enough to fight. She was not sure.

"How are you doing, Carrie?" Yami asked, materializing beside her.

_I'm fine, I guess. It's Jessica who's suffering right now,_ Carrie replied. _I never thought he would go so far as to try and kill us. I was so unprepared for that. I don't know what came over me._

"You wanted to protect your sister. She was in peril. You did the only thing an older sibling could do. You defended her and defeated her attacker. You did well, Carrie. Do not doubt that for a second. And you are strong enough to protect her from anything now. There is no need to fear for her, for whenever she is in trouble, you will be there. I can see that now," Yami stated.

_Thank you for believing in me, Yami. I couldn't ask for a better friend, or for a better spirit to be stuck with,_ Carrie thought with a smile.

Yami said nothing; he just returned her smile. The gods had not made a mistake at all. This girl was learning from him, and he was learning from her. How perfect it all seemed to be now.

But the tides could always change…

* * *

_A/N: End of this chapter. What do you think? Is this story worth continuing? Please tell me. Thank you for reading! I hope you have a nice day._


	4. 4 - Encountering the Reflection

_A/N: Next chapter coming right up! Thanks to all that reviewed! I hope you continue to enjoy this story, even if there's a bit of language involved. Please, read on._

* * *

Chapter 4

Two weeks had passed since the incident with Jessica. Carrie no longer lived in New York City; her home was now in Domino City, Japan. She had gotten the job from Kaiba and was getting paid quite a bit of money, but not enough to pay Kaiba back for buying her a decent home _and_ to get Jessica. She was saving as much as possible for Jessica's plane ticket, but it would still take about a month or so to bring her over.

At least Jessica was safe for now.

Carl had been thrown in prison and was set to go on trial for attempted murder and several other charges soon. Megan had been upset and yelled at the both of her daughters, but she never raised a hand to them. She never hurt them before; it had always been Carl that had carried out her threats. Jessica would be fine.

The day that Carrie had gotten the job had been nerve-racking. She had been called into the office in the middle of class when she was about to punch an annoying guy's face in, not the best of times. She wasn't dressed appropriately for a job interview because she didn't own many formal clothes and didn't feel like being bugged by the kids about her attire. Even though she doubted Kaiba would hire her, she dropped the kid and walked towards the office, heart pounding hard in her chest.

Kaiba had stolen the principal's office when she found him. He was an eighteen-year-old CEO who was far taller than Carrie with brown hair and hard blue eyes. He always wore a blue jacket that resembled a duster over dark clothes. He hardly looked business-like, as he was still a senior in school. The only reason he even had the job was because of his foster-father.

"Hello, Carrie," Kaiba grumbled, his voice cold.

"Kaiba," Carrie muttered, resisting the urge to call him Rich Boy.

"Sit. Your cousin is the only reason I am here, you know. I would have never considered hiring a sophomore, let alone _you_. We have our differences," Kaiba stated. "But from what I've heard from her, you really need this job for you and your sister."

"That is…correct, Mr. Kaiba," Carrie murmured, forcing herself to look at Kaiba in the face.

"I hear he tried to kill Jessica. That's a tragedy. A father really shouldn't treat his children that way," Kaiba said. He had a "too bad it wasn't you" look on his face, and had they been under different circumstances, she would have punched his face in. But she couldn't do that, not if she wanted to get the job. "Well, let's look at your resume' and see what we've got to deal with, shall we?"

Kaiba picked up an official-looking document off the desk and looked over it. Carrie fought to control herself as she kept her gaze on him. Yami helped a little, but her anger was always right underneath the surface when she was around Seto Kaiba.

"Everything seems…fine, I suppose. You have the skills required of being a personal assistant. I guess you could have the job," Kaiba told her with a bit of hate in his voice. "But there are a few problems we need to address. First, you need to get a home in Domino City, where my business is. Then there's the schedule. And finally, there's education. All these things are going to have to be taken care of before I can give you the job."

"I'll find a home in Japan when I can find the time. Alyssa said she'd help me. And I can work afternoons, nights, and weekends, as well as days when we're out of school. Education? Really, Mr. Kaiba? You're still in school yourself. I will be finishing my high school education. And I'll try to avoid getting into fights. You can count on me," Carrie said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

Kaiba gave her a look that normally would have caused her to go off. "Well, then. I can't afford to wait for you to find a house. It might take too long, and time is something I'm short on."

"…Oh…," Carrie murmured. Slowly, she stood up and forced a smile onto her face. "Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. Kaiba. I appreciate it. I'll just be going back to class now…"

"Sit down. I didn't say I was through with you just yet. Sit," Kaiba commanded, and Carrie sat. "Now, I will be looking for a house for you and your sister myself. That also means I'll be buying it for you. But this will only happen if you don't move in with the Pegasus family. Do they want to take you in?"

Carrie shook her head slowly. "…No. They are too busy to consider us, no offense to Alyssa. Besides, I'd work better living alone for awhile."

"All right then. I'll find you something decent to live in with your sister. But don't expect me to let you have it for free. You're going to pay me back over time. I may be a billionaire, but I don't give charity. And I won't make an exception for you just because you're Angel's cousin. I won't go easy on you in the job for the same reason, either," Kaiba stated.

"Yes, sir. I understand. Thank you for being so generous, Mr. Kaiba. You will not regret giving me this job," Carrie said.

She had left the office feeling happy for the first time in a long time. Yami was happy for her, too, although he kept saying something about Kaiba reminding him of someone from his past. He seemed confused but he pushed that aside to focus all his attention on Carrie.

Kaiba found her a house within two days and called to tell her to start packing. She did so and was gone the next night. Carrie's departure had been a bad one. Jessica had accepted that Carrie was leaving, but she knew that her sister would come back for her when she could. Megan, however, had been a bit more than pissed.

"You bitch! How dare you leave us! We're the only ones who cared about you, and here you go, abandoning the family! First you lied about what your father did, then you beat him up, then you got him thrown in jail, and now you're abandoning us! Selfish bitch! Selfish, lying, ungrateful bitch!" Megan shouted, hitting her daughter across the back in an attempt to hurt her.

Carrie ignored her as she loaded her two suitcases into the back of the car. A nice girl from school had volunteered to drive her to the airport, where Kaiba was waiting with his private jet. The girl was looking at Megan like she was a crazy person. She didn't know the half of it.

Megan was an orange-haired woman with striking blue eyes that could pierce someone's soul if they looked at her long enough. She was Pegasus's half-sister, a few years older than the famous man himself. She was taller than Carrie by a couple of inches, but the blonde was never intimidated by her. Carl had been the major problem. Without him, Megan was powerless. Megan was also unfaithful; she had slept around more than once. Jessica had been conceived during one of Megan's affairs, and that was why she looked so different from Carrie. Jessica was a half-sister, no thanks to their mother.

"Don't you ignore me, bitch! I am your mother, and you will do as I tell you! Go back into the house this instant!" Megan ordered as Carrie closed the trunk. "Unpack and go back inside, or when your father gets home I'll make sure he teaches you a lesson!"

Carrie continued to ignore her and came over to the passenger side of the girl's car. Her mother went on yelling as the blonde closed the door. She looked towards the door to the apartment, where Jessica stood amidst a crowd of nosy neighbors who had been attracted by all the yelling. She gave her a small smile and made an X over her chest in the air. Jessica smiled back and copied her action. Yami had asked about the motion, and Carrie explained that it was their way of saying that they loved each other and Carrie's way of letting Jessica know that she would be back for her soon.

The house Kaiba had bought her was his definition of decent; it cost about $200,000 and was a little big for two people. It had four rooms not including the master bedroom, two bathrooms, two stories not including the basement, and many other things in large proportion. There was even a driveway large enough for a stretch limo. When asked about it, Kaiba just said that he wanted her to be comfortable and not cramped when guests came over. Carrie thought he just wanted to make her suffer in order to pay him back for such a nice house.

Living in Japan wasn't too bad. Most people spoke English in Domino City, making it easy on someone whose Japanese was a bit rusty. Her house wasn't too far from school or work, making it so she only had to walk to get places. She had had to walk in NYC, too, but it was much farther. Work was okay, even though her first afternoon had been full of mistakes that Alyssa helped her correct. School was fine, too; everyone didn't know her and were eager to help when she needed it. She had already made a friend in a guy named Joey Wheeler. The only thing wrong with it was that she had to wear a uniform: a pink long-sleeved shirt with a ribbon tied around the neck into a bow and a short blue skirt.

But this was just the beginning…

* * *

Carrie was walking towards home after school so she could get ready for work, her books and stuff in her arms. Yami was walking beside her, and they were talking about things. She was kind of worried about a test that was coming up over Egyptian mythology, something she hadn't had the time to study. She was trying to persuade Yami to help her on the exam tomorrow.

_Oh, come on, Yami. It's just a test. You should be able to remember the great gods of Egypt, and you should help me,_ Carrie told him. _Besides, you and I kind of share the same body now, so it wouldn't be wrong for me to use my second brain. It would just be smart._

"It would still be cheating and unfair to your fellow classmates," Yami stated.

_So what? Bend the rules for once in your non-existent life! Help a girl out!_

"No, Carrie. I will not bend the rules just because we share the same body. There are consequences for doing such immoral things, although they are not as extreme in this time as they were in mine. Do you know what they did to anyone caught cheating at anything in ancient Egypt?"

_No. What?_

"They'd cut their tongue out and remove their dominant hand as punishment to prevent them from doing it again. Some people didn't survive this process, but those who did had a very hard life."

_Ouch. I'm sure glad they don't do that nowadays. There would be so many people in NYC going around tongue-less and lacking a hand._ Carrie shivered at the thought, and then turned her thoughts back to the test. _So...if you won't help me on the test, will you help me memorize the main gods and their role in Egyptian mythology?_

"I suppose that would be all right. Amun-Ra, also known as just Ra, is the sun god. Isis is the…?"

_...Goddess of magic?_

"Correct. And Anubis?"

_God in the underworld?_

"Close enough."

They continued the question-answer process as Carrie walked home. She was so deep in thought that she wasn't really paying attention to where she was going. The next thing she knew, someone had bumped into her and her stuff fell all over the place. She was also knocked over.

"…Sorry…," she apologized, blushing as she hurried to stand. "I didn't see you there."

"That's okay. I wasn't paying attention, either," the boy said as he, too, stood up. He saw her hurrying to pick her stuff up and decided to help her. "I'm Yugi, by the way."

"I'm Carrie, completely and utterly new to this place," Carrie introduced.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you. If you need any help, all you need to do is ask. I'll do what I can," Yugi told her, holding the rest of her stuff out to her in a very small hand.

"Thank you," Carrie murmured, taking the objects. Then she looked at him in the face and nearly lost her composure. She felt Yami stiffen, too.

Yugi looked like a slightly shorter version of Yami. His hair was tri-colored and seemed a little different than the spirit's, although Carrie couldn't quite tell what was different. His eyes were violet instead of crimson, and his face appeared more child-like and innocent than Yami's. They were even wearing the same clothes. This was more than coincidence. Their differences were clear, but Carrie couldn't shake the feeling that Yugi and Yami were connected somehow, and she had intercepted their connection.

"So…What do you think of Domino City so far?" Yugi asked.

"…Umm…Well, it's a nice place compared to New York City. That's…where I lived before. Domino City is definitely a break. I think I like this place more than NYC," Carrie replied, walking on.

"My friend Tea would like to go to New York. She said something about it having the best dance studios. Maybe you could take her there sometime, you know, when you visit your family again," Yugi said.

"How do you know I don't live with my family here?" Carrie inquired, looking at him quizzically.

"…I don't know. Just some part of me assumed that was the case. I really don't know how that came into my head. I'm…I'm sorry if I have offended you," Yugi apologized.

"You didn't offend me. You just…surprised me. I do live alone for the time being, and I don't plan on returning to NYC unless it is absolutely necessary. I'm only going to retrieve my sister and then we're never going back. I'd tell you the reasons behind our leaving of the family, but I don't know you well enough yet. Sorry."

"That's all right. I understand. I myself have only one family member. He's my grandfather and he runs a game shop. I'd tell you the reasons behind my parents being gone, but I don't know you well enough yet."

Yugi gave her a smile at that, and Carrie couldn't help but return the smile. He wasn't too different from Yami at all. Sure, Yugi's voice was a bit higher-pitched, but so what? They had the same personality, or close enough. She couldn't help but like the boy who was also in high school despite his appearance.

"Oh, crap! I have to get going. Kaiba will scold me if I don't get to work on time. Sorry to meet-and-run, Yugi, but I have to go. Maybe we can meet later, like this Saturday or something. Right now, I've gotta get moving," Carrie muttered.

"Sure. Go, do what you have to," Yugi said with a smile.

Carrie waved goodbye before breaking into a run. She sprinted towards home, and the whole time she was thinking about Yami and Yugi. Yami's thoughts weren't too far off from her own.

_Seems you were reincarnated yourself, Yami,_ Carrie thought.

_**Yeah, it seems that way, doesn't it? He seems decent enough. At least I was not completely lost to this world when I was sealed away in the Millennium Puzzle.**_

_He looks and acts so much like you. I guess the gods couldn't bear to alter your perfect body and personality. They must really like you. Then again...They did seal you away for thousands of years. Maybe they like and hate you at the same time and can't decide whether to bless or curse you._

…_**Did you say my body and personality were perfect?**_

_...No..._ Carrie became flustered immediately.

_**Yes, you did.**_

_Yami, do you think it's possible that you were meant to be released by Yugi? I mean, that would explain why you never wear what I wear, why you don't look like me, and why we have nothing in common. Yugi fits you. Yugi **is** you. Maybe you belong with him._

…_**You changed the subject.**_

_Just go with it._

_**Yugi is a lot like me, it's true. He may even be me reincarnated. But Carrie, the gods do not make mistakes. They might have originally thought of having Yugi release me, but fate has put me with you. That means you belong with me, and I belong with you. End of discussion. And even if I wanted to choose Yugi over you, you wouldn't let me and my perfect self leave you.**_

_...You're never going to let me live that down, are you?_

_**Probably not.**_

Carrie mentally chided him, but a huge smile was on her face. She had never been happier in her life, even though everything was making confusing twists and turns.

Domino City sure was a great place.

* * *

_A/N: Nice chapter, in my opinion. Well, Carrie's finally met Yugi. This has already started to confuse things for her. And she slipped something. What did you think of all of this? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	5. 5 - Gang Initiation

_A/N: I'm sorry if anyone doesn't like my story because of some of the things said and stuff mentioned. I really am. I just try to do my best, and if you don't like what I write, that's okay. If you do, that's okay, too. For those who were looking forward to this chapter, please read on. Thank you._

* * *

Chapter 5

Carrie took Saturday off, even though work was very important to her for her sister's sake. She needed to make friends, which she had trouble doing since she had never had friends before coming to Japan. But Joey and Yugi were making it easy for her to start over, and Yami was always there to guide her. So she was taking Saturday off to get better acquainted with her newfound acquaintances. Kaiba could just deal with it.

She had met Tristan and Tea, the girl that Yugi had mentioned before. Joey had been there when Yugi had introduced her to the gang, and it was then that she realized that they were friends, too. Joey was a hyperactive blonde just taller than her with nice brown eyes. He was the funny one in the group, but his personality was great. Tristan was a very tall brunette with a weird hairstyle that came to a point and welcoming brown eyes. He was just like Joey; Carrie really liked his personality. Tea was a brunette just one inch shorter than the blonde and she had kind blue eyes. She talked a bit too much and acted a bit immature at times, but it was obvious she cared about her friends a lot. Carrie could learn to like her in time.

The gang had accepted her even before she told them she was the cousin of Alyssa Pegasus. They knew Alyssa personally, as she went to their school, too. Carrie hadn't seen her in the halls or anything, but she knew they weren't lying. Kaiba went there, but he didn't like to be seen with the 'losers' in school. He didn't like for Carrie to hang out with Yugi, either, but she didn't care. He was in control of her when she was at work. In school, however, it was a different story.

They had planned the day before to meet at Yugi's grandfather's game shop. Carrie had been forced to admit she didn't know where that was. Yugi volunteered to walk her there, and would be at her place at ten. She would be ready by then, no doubt.

Carrie walked out into her bedroom at 9:49 AM dressed in normal clothes for the first time since she had left NYC. She had on a dull pink shirt with very short sleeves over a black spaghetti-strap shirt, blue jeans with a black belt, and a blue baseball cap to top it off. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail. Two gold cross earrings dangled from her ears and a matching necklace was on her neck with the Millennium Puzzle. A black leather armband rested on her right wrist. On her feet was a pair of tennis shoes she hadn't worn in awhile, since tennis shoes weren't the best things to fight in.

_Well, this is comfortable compared to what the school forces me to wear and what Kaiba orders me to dress in. It's too bad I have to revert back to skirts and blouses tomorrow. I could get used to this again,_ Carrie thought, sighing as she looked at herself in the mirror. _How do I look, Yami?_

"You look fine. Stop worrying about appearances. They're just your friends, and most of them are boys, anyway. They're not going to judge you on how you look. They're going to judge you on what's on the inside," Yami stated from where he sat on Carrie's bed, a good vantage point. "You're worrying too much about trivial things. Try to relax for awhile. It'll do you some good."

"But Yami, I…I've never had friends before I met you. Everyone just saw me as a freak. 'Course, that was my mother's doing. She made friends with everyone's parents and told them that I was a little monster and to keep their kids away from me. But still…You see my predicament here," Carrie said, sitting down beside him. "This is going to be hard for me, harder than dueling in tournaments or fighting Bandit Keith. How am I going to make sure I don't lose my friends?"

"Just be yourself. If they don't like you for who you are, then it's their loss. If they can't see the good person I see in you, then that's too bad for them. They just passed up a great girl to make acquaintances with," Yami remarked.

Carrie smiled and felt herself blush from his compliment. "Thank you, Yami."

"You're very welcome."

Just then there was a light knocking at the front door. Carrie stood up and walked towards it quickly with Yami at her side. Within a minute she was downstairs, holding the door open. Yugi was standing there with an innocent smile on his face, like he always had.

"Good morning, Carrie. Sorry I'm a little early, but I thought you might be ready," Yugi said. He looked at her house curiously. "You live here alone?"

"Yeah…And that jerk I work for is making me wish I didn't live here at all. He bought the whole thing for me so that I could work for him, and I guess a simple one-floor building didn't seem decent enough for him. And to top it off, I have to pay him back every week for this expensive thing. Oh well…It's not that bad," Carrie murmured. "We better get going now. The others are waiting."

Yugi walked at her right side as he led her towards his grandfather's game shop. Yami was at her left. Telling them apart wasn't as easy as who was transparent and who was solid. They looked so much alike that even that wasn't enough to help her say the right name when they were speaking. It didn't help that they were wearing the exact same thing, either. Today, they were wearing a black sleeveless shirt with blue jeans and sneakers.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, with the only sound in Carrie's head the encouraging words of Yami. It seemed that neither one of the living people could think of anything to say. Carrie was too worried that she might say the wrong thing and scare Yugi away, so she kept her mouth shut, waiting for Yugi to speak first. It was a safe move on her part; the first thing she would have said would have been about the weather or something that stupid.

"…So…What do you think of Kaiba, now that you're working for him?" Yugi asked.

"I always knew he was a horrible man, but I never expected him to be _that_ horrible. I mean, he's got a different woman going into his office every afternoon for almost an hour, he bosses us around like we're dogs, and he treats me like a slave. True, he doesn't try to get in my pants, but the way he makes me do the brunt of his work almost makes me wish he was. He's such a manwhore…Pardon the language," Carrie stated.

"Nah. That word pretty much describes him. Feel free to say it whenever you're talking about him. You could also call him a cold-hearted something-or-another if you want to. That would fit him just fine, too," Yugi told her.

"Okay." _Well, at least I know my bad mouth won't get me in trouble with Yugi,_ Carrie thought with a smile.

"…You're nervous about hanging out with us, aren't you?" Yugi inquired.

Carrie hesitated, and then gave a small nod. "…To be honest with you, Yugi…I never had any friends before. Well, there was always my little sister Jessica and now and then there was Alyssa, but other than them…I had no one. You and Joey are the first friends I ever had."

"No friends? That must have been a lonely life. But you shouldn't worry too much about what we think of you. You're a nice person. Tristan has already been talking about asking you out on a date. You're a big hit with Tea, too. And you know what Joey and I think of you, so there's no need to be nervous. I believe you've just found your first four friends, Carrie. Welcome to the gang," Yugi announced with a grin.

The blonde returned the smile, already feeling better about this gathering. Yami, not surprisingly, had been right. There had never been anything to worry about. Her Pharaoh knew best and she should have listened to him from the beginning.

At that thought, her heart skipped a beat.

* * *

Yami had retreated back within the Puzzle as to give Carrie peace while she spoke with Yugi. He didn't need to be out to see what was going on; the Puzzle allowed him to view the outside world while he was within its walls. He needed to think about things, too, without worrying that he might slip up and let her hear his thoughts.

For awhile now, Yami had been having memories from his past, or what he assumed was from his past. It involved him looking a bit more Egyptian than he did as a spirit, and sometimes there were other people involved. Once he had seen a man who bore a resemblance to Kaiba, and another time he had seen a woman who looked close to Alyssa. But more often, he saw a light-haired Egyptian girl who reminded him of Carrie. His memories always came at night when he was sleeping, and those of the girl always made him wake up feeling breathless and with a racing heart. He did not understand why, but he had some idea of the cause behind it.

_I don't feel that way about Carrie. She is just a friend whom I care about very much because of all that she has been through. I might have had feelings for an incarnation of her that was alive during my time. That would explain the feelings I get when I have those memories. But the feelings would not have passed with me through time and be directed at Carrie. There's no possible way,_ Yami thought.

But it was more likely than it seemed.

He had begun to notice things about Carrie that he hadn't noticed during the first few weeks he had been with her. Some of these things included how beautiful her green eyes looked when she was happy, how filled out she was in the chest area, how gracefully she walked—he liked to look at her when she walked—and how pretty she looked when she was in peaceful slumber. There had been times when he had been tempted to look at her while she was in the bathroom taking a shower or changing clothes, but he knew better. Carrie had set strict no-peeking rules that if he violated them, she would smash the Puzzle and not solve it again for a whole month. Besides, it would be wrong to do it, as it had been wrong to watch women bathe in his time. And he thought he shouldn't think that way about Carrie, anyway.

But his heart disagreed with his logic.

He knew that Carrie felt something for him, as she had slipped out some revealing information not too long ago. She thought his personality and body were 'perfect' and when asked about it, she had turned red and denied it before changing the subject. He didn't know how far her feelings were, but it might have been worth a shot. Even if it was a silly crush, it wouldn't be too bad to ask more about it at a later time.

_No,_ Yami thought, shaking his head. _I don't love Carrie. I am not here to fall in love. The gods put me with Carrie to protect her from the many dangers she will face. Her parents, Kaiba, and anyone else that dares cross her wrong. I am not here to fall in love with her. I am not!_

**What if Carrie needs to feel love to be protected?**

Yami had no idea where the voice had come from, nor did he know how to answer the question. His heart was screaming that he would love Carrie, but his mind was hesitant. Love had never saved anyone before. Most of the time, love only got people killed. But after thinking it over, he decided that if love really was the only way to protect her, then so be it. But that would only come to pass if there was no other way.

The Pharaoh turned his eyes back to what was happening outside of the Puzzle.

* * *

Carrie followed Yugi into the game shop, and immediately noticed that the place was full of Duel Monster cards. Her eyes went wide as she looked at all the cards, even though most of them were weaker than what she had in her deck. Being the niece of the president of Industrial Illusions and the creator of Duel Monsters itself had its benefits.

There was an old man behind the counter who was just as tall as Yugi if not a bit taller. His gray hair was flatter than Yugi's, but still looked similar to his grandson's. He had some gray facial hair, but it didn't look bad at all. His violet eyes were welcoming as he saw Yugi and Carrie coming towards him. A smile broke out on his kind old face, and Carrie couldn't help but like him right away. She almost wished he was her grandfather, since both sets of hers were already dead.

"Hey, Grandpa. This is Carrie," Yugi introduced with a proud grin.

"So, you're the girl that Yugi talks so much about. Glad to finally meet you," Grandpa Muto said, extending his hand. "I hear you hit a rough spot, but it seems that you're doing well enough now. Welcome to my shop. I hope to see you coming here a lot."

"Thank you, Mr. Muto. The pleasure is mine," Carrie said, shaking his hand.

"Oh, please. Call me Grandpa. That's what everyone younger than me calls me. I don't find it rude at all. Besides, it gives me the illusion that I have more grandkids than just sweet little Yugi. Not that he isn't enough," Grandpa remarked, his smile widening.

"Yugi is a little sweetheart. You should be very proud to have him as your grandson, Grandpa," Carrie complimented. She saw Yugi blush.

"I am proud! Little Yugi is all I have, and I couldn't ask for anyone as great as him. He's so amazing…Oh Kami, now I'm gonna start tearing up." Grandpa grabbed a tissue and dabbed his watering eyes. "Well, you two didn't come here to see an old man get all teary-eyed. The others are waiting in the living room. You'd best be getting there before they start to think you skipped out on them."

"It was nice meeting you, Grandpa," Carrie murmured before following Yugi to the living room.

Joey and Tristan were busy playing a violent video game on the floor when Carrie and Yugi walked in, too busy to take note of their presence. Tea acknowledged them with a nod, but couldn't get a word in over Tristan's and Joey's claims that they were going to win. Carrie sat down wordlessly on the couch between the other girl and Yugi while they waited for either one of the boys to emerge victorious.

The music signaling that someone had died played. Joey growled and threw the controller to the floor. Tristan had a huge grin on his face, as he had obviously won.

"That game must be rigged or something! I never win whenever I play!" Joey shouted, crossing his arms as he glared at the TV screen.

"Or maybe you just suck," Tristan said.

"Hey! You don't know who you're talking to! I'm the biggest gamer in the room, and I always win! I do not suck at any game except this one! So therefore, this game must be rigged so that only the second controller wins!"

"Then why do you lose when you play second controller?" Tristan countered.

"Why you little-Hey!"

Carrie had snuck up behind Joey while he was ranting about what a great gamer he was and had chosen that moment to pounce on him. He landed on his back with her laying awkwardly on his stomach. He smiled up at her, his anger from losing the game instantly forgotten.

"Hey, Carrie! I didn't see you come in! How ya doing?" he inquired as he stole her hat.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking. But it seems you're having game issues. Doesn't it always seem that you're losing when I'm around? First it was that duel you were having with that Bakura guy, now it's this game with Tristan. What's next? You'll lose to Tea at Dance Dance Revolution? Well, I guess that's kind of a given," Carrie murmured.

"No problems here. Just a tad bit of bad luck. Besides, that game's rigged, anyway," Joey declared, putting her hat on his head. "Now, will you get off of me so we can show the others what you can really do?"

"What do you mean, Joey?" Tea asked, watching the two blondes stand.

"Carrie here is a real duelist. She can kick my ass in five minutes flat. I bet she could even beat Yugi, and you know that no one's been able to beat Yugi yet. Her deck has some pretty amazing cards in it," Joey told her.

"Well, that's not fair to say, Joey. You know that Pegasus is my uncle, so I kinda have the upper hand when it comes to getting powerful cards. I bet Yugi's a great duelist and could beat me in a duel," Carrie said, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yugi blush. "But I really don't feel like dueling right now, so why don't we just sit around and talk, since you don't really know me and I don't really know any of you guys?"

After some debate with Joey, they agreed to do just that. Carrie ended up revealing a lot about her past—the abuse, Bandit Keith attacks, and what school was like for her. She didn't try to hide what monsters her parents were, nor did she try to make Bandit Keith's gang out to be anything but bad people. She was completely honest about everything that had ever happened to her, but she also made it clear that she wanted no pity. She left Yami out of it, since it wasn't really important that they should know about him. They expressed a little bit of concern, but for the most part they kept their feelings about Carrie to themselves.

Joey went next. His parents had divorced when he was younger, and his mother had taken his sister away. He hadn't seen Serenity since. The blonde was trying to get by the best he could, since his father didn't really pay him any heed. Dueling helped him to keep busy, although he hardly ever won. But he was determined to become a good duelist, if not the best in the world.

Tristan didn't have much to say about his life, other than it was completely boring. His parents were together, he only had one sister who got pregnant in high school and had a kid that annoyed him, and nothing ever happened to him. He wasn't even that into dueling; he only liked to watch other people do it. He thought of himself as boring, but Carrie didn't think so.

Tea had nearly the same story. Only child, married parents, little interesting tidbits in her life. She did duel a little, but her heart was set on dancing. She was taking classes on weekends and working on weekdays in secret, for the school and her parents didn't want her to work until she graduated. Her dream was to someday go to New York and be on Broadway. Until then, she would practice and spend time with her friends for as long as she could.

Yugi seemed a bit reluctant to tell her about his past, but he did so nonetheless. His parents were gone; they had been gone for years now. They had died in a car accident when he was younger, and since then he had lived with his grandfather. He was an only child and his friends were the closest things to family he had besides Grandpa. Dueling was his passion and his way of coping when he felt lonely. He didn't expect to be so good at it, but didn't mind. Winning was great, but it didn't matter if he won or not. All that mattered was that it took his mind off of things.

Carrie couldn't stop herself from getting up and hugging Yugi after his story was told. She felt him stiffen in her arms and could almost see Tea glaring at her as she hugged Yugi, but she didn't really care. She felt sorry for Yugi because she knew she hadn't had it as bad as he had. Sure, Grandpa had been there for him, but other than the old man and the friends Yugi had been alone. He could argue that Carrie's story was worse, but she'd deny it no matter what. And to think, he was still such a nice guy.

After a moment, she felt Yugi's arms around her, too. It seemed that he had understood why she was doing it and decided he might as well return her gesture. She smiled, feeling good for the first time in a long time as she had tried to make someone feel better.

"Well, what are we to do, now that we've exchanged sob-stories?" Carrie asked, releasing Yugi and returning to her spot on the couch.

"You could start by telling us what that thing on your neck is," Tristan said.

"…Oh…This? It's…umm…" Carrie looked for a way to explain what the Millennium Puzzle was without using its name or anything else that might get her weird glances. In her head, she could hear Yami warning her not to reveal anything about him, as he did not want her to be seen as crazy.

"It's the Millennium Puzzle."

The group looked up to see Grandpa standing in front of them, holding a tray of snacks for them. He was eyeing the pendant around Carrie's neck as if he knew exactly what it was and where it had came from. That made both Carrie and Yami uneasy.

"The Millennium Puzzle? But I thought that was just a box full of broken pieces. And you told me you gave it to a friend," Yugi said as Grandpa set the tray down on the table.

"It was and I did. But that friend I gave it to for safekeeping was forced to give it to the creator of Duel Monsters, Maximillion Pegasus. If he hadn't, the man threatened to send some horrible men to his house to 'persuade' him to think otherwise," Grandpa told his grandson. "I was asking my friend to hold onto it until you were old enough to solve the Puzzle yourself. I didn't even know he had been robbed of it until earlier this year when I called to tell him you were ready." Grandpa looked back at Carrie, who gulped and diverted her gaze to an interesting speck of dust on the floor. "That doesn't explain how you would end up with it solved and dangling from your neck, though."

"…My cousin gave it to me. She stole it from under Pegasus's nose to give it to me as a present while I was still in New York. I'm related to Pegasus, regretfully. Do you know Alyssa? She's the one who stole it on my behalf," Carrie explained.

Grandpa nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. Alyssa did mention something about stealing an artifact from Pegasus the last time she came to visit. Didn't expect it to be the Millennium Puzzle, and I never thought I'd see that thing again. You're just full of surprises, Carrie. I wonder what you'll bedazzle me with next."

"…So…Would anyone like to explain what the heck this Millennium Puzzle is?" Joey asked, totally confused.

"It's a five-thousand-year-old artifact from ancient Egypt that was sealed away by a nameless pharaoh. Some people even believe that the spirit of this nameless pharaoh resides within the Puzzle," Grandpa remarked, giving Carrie a weird glance as he said so, as if he knew. "I found it on one of my adventures when I was a younger man. There's a story behind it, but you would fall asleep if I told it to you. I was saving it for Yugi when he reached the age of sixteen, but then the incident with Pegasus happened, and well… you know the rest."

"…So the Puzzle was meant for Yugi, huh? Well, then…" Carrie sighed before taking the Puzzle from her neck. "…It should be returned to who it was meant for. Here, Yugi. This is supposed to be yours."

Everyone looked at Carrie in shock. Yami was also shocked that she would give him away that easily.

_**Carrie, what are you doing?**_ Yami demanded.

_Shut it, Spiky! Don't make this any harder than it already is! _Carrie hissed, blinking back the tears in her eyes that the others failed to notice. _It's obvious that you and Yugi were destined to be together! Pegasus, as usual, screwed everything up! Now I'm correcting his mistake! I'm sorry, Yami! I really am! But I have to do this! I just have to!_

_**But Carrie! I-!**_

Yami was interrupted by Grandpa's good-spirited chuckle. He was getting looks from the others, but he didn't seem to care.

"That's very generous of you, Carrie, and very unexpected of you! But I believe you own it now. True, I would have loved for Yugi to have solved it and unlocked its secrets, but you look like you've grown attached to it. You're a very kind girl and all, but I think you should get to keep it," Grandpa stated.

Carrie looked at Yugi for his opinion. He smiled, but shook his head. "Thanks for wanting to give it up for me, but I agree with Grandpa on this one."

"…All right. Thank you," Carrie murmured, putting the Puzzle back around her neck.

"Don't mention it," Yugi murmured, as if he understood how hard it would have been for her to part with the Puzzle.

She hugged Yugi again, and this time he didn't hesitate in hugging her back. She whispered in his ear something along the lines of lending the Puzzle to him whenever he needed it, and he replied with something along the lines of it being fine. Yami just watched from a distance, feeling a tang of jealousy as he watched the closeness of Carrie and Yugi.

* * *

_A/N: Whoa...Weirdness. Yami almost said something, but Grandpa cut him off. What could it have been? And what do you think is developing between Carrie and Yugi? Is it friendship...or more? Whatever you think, please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	6. 6 - It Begins

_A/N: Here's the next chapter. Enjoy it if you will, leave now if you didn't enjoy the other chapters. Thank you, and please read on._

* * *

Chapter 6

Another month went by in Domino City, and many things had changed. Jessica was now living with her in her big house, the house was paid off, Kaiba had been showed up in dueling, and Yugi had lost his grandfather. Pegasus had stolen Grandpa's soul after Yugi had lost duel against him via videotape. It had been hard to explain, but her uncle had apparently forced Yugi into something called a Shadow Duel over a videotape airing using some weird eye.

That whole fiasco had been after Yugi had beaten Kaiba in an unofficial duel. Kaiba had gotten word that Grandpa owned a really powerful rare card and had ordered some of his thugs to get Grandpa to duel him. If Grandpa lost, he would have to hand over his Blue Eyes White Dragon. Unfortunately, the old man lost. Kaiba had him beaten up. Yugi and the gang found him that way, and to top it off, Kaiba tore the card up in front of their faces. The gang urged Yugi to avenge his grandfather, and Carrie even lent him the Millennium Puzzle for encouragement. Yugi ended up kicking Kaiba's ass with Exodia, a very rare and powerful set of cards. Yami had somehow managed to take over Yugi's body long enough to do something that was called a Mind Crush to Kaiba. And after seeing what a cruel monster Kaiba was, Carrie quit her job.

Alyssa had been furious with her when she found out, but even her cousin couldn't convince her to work for that jerk again. Alyssa attacked Kaiba himself and ordered him to get Carrie back in the workforce. After some negotiating, Carrie agreed to be his personal assistant again. But now she got a bigger paycheck and a longer break and he didn't go so hard on her anymore. It wasn't just because of her cousin, but also because the Mind Crush had made him a somewhat better person.

With the bigger paycheck, she was able to pay Kaiba off completely and bring Jessica overseas. Her little sister had been more than happy to see Carrie again, so much so that she was crying when Carrie met her at the airport. The blonde had shed a few tears herself, glad that she and her sister were finally out of harm's way.

Oh, how great it felt to be truly free of both her past and of Kaiba's debt.

* * *

Carrie went to Yugi's place on another Saturday, as she did not have to work that afternoon. The others were there, too, and they had been talking about something before she entered the room. Silence met her as they looked up at her, and she wondered what had caused them to stop talking. They had never done that before. She became nervous.

"Hello, Carrie," Yugi greeted with an innocent smile on his face.

"Hey, Yugi," Carrie murmured, wishing she could return his smile. "…What are you guys doing?"

"Nothing," Tea said bluntly.

"Well, actually…We were talking about that tournament that your uncle is hosting. You know, the one Pegasus forced Yugi into participating in," Tristan told her. "Yugi's going to be catching a boat tonight. The prize if he wins is three million dollars and, of course, the return of Grandpa's soul."

"…And you stopped talking when I walked in why?" Carrie asked.

Silence again. Carrie was getting frustrated, but she didn't let it show. These guys were her first and only friends. She couldn't go off on them just because they had secrets. They hadn't gotten mad at her just because she was secretive and kept Yami from them. It wouldn't be fair. She just waited for one of them to speak up.

"…We thought you would be defensive about your uncle, even though you know what he did. We didn't want to hurt your feelings," Joey muttered.

"Trust me, I would never be defensive of him. He's not a very good uncle or a very good man. If he steals people's souls just to manipulate others, then I want nothing more to do with him. If he threatens my friends, then he better be expecting me to kick his ass. I only wish he had invited me to play in that tournament. I'd win that whole thing and get Grandpa back, no sweat. But alas, he did not and therefore I cannot," Carrie stated. "So you say you wanted to spare my feelings? You didn't. Your silence made me think I'd done something wrong. _That_ hurt my feelings."

"We're sorry, Carrie," Tristan apologized, although he was speaking for the whole.

"It's okay. I forgave you already," Carrie grumbled. "So, are you really going alone, Yugi?"

"It looks that way," Yugi replied. "Joey wants to go and compete, too. Grandpa was teaching him how to be a better duelist just before…the incident. And he wants to do it for Grandpa and his sister. She needs a really expensive surgery to correct her vision before it's completely gone. I wish he could go…And I wish you could go."

"Well, she might end up being forced into it. Pegasus wants that Millennium Thingy she wears all the time, right? He might end up sending her a tape just before the boat's due to take off. She'll beat him, but he won't play fair and he'll steal her sister's soul just like he stole Grandpa's. Then where will she be? In the same situation as you are, Yugi," Tristan remarked.

"In that case, I think I should go home and check the mail, just in case His Creepiness sent me anything that will steal something from me. Then I'll take the tape and…" To illustrate her point, she grabbed an empty plastic cup and put it on the ground, and then she stomped on it as hard as she could, flattening it and breaking it in a few places. "I'll destroy it. Then he won't be able to take Jessie away. I've fought too hard to get her here. I'm not about to lose her just because my deranged uncle wants what he can't have. If he's got a problem with it, he can tell it to my deck, cuz I'm going to kick his ass in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament."

"…Dramatic much?" Tea muttered.

"Nah. I thought it was kinda cute," Tristan said.

"You would," Tea shot back.

"Hey, are you trying to say something?" Tristan demanded.

Those two started arguing pointlessly about Tristan's interest in women. The others just sweat-dropped, a bit disturbed.

_They're going to end up married someday,_ Carrie thought, sighing. "Let's leave these two. I really think I ought to make sure I'm not getting an invite from Pegasus. Tristan's right about him. He might come after me for the sake of the Millennium Puzzle. And he'll probably do anything to get it back, including attacking his nieces. So who wants to come with me?"

Yugi looked willing, but Joey turned her down, saying that he should stay back and mediate just in case Tea and Tristan got into a fistfight or something. So Carrie and Yugi left for her home again, with only each other as company.

Carrie couldn't help but sense Yami's jealousy of Yugi as she walked beside the short boy. The spirit always got so tense when she was around the short boy. She had been meaning to ask him about it, but had been distracted by the happenings in Yugi's life and her own. She hadn't been there when Grandpa had been taken, as she had been working, but she almost wished she had so that Pegasus would have gone after her instead of him. She took the blame for what her uncle had done to Yugi. And that just made Yami tense up even more. He was jealous, but Carrie couldn't figure out why. It wasn't like she was going out with Yugi or anything.

They walked in silence for some time, although Carrie caught Yugi glancing over at her out of the corner of her eye. He looked concerned, as if he feared for her because of what had happened between him and Pegasus that resulted in the loss of Grandpa. There was also a sense of knowing in those violet eyes, like he knew something about Carrie that she had tried to keep from the gang. Nervous again, Carrie tried to keep her mouth shut and her eyes on the road in front of her.

Yugi seemed to have that effect on her. She didn't quite understand it, but the way he knew things even when she didn't tell him kind of freaked her out. She thought it had to do with the Millennium Puzzle or his connection to Yami, but couldn't quite prove it. Maybe it really was something to do with Yami, but she couldn't say for sure. All she knew was that Yugi's way of knowing before hearing was both creepy and intriguing.

"…Carrie, there's something I have to tell you," Yugi said suddenly.

"Oh…What is it?" Carrie asked, although she didn't look at him. She felt Yami stiffen.

"…I know about the spirit. He helped me beat Kaiba, and he did that weird Mind Crush thing to him after the duel was won," Yugi murmured. "He said you called him Yami and that would help set everything right for us. Guess that's what he did with the Mind Crush."

"…Oh…Really? That's nice," Carrie muttered politely. She wasn't letting him on to anything; she wanted to know how much he knew about Yami.

"He looked a lot like me. But you already knew that," Yugi remarked. "Why didn't you tell me that there was a spirit in the Millennium Puzzle that looked like me? Were you afraid that I would think you were crazy or that I might tell the others? If you know me well enough, you should know that I would never do something like that. You've been hurt far too much for someone your age. I would never do anything that might hurt you even more."

"So, you've known since Yami took over your body in your duel with Kaiba, huh? Why didn't you say anything to me before? There have been many times when you could have confronted me without the others overhearing. Will you tell me that?" Carrie inquired.

"…I suppose I was just waiting for the right time to bring up your best kept secret. You seemed a bit hesitant when it came to talking about the Millennium Puzzle. I thought you might have gotten defensive about it or denied it. You do have a short temper, and I didn't want you drawing attention to yourself. This was the only time I could talk about him without anyone else being around."

"Thank you for being so considerate, Yugi. And I appreciate you not bringing it up to the others. Tea already seems to hate me, and Tristan…Well, hearing that a guy dwelled in my body might make him lose his heart for me. That wouldn't be too bad, but…Thank you again."

"No problem. You can count on me to keep a secret." Yugi hesitated, then added, "Do you think that Yami is the reason that Pegasus wants the Millennium Puzzle so badly? I mean, he has that weird eye that looks kinda like the one on the Puzzle. Maybe there are other Millennium Things out there that your uncle wants, or maybe he just wants the Puzzle for the purpose of using Yami to become the best duelist out there. This is just me guessing about why Pegasus wants the Puzzle, but one thing is for sure. You have to be careful when you are around that man, especially if you do get an invitation to his Duelist Kingdom Tournament."

"Yami could be the reason, or it could be the other thing you said about other Millennium Items. Or it could just be that my uncle is a deranged lunatic that needs to be thrown in the loony bin for the rest of his life."

"Yeah, I suppose that's true."

They were at Carrie's house by this time. It always made Carrie think that she and her sister were alone since it was so big, but she didn't care. Her sister was enough company. She held the door open and let Yugi in, although he kept saying that he should probably get back to Joey before Tristan and Tea killed each other. Jessica heard him and came charging down the stairs, a box in her hands.

Jessica stopped to look at Yugi, as they had never met before. Even Jessica was taller than Yugi at the age of fourteen, but just by two inches. Carrie could see Yugi's surprise when he saw how different Jessica looked from her, but he had been told that they were only half-sisters, so his surprise faded rather quickly. Her sister seemed to accept the short friend of her sister and turned her attention back to the box she was carrying.

"Carrie, Uncle sent you something. This came straight from Industrial Illusions right after you left to meet up with your friends," Jessica announced, holding the white box out for her sister to take. "Looks important. You'd better open it right away."

She took the box with dread from Jessica and looked at Yugi to see he had the same feeling about this. They already knew what was in the box before Carrie opened it: a weird maroon glove with a cuff full of ten star-shaped openings, two star chips, cards explaining everything about the tournament, and a videotape. Carrie wanted to stomp on the tape like she had told the gang she would, but Jessica had grabbed it before she could.

"What's with all this stuff? Did Pegasus decide to let you enter that tournament thing he's hosting on his island? It sure looks like it. Well, we'd better put this tape in to see what he has to say," Jessica said, running over to put the tape into their VCR.

"No! Jessica, don't do it!" Carrie exclaimed, but she was too late. Jessica was already playing the tape. Her uncle's ugly mug popped onto the screen and he was dressed in black instead of his feminine red suit he wore so often.

Looking anxiously at Yugi, Carrie joined her sister in the room with him. She gripped her deck as she took a seat on the floor, knowing exactly what was going to happen to Jessica, regardless of the outcome of the duel. She hugged Jessica, even though her sister didn't understand why and wriggled in her arms. That was the only way she would get to say goodbye to her before it was too late.

"Hello, my little Care-Bear!" Pegasus greeted, grinning behind his long silver hair. Carrie noticed how one of his eyes was covered and figured that that was where his mysterious eye was hidden. "I hear your dueling skills are as refined as ever since you moved to Japan. I'm ecstatic to tell you that you've been invited to participate in my tournament at Duelist Kingdom. Angel would be participating, too, but sadly if she did, it wouldn't be fair to the other contenders. I bet you're jumping up and down in excitement right now."

"The hell I am," Carrie grumbled, trying to push the stop button on the VCR to see if she could put an end to all of this before she lost Jessica. Nothing was happening, so she gave up and just watched her uncle come to the point.

"But first, before you can come to my island, I want to test your skills for myself," Pegasus stated. "We shall have a strict fifteen-minute duel right here to see just how good you really are. Are you ready, my little Care-Bear?"

"Duel? What's he talking about? You can't duel against a tape," Jessica remarked, confused about the whole thing.

Carrie looked at Yugi. He gave her a grim smile before whispering, "Good luck."

Yugi and Jessica were then frozen in time, leaving Carrie alone to face Pegasus in a Shadow Duel. She was surrounded by darkness, with a dueling field in front of her with her uncle on the other side. He was grinning evilly, like she knew he would.

_...I don't think I can do this. Not with the knowledge that win or lose, Jessie's gone. I just can't,_ Carrie thought, fighting tears as she pulled out her deck. _Yami...Will you duel for me, please?_

_**Carrie, I don't know. It won't change anything if I do it for you. I can't stop him from stealing Jessie's soul,**_ Yami pointed out.

_I know...But I'm not strong enough to face him myself. Please, will you do it for me?_

Yami sighed. _**All right. I'll do it…I'm sorry.**_

He didn't need to say for what. Carrie knew. She closed her eyes as she let him take over her body, and found herself within the walls of the Puzzle. It felt so much safer in here than it did out there, where her world would be falling to pieces around her. The tears began to spill, and for once, she didn't fight it. She just let herself cry, blocking the sound out from Yami's mind so that he would not be distracted.

Her deck was powerful enough, but Pegasus's was stronger. Yami lost, even though he was making a comeback at the end. Time ran out before he could really show Pegasus what's what. Pegasus and that cheating eye of his had read his every move, making it harder for Yami to win than it would have been otherwise. He felt terrible about losing, even with the knowledge that winning would have had the same result. Now all that Carrie had ever fought for would be lost just because her uncle was a maniac.

Pegasus laughed at his victory. Yami, still in control of Carrie's body, wanted so badly to punch that lunatic's face in for the pain he was causing Carrie. The silver-haired man didn't seem to mind his angry glare, but he did stop laughing.

"Ah, don't you see, _sir_? I can find ways of manipulating anyone to play my game. All it takes is a little persuasion and they'll do whatever I say," Pegasus boasted as his eye took hold of Jessica's spirit and pulled it into the TV towards his side. "Now you and my little Care-Bear will have no choice but to come to Duelist Kingdom. Better hope you get enough star chips to face me. Otherwise…Hehehe…You'll have to hear her cry out even more than ever before. Bye for now. Take good care of my niece and little Yugi."

The screen went black with the end of the tape. Yugi was released from the time freeze as was Jessica, but without her spirit, her body just fell over. Carrie had taken over her body again and was now curled up into a ball on the floor, bawling her eyes out. Yugi came over to her and did what she had done to him often enough. He hugged her. She didn't make any move to push him away or hug him back. She was too broken-hearted to do anything but cry.

Yami, standing at her side in his spiritual form, wished he could hold her like he had that night when she had really been hurt. He wished he could do more to help Carrie with her suffering and her pain, because whenever she hurt, he hurt, too. Every tear that fell from her eyes was like a knife, cutting into his heart. He wanted to do more than comfort her with words.

He wanted to kill Pegasus.

Of course, he couldn't really kill him, but at that moment while he was watching Carrie cry while in the arms of Yugi, he made a decision.

From now on, he would take care of Carrie in the only way he knew how.

He would duel for her, and win every time so that he could face Pegasus and make him pay for hurting Carrie.

* * *

_A/N: End of another chapter. What did you think? Please tell me. I know what happened to Carrie was pretty much the same thing that happened to Yugi, but I'm not too original when it comes to dueling. Sorry. Please review. Thank you for reading._


	7. 7 - Twisted Fate

_A/N: Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! Please read on!_

* * *

Chapter 7

Carrie waited to get on the boat with Yugi, still sniffing every now and then although she kept her face stone cold. She had taken her soulless sister's body to the hospital where Grandpa was being kept, but it didn't make her feel any better. Nothing could make her feel better, not even Yugi and Yami. They seemed to realize that, as they just remained silent while waiting to be allowed on the boat that would lead them to the man they all wanted dead.

There were many other duelists in line with them. Carrie doubted that anyone else was forced into this tournament the same way she and Yugi had been. They were all here just because they wanted the prize money and her uncle thought they had some dueling skill. They didn't know what it was like to lose something so precious that one just wanted to curl up in the corner and cry themselves to death. She did, and she bet Yugi did, too. They shared pain; that was one of their connections.

The dueling gauntlet was on her left hand. She refused to wear it on her dominant side because of who it had come from. Two star chips shimmered within its cuff with an evil glow in Carrie's eyes. She winced as she thought about having to duel to win at least eight more. Having dueling skills was what got her into this mess…That, and possessing the Millennium Puzzle. She would have gladly given away her skill with the cards, but never would she give up the Puzzle to anyone but Yugi, as it was originally meant for him as a gift from Grandpa.

Carrie was aroused from her thoughts by commotion at the loading area. One of Pegasus's bodyguards/thugs in a dark suit and sunglasses was trying to restrain someone who was obviously not invited. She peered over some people's heads and gasped when she saw who it was.

"Joey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded, rushing over with Yugi to their friend.

"I'm trying to come with you, but this jerk doesn't seem to understand," Joey said, squirming in the arms of the thug.

"If you don't have any star chips, you can't participate in the tournament," the thug stated. "Now get out of here before I have to use force."

"Wait. He is our friend. He can have one of my star chips, and then he can come with us, right? You said that as long as he has a star chip he can go," Yugi remarked, pulling said star chip from his dueling gauntlet and handing it to Joey.

"Are you sure you want to do that? With only one star chip, you could get knocked out of this pretty quickly," the thug muttered.

"Yes, I'm sure," Yugi replied.

"Really? Thanks, Yugi! You're amazing!" Joey exclaimed. "I almost want to hug you, but I think you get enough of that from sweet little Carrie, so I'll spare you the embarrassment."

They were allowed on the boat fifteen minutes later. Yami was walking beside Carrie the whole time, but she didn't want to seem crazy by looking at him, so she just watched him out of the corner of her eye. Joey and Yugi found a spot not littered by other duelists near the edge of the boat, an area where one could look at the ocean, and beckoned her over, for somehow she had slowed down so much that she had fallen behind. She joined them and pretended to listen to their conversation, as her mind was too hollow for her to pay them any real attention. All she did was catch tidbits of what they were saying.

"…they said they would be finding their own way on…"

"…expect them when we arrive?"

"…hope one of us wins…"

"…got to help one another…"

"…needs no help, I bet…"

"…she needs help, too…broken heart…"

Carrie shook her head. She needed to listen to them, she needed to focus, and she needed to think. Falling into the darkness within that threatened to consume her was not an option because doing so would be letting her friends down. She forced feeling back into her mind and turned her head towards her companions.

"I hope I don't screw up during my first duel. One star chip…That'll make us a big target," Joey remarked, looking at Yugi.

"Well, if you don't want people to know that's how many we have, you better stop talking about it," Yugi said.

"And besides, if anyone threatens you just because you have that low number, you can count on me to kick their ass and they should get lost. Believe it! No one will taunt you about it and challenge you to a duel. You've got to challenge 'em first," Carrie stated, trying to sound strong like she did earlier that day.

"Hello. Aren't you that Yugi Muto kid?"

The group turned to see a woman with long blonde hair and violet eyes standing behind them. She wore a purple vest over a white shirt that looked kind of like a corset, purple shorts, and purple boots. In Carrie's opinion, she was purpler than Barney the dinosaur. Joey's jaw dropped, and Yugi turned a light shade of red upon seeing this lady because unlike most teenage girls, she had somewhat large breasts.

"Yes he is. And you would be…?" Carrie asked, not trying to mask her cold tone.

"I'm Mai Valentine. And I don't think you should be talking to me like that, little girl. I am going to win this competition, but I do hope I match up against little Yugi here," the woman said, glaring at Carrie.

"Hey! I'm Joey Wheeler, the greatest duelist to ever live!" Joey boasted, trying to get her to look at him instead of his friends. "Wanna duel me when we get to the island? I could show you my skills really well then!"

"No thanks. I don't plan on dueling kids with mediocre skills unless I absolutely have to. I'm only interested in facing Yugi in a duel. That's the only thing I want from you group of losers," Mai muttered.

"Okay. Now that you're through insulting us, Barbie, get the hell away," Carrie ordered.

"I don't think you're in any position to be telling me what to do, little girl," Mai remarked, putting her hands on her hips.

"No, it's _you_ that's in no position to be telling _me_ what to do. And stop calling me little girl. I'm sixteen, for your information. And I'm also the niece of Maximillion Pegasus, Carrie West. So you'd better watch it, Barbie. You're treading on thin ice with me, and you can ask these two what happens to those who fall through," Carrie said.

Mai blinked, surprised to hear about the girl's identity. "…You're that girl that the odd-makers were warning people about? Are you really related to Pegasus?"

"Yes, unfortunately, she is. Now will you please leave us alone?" Yugi inquired, being protective of Carrie. He even moved in between the two females like a little shield.

Mai made a sound of disapproval, but finally looked like she'd be going. "Maybe Yugi's not the only one I'll want to duel…," she murmured before walking away from them.

Carrie let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. She returned to looking out at the ocean, wishing that all people would just disappear and leave her alone with the exceptions of a few. Yugi looked at her with concern like he seemed to be doing all the time nowadays. Joey, too, seemed a bit concerned for her well-being after seeing her almost go off on Mai and Yugi stepping in before things could get hairy.

"…I'm sorry…I probably shouldn't have said anything to her. Now word that we're on here is going to spread like fire, Yugi, since I'm sure that Barbie who calls herself Mai has a big mouth. We're screwed…And it's all that bastard Pegasus's fault. I hate being related to him for everything he's done to us. What he's done almost makes abuse look welcome. At least Jessica wouldn't be gone. At least she wouldn't be lacking her soul and I wouldn't be so emotional. If we had just stayed in New York, none of this would have happened," Carrie muttered.

"No, it probably would. Your uncle is fully aware of what a great duelist you are and would have come after you regardless of where you were. And don't ever think that abuse would be better than this. You can fight to rescue Jessica, just like the rest of us. And besides, if you had never come here, we never would have met. And what a dull life that would have been for me…Because you're something different," Yugi remarked.

Carrie looked at Yugi, who gave her a smile. She couldn't help but smile, too. Joey watched this transpire and groaned.

"Oh, you two need to get a room!" he said, causing them both to turn a little red.

"Joey! We don't like each other that way! We're just good friends who share a lot of things that bring us closer together than normal, okay!" Carrie snapped, lunging at the other blonde and knocking him down. Yugi laughed at them, and the blondes collapsed into a pile and laughed, too. It was good to know that even with all that pain, she could still find something to laugh about.

A blue-haired short person with golden glasses and creepy-looking eyes approached them, accompanied by another short person with dark hair hidden under a red cap. They both were professional duelists that had competed in a tournament on TV not that long ago. Carrie saw them and immediately pulled herself and Joey to their feet. It wasn't because she had anything to prove to them, but because she didn't want them staring down their noses at her and her friends just because they could smile without breaking their faces.

The boys saw her and they smirked in a creepy manner. She shuddered in disgust and almost wished she were invisible like Yami.

"Step aside, losers! I am Weevil Underwood, the champion of Duel Monsters, and I demand to know who this butterfly in your company is!" the blue-haired one said.

"Oh? That butterfly is Yugi Muto. Isn't he just the cutest thing?" Carrie teased, although she knew exactly who Weevil was calling a butterfly. She saw Yugi blush again.

"No. Not him, although I will need to speak with him. I mean you, lovely," Weevil told her, trying to be sweet but failing because of his creepy little voice. "I would like to know your name, for a butterfly as beautiful as you deserves a high position in this world. Perhaps you would love to be a queen?"

"Nah. Queens have to deal with too much crap from pesky little blue-haired subjects who don't get the fact that she doesn't like them no matter how obvious she tries to make it," Carrie stated. "Get lost or I'll toss you overboard."

"Uh, excuse me. I believe we've all started off on the wrong foot. My name is Rex Raptor. You know Weevil, and we know who Yugi is. Now will you please tell us your name and the name of the buffoon mocking me behind you?" the dark-haired one asked.

Joey stopped mocking Rex and glared at the short people who were real champions. "I am Joey Wheeler, and except for these two people who stand with me, I'm gonna be your worst nightmare. And my lady friend doesn't have to give you her name cuz you're too far beneath her. Now take a hike before she really gets fed up with ya. You don't wanna see her when she's angry. She really will throw you overboard."

"But we were just making wedding plans with our minds…," Weevil grumbled, sounding weird again.

"Wait a minute," Yugi said when Carrie lifted Weevil off the ground by the collar of his green jacket. "Don't toss him into the water just yet. I want to ask him something first. Why did you come over here in the first place? And don't you dare say it was because you wanted to meet _her_. What was the real reason?"

"Well, I really wanted to meet the boy who defeated Seto Kaiba in a duel because I wanted to scope out my competition. You seem to be the most competition I'll have on this whole boat, for I haven't seen that niece of Pegasus anywhere. Rex just followed me cuz he had nothing better to do," Weevil whimpered, not wanting to go into the water.

"Whatever! I'm the one who freaking suggested coming over here in the first place!" Rex roared. "Fine! Take the credit! Get all buddy-buddy with Yugi for all I care! I'm going to bed so I don't have to deal with your ugly mug anymore! 'Night, pretty blonde girl who won't reveal her name to us! 'Night, Yugi! 'Night, loser!"

"Why'd I even bother to tell him my name?" Joey grumbled, crossing his arms as he watched Rex leave them.

"All right. You can put Weevil down. He seems harmless enough," Yugi remarked. "But Weevil, just because you're a champion doesn't mean you can disrespect me and my friends. If you're going to stay around us, you're going to have to be nice. Otherwise, my friend might lose her temper again and I might not be able to stop her from throwing you into the water."

"Right. I'll be a good boy. I promise," Weevil said once he was on his feet again.

Joey and Yugi moved aside to talk about the state of Joey's deck. Carrie kept Weevil from interfering or seeing as Yugi handed his friend a card that might boost his chances of winning, Time Wizard. It was obvious that Weevil wanted to scope out more than just his competition. He wanted to know their cards like the back of his hand. And he also wanted to see more of Carrie.

_I hate creeps,_ Carrie thought, shuddering again.

"Hey, Yugi. I hear you have the cards for Exodia. That's how you beat Kaiba, wasn't it?" Weevil asked, an evil gleam in his eyes.

"Yeah it was. Why do you ask?" Yugi wanted to know, glancing at the bug duelist.

"I was hoping that I might get to see those cards. I'm trying to come up with a strategy to bring them down with my own superior deck. Perhaps looking at them might help," Weevil replied.

_**I don't like the sound of that. And that look in his eyes…His intentions aren't good**_, Yami told Carrie via their mental connection. _**Don't let Yugi give Exodia to Weevil.**_

"…Uh…Sure. I suppose looking won't hurt," Yugi muttered, reaching into his pocket where he kept his deck.

Carrie grabbed Weevil by his sleeve threateningly, daring him to try anything funny as Yugi removed Exodia from his deck. She gave Yugi a look, but he was too busy to notice it. She wanted to say something, but it was too late. The cards were in Weevil's hands and he was close to the edge of the boat.

"I just came up with a way to defeat Exodia," Weevil declared, smirking evilly.

And then he threw them into the ocean water with the hand that Carrie wasn't restraining.

"No!" Yugi exclaimed, mentally cursing himself for being so trusting in a very bad person. "Exodia!"

Carrie had already gotten onto the edge of the boat, surprising not just her friends, but Weevil as well. She jumped, ignoring the concerned cries of Yugi and Joey and Weevil as two of them screamed her name. Yami was screaming her name within her mind, which was harder to ignore. But she felt responsible for this happening to Yugi's strongest cards, so she had to retrieve them before it was too late.

_There's one...and another...and a third,_ Carrie thought, grabbing the parts of Exodia that she found once in the water. The current was strong, but Carrie was used to fighting things that were powerful. She was reaching for a fourth part when a wave came and knocked the breath out of her. Somehow she managed to stay on the surface and nabbed the card. _Now where's the fifth?_

She spotted it and swam towards it, but failed to notice that more waves were coming her way. The ocean was rough tonight. She didn't care. All she wanted to do was make up for her mistake that nearly cost Yugi his Exodia. If only she could get to the last card in time.

"Carrie! Look out!" Yugi and Joey yelled in unison.

"Be careful, my queen!" Weevil shrieked.

She grabbed the fifth card just seconds before the waves crashed into her, this time making her go under. Carrie refused to let go of the pieces of Exodia, even though she couldn't manage to make herself rise back to the surface. All the waves of the rough ocean seemed to have chosen this moment to attack her. It was like the ocean itself didn't think she was worthy of living anymore. Things started to blur. She could just barely hear her friends' cry of anguish and Yami's worried yelling.

_**Carrie! You can't die now! Think of everyone you have to live for! **_Yami shouted.

She wanted to respond, but even thinking was too difficult. Carrie felt so light-headed.

Yami seemed to realize this and although he wanted to take over her body, he knew that she didn't have the strength for that. He heard the splash of water and hoped that whoever had jumped in after her would save her before it was too late. He just hoped the rescuer wasn't Weevil or Yugi.

_**Carrie, I can't let you go. You can't let go. Someone is coming to save you, to pull you out of the water. Just hold on, Carrie. Just hold on a little longer.**_

The blonde felt arms wrap around her midsection and wanted to see who it was, but her vision was blurred and her eyes felt heavy, anyway. The person pulled her up towards the surface and Carrie felt her head leave the liquid feel of the ocean. She automatically began coughing, not just to get air back in, but also to get the water out of her lungs. When all feeling came back to her head, she turned to look at the one person who had fought the ocean to save her.

"…Yugi? Is that really you? You…You saved me? But…You're so small…," Carrie murmured.

"Yeah. I suppose seeing you drown gave me the strength to save you," Yugi said.

He smiled at her again, and again she returned his smile. She looked down at her hands, where all five cards that made up Exodia were still being held underwater. She brought them above the surface and handed them to Yugi.

"Here. I believe these belong to you," she said. "Next time, don't let Weevil have them. I don't want to have to rescue them again."

"Don't worry. I won't," Yugi assured her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

There were shouts from the boat, gaining Carrie and Yugi's attention. Joey was still onboard, but he was not alone anymore. Tristan and Tea, who had somehow snuck onto the boat, were standing beside him. Weevil was still watching them, but he had made his distance. Tristan looked ready to jump in after them, but Carrie shouted to let the gang know that they were all right. They threw down a rope ladder for the duo to climb. Carrie let Yugi go first, telling him to make Weevil think that Exodia had been lost for now.

"Are you guys all right?" Tea asked once both wet people were back on the boat.

"A little cold, a little wet, but otherwise we're fine," Carrie replied.

"Oh, my queen! I'm so sorry you got so drenched! Why did you try to save those lousy cards? Now you're going to get sick!" Weevil shrieked, rushing over and acting concerned. "You should go into my room and dry off!"

Carrie smirked evilly and made herself level with Weevil. She saw his expression change, like he thought she was going to kiss him or something. She continued to make him think that as she got closer to his face, but then she grabbed him by his collar again.

"You know, I really hate creeps who cheat at games and don't understand that I hate their guts," Carrie grumbled. "This is what you get for throwing Exodia into the ocean and forcing me to risk my life to save him. Which I did, by the way. Now you'll find out what it's like to be underwater."

She tossed him overboard without another thought. He screamed like a little girl as he fell into the water, the impact causing a big splash. The gang couldn't help but laugh while the little bug duelist cried for help as he fought against the current. Some of Pegasus's thugs heard him screaming and hurried to save him. They asked him who threw him in after they got him back on the boat, but he didn't look willing to tell them the truth. He lied, saying that he had been acting stupid and had fallen in. Then he stomped off to put on some dry clothes in his luxury room.

"Come on, guys. Some of us would like to get dry and put our heads down before we get to Duelist Kingdom," Carrie said, heading in the same direction that Weevil had just stomped off in.

"But aren't those rooms just reserved for tournament champions?" Tristan inquired as he and the others followed her.

"Yeah, but I have one, too. You know, because my crazy, cartoon-obsessed, cheese-eating, wine-drinking uncle just happens to be Maximillion Pegasus," Carrie remarked. "You guys wouldn't mind all sleeping in the same room and using the same bathroom, would you?"

"No," the gang replied, although Tea was a little reluctant with her answer.

She walked past the guard who was preventing other people from going towards the luxury suites, ordering him to let her friends come with her. She walked past Rex, who was sitting outside the room that must have been his, and couldn't help but wonder what had happened to him. Joey helped her come up with an answer.

"Hey, Rex. Why the hell are you out here and not in your room?" he wanted to know.

"Some blonde woman named Mai scammed me out of it. She and I had a little duel thing in there, and she said if I won she'd give me a kiss and if she won I had to give her the room to herself. As you can see, she won. But we used her deck and I think she cheated because she knew what all my cards were without even looking at them," Rex grumbled.

"That's too bad. Cheated out of your room by a girl. Well, have fun sleeping on the floor with all the other normal duelists," Joey said as he followed the gang back towards the room that was to be Carrie's.

She found the correct door number and opened it up. It wasn't too big, but the five of them could sleep here with room to breathe. Their things that they had brought onto the boat with them found places in the corner of the room, and Carrie was glad that she had packed a few spare clothes. She pulled them out without giving the guys a clear view of her undergarments, took off the Millennium Puzzle for privacy reasons, and excused herself into the attached bathroom. Yugi would change after she was done.

When everyone was in dry clothes, people argued over where they would sleep. There was a bed and a couch in there, and the gang had agreed that there was room for two on the bed. The two people that slept there would have to be of the same gender of course. Carrie could tell that the guys really wanted her and Tea to take the bed, so she accepted the idea. After some debate and a few rounds of Rock, Paper, Scissors…It was decided that Joey would get the couch. So Yugi and Tristan unrolled sleeping bags and made themselves comfortable on the floor.

Carrie allowed Tea to use one of the two sheets on the bed and gave the other to Joey so that he'd be comfortable. When asked about her own comfort, she told him that she would just burn up with the blanket, anyway, and not to worry about it. She watched as the others fell asleep around her before she managed to fall asleep herself.

* * *

Yami, asleep himself within the walls of the Millennium Puzzle, was having another one of his memory dreams. It was already making his heart race and he didn't like the feeling he was getting from it. For unlike the other memories, this one was not any that dealt with happiness or rivalry or any good emotion. It just dealt with sadness.

_He was facing an Egyptian girl whom he had seen before in his dreams. Her eyes were like jade and just as beautiful and her hair was golden, unusual for someone of her heritage. Yami himself had no room to talk; his hair was just as odd. She was taller than him, if only slightly._

"_Pharaoh, the war between you and the darkness is getting worse. The Shadow Games are spiraling out of control. Many lives are being lost, as your priests are dying protecting you and Egypt. Your sister and Priest Seth are all that remain on our side alive," the girl said quietly, her simple brown gown's skirt blowing gently in the wind. "Egypt cannot last much longer like this. The spirits of the Shadow Monsters need to be locked away like they were once before. But with our dwindling priests, I do not believe that is possible."_

"_I may be able to seal all of it away, for I still possess the powers of the Millennium Puzzle," Yami stated. "Then all of this war would end and Egypt would be safe. But there is a price, my dear, a price that you might not would to pay."_

"_And what is that, my Pharaoh?" the girl asked._

"_When I seal away all the evil of the Shadow Monsters, I myself will be sealed away, and my memories will disappear. I will be locked away in the Puzzle, and it will shatter into many pieces. I will not be free until the Puzzle is whole again, however long that may take. Egypt will be saved because of this sacrifice, but I will be gone," Yami told her._

_The girl looked shocked. "But Pharaoh! You cannot go! Egypt needs you!** I** need you! Who will rule when you are gone? Who will love me when you are gone?"_

_There were tears in her eyes. She began trembling, and Yami reached out to hold her. She shied away from him, but did not push him away. It was then that Yami realized that he was shirtless and was clad only in an Egyptian-style skirt that all men of that time wore. There was some jewelry on him, including the Millennium Puzzle, but that was all. He held the girl like she was the most precious thing in the world._

"_Priest Seth will take the throne with my sister as his wife. Egypt will accept him as she should have long ago. And I do not expect you to move on after I am gone. I will not have moved on after I leave. Even with my memories lost, I will have a heart only for you. I love you, my beloved Iris, and I cannot stand to see you so miserable. This will be hard, but it is what is best for the world," Yami whispered. "I love you so much. I would not do this if it was not the only way. I love you."_

"_I love you, too, my Pharaoh. I will always love you," the girl, Iris, sobbed. "...Can I make the Puzzle whole again and bring you back...after you seal yourself and the Shadow Monsters within it?"_

"_I fear not, my love. Only one person will be destined to solve it, and only the gods can choose who that may be. I fear they will not choose you, and that hurts me to think that I may never see your beautiful face again," Yami said. He could feel tears in his eyes now as he looked at Iris, and he could feel that pain that people often complained about when their heart were broken. He didn't want to lose Iris. He could feel how much he loved her._

"_...Maybe I will be...reincarnated...and my reincarnation will be blessed enough to...to find you again," Iris murmured._

"_Let's hope that will be the case," Yami said quietly before bringing Iris's face up to his and kissing her passionately for the last time. Egypt was on fire behind them as they made the last embrace of their lives._

Yami sat up, breathless and heart racing. His brow was wet with sweat and his eyes were damp with tears. He felt like his heart was missing, just like he had in the dream. Things were so confusing, but things were also starting to make some sense now. He knew why he had sealed himself within the Millennium Puzzle, and he knew where his feelings for a certain blonde were coming from.

It was all because of Iris, the girl he had loved in the past, who hoped that she would be reincarnated and find her Pharaoh again.

Fate sure was a twisted creature.

* * *

_A/N: Weird chapter, I know. What did you really think of it all? Please tell me. Thank you for reading this weird story of love._


	8. 8 - Memory

_A/N: Chapter eight, here we go! Please read on, and thank you for reviewing if you have done so!_

* * *

Chapter 8

The boat made landfall the next morning. Carrie and the gang stuck together while the unloaded among a swarm of other duelists, feeling rather outnumbered and, in the case of Joey, highly out-skilled. But the three people in the group that would be dueling tried to keep their confidence high while Pegasus's thugs directed the group towards the castle on the island where Duelist Kingdom was.

Carrie's uncle towered stories above them, as the castle was on the side of a cliff and no one was permitted up there. He looked as girly as she remembered, only with an evil twist. Pegasus welcomed all of the duelists to his tournament and complimented their skill as to make them more confident, but Carrie ignored him as she didn't care what he said anymore. Whatever came out of his mouth was pure lie. Maximillion Pegasus was nothing but pure evil with an eye that could read minds and steal souls.

She was less concerned about the tournament and more concerned about Yami. He was being unusually quiet even for him, and seemed to be a bit unnerved and distracted. The spirit was trying to pay attention to Pegasus, but was failing miserably. He was trying to hide it from Carrie, but at that he was failing, too.

_Yami, what's wrong?_ Carrie asked via their mind connection.

_**Nothing,**_ Yami lied, not looking at her.

_You know, for a spirit, your lying is horrible. I can see right through it,_ Carrie remarked. _Just tell me what's wrong and get it over with. Only then will I stop bugging you about it, and who knows? Maybe you'll feel better about whatever it is that is troubling you. Will you at least look at me?_

Yami couldn't look at her. Every time he did so, he saw the girl from his memories and his heart skipped a beat. He couldn't have Carrie questioning him so much or he might end up slipping something that might cost him his freedom. If she was to find out that he was having memories of an ancient her, she might think he was only there because of that ancient her and would break the Millennium Puzzle into a million pieces again. Then how would she win her sister's soul back?

_**Besides, I've already lost her once. I can't lose her again. I have to protect her from the evils of this world,**_ Yami thought, careful to keep Carrie from hearing it.

Fireworks shot off after Pegasus announced the start of the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. Duelists scattered all over the island, ready to duel anyone who crossed their path. It seemed that everyone wanted to earn their ten star chips in order to face Pegasus in a duel and win the prize money. But for some…There was more on the line than just a chance at fame and fortune.

"All right! Let's go find some pathetic duelist to beat!" Joey exclaimed, leading the gang away from the castle and into a meadow.

"Okay. Hey Joey, wanna duel me?" Carrie teased.

"Ha-ha. Very funny, Carrie. I meant other than me, thank you," Joey said. "I just hope that I can win my first duel. Having only one star chip can really make you feel down about this whole tournament. And I also hope that Kaiba won't be participating in this thing, either. Yugi was only able to beat him using his Exodia cards. Going up against Kaiba is like going up against the end of the world."

"Kaiba dropped out of all his tournaments after Yugi beat him, and he didn't say anything about participating in this one. I don't think you have to worry about Rich Boy taking you out. He was really shook up by that duel with our short friend here," Carrie remarked, ruffling Yugi's hair playfully.

"You did save Yugi's Exodia, so he could still kick Kaiba's ass if he decided to mess with him again," Tristan pointed out.

"Yeah, but I don't think I should use it so often. I might use it in my duel with Pegasus, but I don't think I should depend on it to win all of my duels. Maybe if I think someone will be very challenging to beat I might use it, but otherwise I won't even put it in my deck," Yugi stated.

"I just hope we don't run into Weevil again. That guy gave me the creeps," Tea muttered.

"He gave _you_ the creeps? He was freaking flirting with me! It was so disturbing! I just wanted to jump into the ocean and never resurface because of him. I guess retrieving Yugi's Exodia gave me an excuse for doing so," Carrie said, half-teasing this time.

They emerged from the meadow to find a huge dueling arena like those they had seen the professionals use on TV. There was a blue portal at one end and a red at the other, both extremely high up. There also seemed to be a field in play in the center, a pre-assigned one at that. Standing next to it was the one boy no one wanted to see again after what had happened on the boat.

Weevil Underwood.

Carrie glowered at him, but he just stared at her with open desire. Yugi got between them, and Weevil's gaze shifted to one of hatred. The other members of the gang just watched them, unsure of what to do.

"Hello, my beautiful queen…and Yugi. I'm so glad to see that neither of you are ill from your dip in the ocean last night," Weevil remarked, smirking creepily. "As you can see, I'm in perfect health despite my queen's anger and I'm looking forward to my first duel in this tournament. And I've already chosen my first opponent. Yugi, I challenge you to a duel using this very battlefield! I will win my queen's heart from you one way or another! Maybe showing her my superior dueling skills will make Carrie fall for me!"

"For the last time, I am not your queen!" Carrie shouted. "And I don't love Yugi!"

"If you don't love him, then why did you risk your life to save his precious Exodia?" Weevil countered.

"Because unlike you, I have friends. Yugi is one of them, and I was trying to help him by rescuing his most powerful card. If you have a problem with that, you can go eat dung and deal with it," Carrie stated. "Now buzz off before I am forced to play flyswatter and have to hit you until you go away or stop moving, whichever comes first."

"Hold on a minute, Carrie. Weevil says he wants to duel me. So why don't we duel? It'll be an all-or-nothing match to decide whether Weevil stays on the island to stalk you or gets kicked off and sent back home. And I think you know how this duel will end," Yugi said with his little reassuring smile. Then he turned to Weevil. "I accept your challenge."

Weevil grinned and ran to go up the red portal. Carrie sighed and slipped the Millennium Puzzle from her neck.

"I know you can kick Weevil's ass without a problem, but you might want this," Carrie told Yugi, handing him the very object that had gotten her in this mess. "Good luck."

Yugi took the Puzzle from her and smiled again as he slipped it around his neck. He left to go up in the blue portal. Then his duel with Weevil began. Weevil had chosen this field because of the field bonus it would give his Bug-Type Monsters, a new feature to Duel Monsters that Pegasus had come up with to make the game more interesting. The creepy boy started the duel looking big and bad and better than Yugi. But Carrie knew that Yugi could beat Weevil even without Exodia. Even if things looked bad right now, he would come through in the end like he had with Kaiba.

Sure enough, just when things looked hopeless for Yugi, the tides turned. He played Summoned Skull after Weevil's Great Moth had been drenched by another of his cards and used the Fiend Monster's lightning attack to barbeque the moth. Weevil lost all of his Life Points and therefore forfeited his rights to own his star chips.

"But how? I was going to win! Carrie was going to be mine!" Weevil exclaimed, whining on the ground like a baby after Yugi had confiscated his star chips and Joey had taken his dueling gauntlet.

"Keep dreaming, freak. I was never going to be yours nor will I ever be," Carrie muttered, restraining herself from kicking him even though it was very, very tempting with him whining like that.

"I think we should leave the loser to his crying before I end up slapping him," Tristan remarked, apparently getting the same vibe from Weevil as Carrie. "Come on, guys. Let's go find someone else's dreams to crush that won't be such a baby."

The gang left Weevil, two star chips stronger. Yugi returned the Puzzle to Carrie, thanking her for allowing him to use it even though it wasn't really necessary.

"I think something's up with the spirit, though. He seemed a bit distracted while I was dueling, like his mind wasn't completely focused like it was when we faced Kaiba," Yugi whispered to her so the others wouldn't overhear.

"Yeah, I know. He won't tell me what's wrong. Must be some ancient spirit thing," Carrie told him, not really teasing this time.

"Maybe he's starting to remember things and he just doesn't want to share because it's personal stuff. You know, like past loves or bad things he's done when he was alive. Stuff like that. He was a pharaoh at one time, or at least that's what Mystical Elf made it seem like to you," Yugi reminded her.

"…Yeah. I'm just so worried about him right now. I just feel like there's something I should know but he's keeping it from me," Carrie said.

"Hey guys! Come on! We found someone for Carrie to duel!" Joey shouted, standing near another dueling arena with identical portals.

Carrie put the Millennium Puzzle around her neck again and ran with Yugi to join the other members of the gang. They had met up with another duelist, a female one this time, who didn't look like she could last very long against anyone. Carrie almost felt bad about having to duel this girl just for star chips, but there was no other way. If she didn't duel her or anyone else that looked this sad, then how would she rescue Jessica and help Yugi get his grandfather back? She would just have to go cold on them…

Or let Yami handle it.

Without even being asked this time, Yami took over Carrie's body to duel for her. The girl he faced was not all that she appeared. Her deck had some pretty powerful cards in it, and had Carrie's deck been mediocre, she would have won. But Carrie had slightly better cards and Yami had barely any trouble taking away her two thousand Life Points with his host's main card, Gyakutenno Megami, a Fairy-Type Monster with 1800 attack points and 2000 defense points.

The girl accepted defeat better than Weevil had, as she did not even complain about losing. She smiled at Yami while he was still in control of Carrie's body and thanked him for such a great duel. Then she handed over her two star chips and turned to leave. Yami stopped her and extended his hand, complimenting her on her dueling skills. She took his hand and her smile got bigger. Then she bid the gang farewell and left to report to the boat that would take the losers home.

"Wow, Carrie! That was amazing!" Tristan exclaimed, pulling her into a hug when she had taken over her own body again. He lifted her six inches off the ground and seemed oblivious to the Puzzle pressing uncomfortably against his chest.

"Yeah! You had her beat from the start!" Joey agreed, joining in on the hug.

"No one can beat you!" Tea shouted, also joining because she felt left out.

"You did great, Carrie. Now you're even closer to saving Jessica than I am to saving Grandpa," Yugi said with a smile, squeezing into the hug as well.

"Thanks guys…Now can you put me down? It's…really hard to breathe," Carrie murmured, but she was smiling, too. She had never been this happy before meeting the gang, even if being in Japan had cost her Jessica's soul. Soon Jessica would be saved and she would be nothing but happy. She was sure of it.

* * *

The day was filled with a couple more duels, one of which was dealt with by Joey. He had been challenged by Mai Valentine herself just because she knew about his single star chip and wanted him gone. At first she had him freaked out by her psychic act, but when he really used his head he had her beat. Her psychic act had all been due to different perfumes being put on the cards. And after figuring out that Mai had no mental abilities, Joey managed to take down her Harpies using a combination of Baby Dragon and Time Wizard to summon Thousand Dragon and to make Mai's Harpies old. He got one star chip from her, but had no chance of eliminating her because she had dueled someone else earlier, anyway.

The other was against Mako Tsunami, the legendary fisherman duelist. Yugi had been forced to duel him because the gang was hungry and Joey had tracked down the scent of cooking fish near the ocean and no one felt like eating nature. Mako had caught them near the fish he had caught and cooked, but after finding out who had come to his fish fry he offered them the fish. They thought it would have been for free but it hadn't. Yugi had had to duel him. It had been a difficult duel since the field was half-ocean and half-land at the beginning and became mostly ocean over the course of the duel, but Yugi managed to pull through by destroying one of his own cards.

It was during their duel that Carrie discovered that there were others dueling for people that they had lost. Mako had lost his father to the sea, but was convinced that his father was still out there because their lifeboat had been missing. He dueled to buy a boat that he could sail the entire ocean in and find his father. Carrie admired and respected Mako and wouldn't have really minded too much if he called her his queen. At least it would have been less creepy than Weevil saying it. She even gave him a hug when he lost despite the fact that all he was wearing was a pair of blue shorts and his dueling gauntlet. He was surprised at first, but then he laughed warmly and patted her on the back. The gang wished him well and then took off.

Now Yugi have five star chips, Carrie had four, and Joey had two. Yugi was winning, but there really wasn't any contest between them. They were all dueling for the same people: Grandpa, Serenity, and Jessica. As long as they all got to face Pegasus, then nothing else mattered.

"I still can't believe that you beat Mai, Joey," Tea said as they walked along. "I mean, she was tough for a self-centered greedy little brat. And you're…Well, you're Joey."

"Yeah, well, what can I say? My sense of smell and the card Yugi gave me saved my ass from total humiliation," Joey remarked. "All I got from it was one lousy star chip, but if I can beat Mai I can beat anyone. Maybe now I can face Yugi."

"You keep dreaming, Joey," Yugi told him, smiling.

Just then they heard the yelling of a boy like he was being kidnapped or something. The gang ran towards the sound to find one of Pegasus's thugs restraining a boy with an arm to the throat. Carrie almost lost it there.

"Let me go! I didn't even get to duel! Someone swiped my star chips and my deck! Let me go!" the boy screamed, struggling against the thug's arm.

"People who lost their star chips in a duel have to report to the boat. You're coming with me. Now stop wriggling," the thug ordered.

"But I didn't lose them! I didn't even get to duel! Someone stole them from me!" the boy cried again.

"Hey! Let him go!" Tristan commanded, running at the thug with his fist drawn back.

The thug dropped the boy just long enough to knock Tristan down. Tristan tried to get back on his feet but the thug kicked him in his side. Carrie ran over to the brunette and caught the thug's foot before he could hurt Tristan any further. She bent down next to her friend and checked to make sure he was all right.

"What do you think you're doing, Kemo? That boy's chips were obviously stolen, and yet you're trying to kill him! This is a tournament, not a wrestling arena! Do you want to end up killing someone?" Carrie demanded, glaring up at the thug she recognized from visiting Alyssa and Pegasus in the past.

"My orders were to round up anyone without their star chips as they will be unable to duel. It doesn't matter how they disappeared. Now let me follow orders, Miss West," Kemo grumbled, reaching for the boy again. Carrie lunged at the boy first and stole him away from the thug's grasp. Kemo groaned. "Miss West, if you keep interfering, I'm going to have to hurt you. Now hand him over before I get angry and end up having to punch you in the face."

"Give me a minute," Carrie muttered, sitting on the ground with the boy on her lap because of the way they had fallen. "Now explain to me what happened when your chips and deck were stolen from you."

"The person I was facing…It was a boy wearing a hat and bandana. I couldn't see his face at all. He challenged me to a duel at this very location, but as soon as I put down my star chips and deck he stole them and ran off. He wasn't much taller than your spiky-haired friend over there. I think he was shorter, actually," the boy told her. "But you believe me, don't you?"

"All right! Story time's over!" Kemo shouted, trying to grab the boy again but Carrie dodged and rolled while holding him. "Miss West, if you don't hand him over right now I am going to call Master Pegasus and have you disqualified!"

"I don't care at this moment!" Carrie called as she dodged him again.

"Wait a minute!" Tea yelled, causing both Kemo and Carrie to freeze. "What if we were able to get his star chips and his deck back before the boat left? Would he be able to stay then?"

"…Maybe. But you'd have to be at the port quickly. It leaves in thirty minutes. Even if you do get those things back, though, I will not allow him to participate in the tournament unless Miss West hands him over right now," Kemo stated.

Carrie sighed. "Sorry, kid." She stood up and put him back on his feet. Then she looked hard at Kemo. "You'd better not hurt him, or I'll have your job for it. You know I will."

Kemo grabbed the boy and turned to leave.

"Who are you guys?" the boy asked, wanting to know who his saviors were.

"We're the guys who are gonna get your chips back!' Joey announced as the boy was dragged away. "Don't worry! Yugi will get 'em back without a problem!"

"So what do we do now?" Tristan inquired.

"I guess we have to wait around for him to show up," Yugi replied. "I'm sure he'll show up here again. After all, this was the place he robbed that boy. He's probably waiting around for another person to victimize."

"I can't believe the nerve of some people! There's killers like Kemo, thieves like this Masked Bandit, and crazy people like Pegasus! Who knows what kind of people my uncle invited to this tournament! Next thing you know, rapists and real murderers will be showing up behind us! We'd better keep our backs up against a brick wall or something and not turn our backs on anyone!" Carrie exclaimed, sitting on the ground again with her arms crossed. "If we don't we could find a knife in our back or something worse up our-"

"All right, Carrie. I think we got your point. We'll keep our eyes open," Joey muttered.

"…Sorry. I kinda overreact sometimes," Carrie apologized. "It's just that Kemo set me off and the boy telling us about the Masked Bandit made me even angrier."

At that moment, a figure emerged from the bushes. His clothes looked oddly familiar, but his hair and face were covered so that he could not be identified. His gaze was fixed on Yugi, and it was full of pure hatred.

"Speak of the devil…," Carrie murmured.

"At last! I've finally found you, Yugi Muto!" the boy declared. "I'm going to make you pay for what you did! Duel me, and then you will suffer!"

"Hey! Give up those star chips and the deck you stole from that boy! They don't belong to you and that boy deserves to have a chance to participate in this tournament!" Tea remarked.

"Yeah! What she said!" Joey exclaimed.

"Just say the word and I'll force him to hand them over," Tristan said, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

"No. Wait a minute, guys. You want to duel me, don't you? Well fine then. Let's duel. But in the end you are going to give up those star chips you stole," Yugi told the boy, returning his gaze without wavering a bit.

"Prepare to feel my wrath, Yugi Muto!" the boy shouted before running over to the red portal so he could duel.

Without even saying anything to Yugi, Carrie threw him the Millennium Puzzle. He caught it, put it around his neck and felt Yami take over. She had given the Puzzle to Yugi not because she thought he needed the help, but because Yami had felt something familiar about the boy from his duel with Kaiba and wanted to face him. Yugi must have been told this in a hurry before letting the spirit take over.

"What is the wager on this duel?" Yami asked, this time controlling Yugi's body.

"Five star chips!" the boy replied.

"Five star chips. But only because I must," Yami muttered, placing Yugi's chips down.

The duel started off lamely on the boy's part. Yami remarked that this was due to the fact that the cards belonged to someone else and its heart beat for their real owner. The boy shouted that cards had no heart; they were only used for power. It was then that the connection became evident.

"You're Kaiba's little brother, Mokuba," Yami stated.

The boy's eyes widened with shock, but he recovered quickly. "So you guessed my true identity. So what! I'm still going to beat you!" He removed the purple hat and bandana from his face to show that he really was Mokuba Kaiba. Carrie immediately recognized his full head of fluffy dark hair.

"…Mokuba? Why are you doing this? I know your brother is Seto, but surely this would be considered dishonorable in his eyes. Why are you stealing from people?" Carrie demanded, catching his attention.

"It's because of my brother that I'm doing this. He's not the same. He hasn't been the same ever since he lost to Yugi. He's all broken up and unsure of who he is. He even left me because he couldn't stand to be seen like that anymore. He abandoned me because of Yugi. And now…Pegasus wants him dead so he can take over Kaiba Corp. using me to do whatever he says. He kidnapped me and brought me here until he can take out Seto," Mokuba said, fighting tears. "But Pegasus can only take over Kaiba Corp. if he beats Yugi in a duel. So I'm going to prevent that, right here, right now!"

"What? Pegasus wants to kill Kaiba and take over his corporation? What the hell is wrong with him?" Carrie exclaimed, very pissed now.

"I don't know. Maybe he's just seriously demented and needs to be locked away ASAP before he hurts someone," Joey suggested.

"So Mokuba's doing this for a reason, too. He wants to stop Yugi from being able to go against Pegasus so that he can't take over his brother's business," Tea said.

Yami had been distracted by the gang and hadn't noticed that Mokuba had left the red portal. By the time that someone had drawn his attention to that fact, it was too late. Mokuba had gotten up behind him and reached past Yami to steal as many star chips as he could. He managed to nab two before the spirit made it impossible to get any more. Then he ran off towards the forest.

"Mokuba! Listen to me! You know you shouldn't be doing this! Those star chips aren't yours! And your brother hasn't abandoned you! He has gone off to find himself to be a better person! When I dueled him I opened up his mind and removed the evil that threatened to consume him. Now without that to fall back on, he feels lost and confused. Give him some time and he will come back to you. But you have to stop this, and trust that I will help you stop Pegasus," Yami told the boy. He had stopped yelling because Mokuba had stopped running.

The little Kaiba seemed to get it, for he agreed to return the stolen property to its owner. They only had three minutes to reach the port, but if they ran fast enough they could get there with a minute or so to spare. They didn't waste time returning the Puzzle or even shifting back to Yugi. There wasn't enough time. The gang just charged through the island to reach the port in time.

But someone had tricked them.

When they reached the port with two minutes to spare according to what Kemo had told them, the boat had already set off. Kemo was standing there, watching it go from behind his shades. Needless to say, Carrie was pissed.

"Kemo! What the hell is wrong with you? That boat wasn't supposed to leave for another two minutes! And we have that boy's stolen property and the person who was doing the stealing! What do you have between your ears, open space?" Carrie shouted.

"You must not know how to tell time. That boat left right on schedule," Kemo grumbled.

"But I have that boy's chips right here," Mokuba stated, holding out not just the stolen chips but two of Yugi's as well. "Call the boat back so I can give them back to him."

"I don't think so. And here's what I think about your star chips." Kemo knocked them out of Mokuba's hand and into the ocean without a second thought.

"No! Two of those were Yugi's!" Tea exclaimed.

Carrie looked ready to jump in after them. She already had that boy's deck in her pocket, ready to swim after that boat to give him his stuff back. But Yami stopped her with just a glance from his crimson eyes. It was weird how he made Yugi's eyes change colors by just taking over, but she thought nothing of it at the moment as her mind was elsewhere. She screamed at the boat, gaining the boy's attention and told him that she would find his address and give him his deck back. She even told him who she was to make him feel better about being cheated out of the tournament. But her attention was stolen away again by Kemo grabbing hold of Mokuba the same way he had the boy.

"Let him go, Kemo! Mokuba is no longer Pegasus's prisoner! If you don't put him down, I won't have your job for this I will have your life!" Carrie threatened, feeling her old fighting self coming back, the part of her she had tried to keep hidden from the gang as to not scare them off.

"My orders are to return Mokuba to Master Pegasus's care. I might consider putting him down if you follow me. There's someone who wants to duel you, Yugi. And I believe you know him very well. All of you should," Kemo remarked.

"No! I will not continue to play these games with you, Kemo! Put Mokuba down right now or else! You've already screwed up one boy's chances in life! I will not have you returning Mokuba to the hands of my demented uncle! NOW PUT HIM DOWN!" Carrie demanded, stomping her foot. The others gave her worried looks, and she could imagine that her eyes seemed darker right then and her face was red.

"I don't take orders from you, Miss West. My orders come from Master Pegasus and Master Pegasus alone. You have no power here," Kemo stated.

With that, Carrie snapped. Before anyone could stop her, she lunged at Kemo. The thug dropped Mokuba but did not get a chance to knock Carrie down like he had done to Tristan earlier. She was quicker than him from fighting Bandit Keith and his thugs back in NYC. She dodged his every move, got down near the ground, knocked his feet out from underneath him with a deft movement from her legs, and pounced. She started punching Kemo's face in, not even caring about his shades. They were broken by the time that Tristan was able to pull Carrie off of Kemo.

Mokuba had run away from Kemo and now hid behind Joey, the next biggest guy in the gang, so that Kemo could not get him. The whole gang, including Yami, was looking at Carrie with wide eyes, like they couldn't believe she had just attacked someone like that. She felt ashamed then, but still had her anger boiling at the surface. All she could think about was turning Kemo into a bloody pulp.

Kemo struggled to stand up after receiving a pounding like that. His broken shades sat crooked on his face as he glared at Carrie being held back by Tristan.

"…I'll get you eventually. But I think you'd better get control of that animal. She might end up killing someone one of these days," Kemo grumbled bitterly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get my ass chewed out by Pegasus for failing to lure you to your friend who has met an unfortunate end earlier today."

"YOU SPEAK ONLY LIES!" Carrie screamed as Kemo staggered away, struggling against Tristan's grip as she watched him go.

It was there at the port that the dark side of Carrie had been exposed to everyone. Even the one person who had known her longer had not seen Carrie this out of control. Yami wondered where this angry side of his beloved blonde had stemmed from, and whether it could ever be controlled. To contain it for so long must have been very difficult and therefore Carrie must have been a strong girl. But she was the last person he would have suspected of having such a darkness.

But everyone had a dark side…

Even Carrie.

* * *

_A/N: Interesting chapter. This happens during several episodes of the show, and if I don't update it's because I ran out of memory information and am following what I am watching on TV as it happens. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	9. 9 - 20 Questions

_A/N: Thanks to all who have reviewed. I really appreciate it. Now here's the next chapter. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 9

It took nearly an hour for Carrie to return to normal, but once her anger was gone, she slipped into a state of depression and shame. Every member of the gang kept giving her weird glances, as did Mokuba, as no one had ever imagined that she had such a temper. Yugi was the only one that she couldn't tell how he felt, as Yami was still in control of his body. But even her spiritual friend was looking at her in that way. She kept her eyes hidden in the shadow of her hair as to not let them see her tears.

_I should have kept better control of myself and not gone off on Kemo, even if he deserved it...But it was the only way I could save Mokuba. Now my friends are never going to treat me the same way again. And Yami...Well, maybe now he'll want to be with Yugi all the time instead of me. I wouldn't blame him,_ Carrie thought morosely as more tears fell.

She felt someone's hand slip into hers and looked down to find Mokuba there, looking up at her with his big violet eyes. A small smile made its way onto his lips, and Carrie struggled to return it. He noticed this immediately, but didn't say anything about it.

"…I know what you did you were only doing for me because you didn't want me to get hurt anymore. I didn't know you cared about a _Kaiba_ that much…Thanks a lot, Carrie. You're a great person," Mokuba said. "And don't you dare think that I'm just saying this to make you feel better. I'm saying this because you're my friend and friends don't let friends feel down for doing something good…Even if it was a bit out of control. Thanks for caring enough to beat a guy's face in, Carrie."

"…You're…welcome," Carrie murmured.

She didn't want to let him know this, but she really didn't believe him. What she had done was completely out of line and unnecessary. That was what she believed and therefore the only logical thing to be said even if no one wanted to say it.

_...I wouldn't blame anyone for leaving me right now,_ Carrie thought, glancing over her shoulder at the others even though it was obvious she was crying. _...Especially not Yami ...or Yugi...Those two probably have the most reason for leaving me. But if they do, I don't know what I'd do. They have every right...I wouldn't blame them...but..._

She felt the presence of someone else beside her and turned her head. Yami was there, crimson eyes focused on her like they usually were. He seemed to forget what she had done because she could find no trace of unease in his eyes. All that reflected in them was concern for her, and that was probably due to the tears she was shedding. She felt so ashamed to be seen that way by him, of all people, especially since there were two people in that body at the moment…and also because he had seen her try to beat someone to death. What did he really think of her now?

"Carrie, you should listen to Mokuba. What you did you only did for his well-being. It was not wrong of you to save him; you were doing what you thought was right, and there couldn't have been any other way. There was no trusting Kemo after everything he has done to us. The others may feel a little awkward about it and may not want to bring it up, but they all feel the same as we do. Stop feeling so ashamed about showing your dark side. We all have one, and it comes out sometimes when the circumstances become too much for us to handle. You really are a great person, Carrie. Don't let anyone tell you differently," Yami stated.

His words were a bit more convincing, but she still didn't believe them. Even though her heart yearned to agree with Yami, her mind refused. Her actions couldn't be dismissed so easily as good intentions. There had to be more to it than that.

"…But…That's the side of me I didn't want you guys to see…That's who I was in NYC. I wanted to leave that part of me behind…like my parents…and my past…," Carrie murmured. "…I used to have to fight for my life…and my innocence…every day, no matter where I was. School, home, on the streets…They were all dangerous. So I became cold, heartless, merciless…cutting myself off to everyone but Jessie…and Alyssa. No, wait. That's a lie. I did cut myself off from Alyssa, too. I just put on a show for her so she wouldn't know how I felt about her lies. She always used to say she would get us out of there, but I was the one who had to do it in the end. I was so used to fighting, so used to having to hurt people to remain safe…But there was always some part of me that wished for peace and happiness. That side came out for Jessie and for you guys, blocking out the fighting, angry, cold side of me…until now.

"I don't blame you guys for being surprised about my anger outburst, and I wouldn't blame you at all for being uncomfortable around me. If I were you guys, I would have run away the moment I started pounding on Kemo. You guys can leave me on my own; I can make it inside Pegasus's castle alone. I know it would be best for us to split so that you wouldn't be in danger from my anger, and you guys are great duelists and can make it there, too. But if we do split…I want to keep Mokuba safe. He stays with me. So you guys…Make your choice."

Carrie was so sure that the gang would abandon her because of her angry actions that had nearly caused her to beat Kemo into a bloody pulp, and that maybe Mokuba would slip his hand out of hers and run with them. She closed her eyes, not wanting to even look at Yami anymore. She just stood there, waiting for what she thought was the inevitable.

Instead she nearly got the life squeezed out of her.

Joey and Tristan had run up to her and wrapped her in their arms when she wasn't looking. Surprised by their hug, Carrie opened her eyes and just stared at them. Mokuba joined them while Tea and Yami just watched them with small smiles on their faces.

"What are ya talkin' about, Carrie? We could never leave you! You're our best bud!" Joey stated.

"Yeah, and besides, we all have our moments! You were just the last person we suspected of going off! But hey, what can I say? You're just full of surprises, and that's why we like you so much!" Tristan agreed.

"So stop being so gloomy and let's get a smile on that face!" Mokuba ordered.

Carrie slowly realized that they were right and finally gave them a smile. Then she mentioned something about not being able to breathe and they let go. She took Mokuba's hand and the gang prepared to leave again, but someone interrupted them for the third time that day.

Kemo.

"Hey! Haven't you caused enough trouble today?" Tea shouted, glaring at him.

"…I have a job on the line, and I must do as Master Pegasus wants. He wants the young Kaiba back in his control and for Yugi to duel an old friend. So until that happens, I'm afraid you'll have to get used to seeing my face," Kemo muttered, looking in Carrie's direction. "…I see the animal has calmed down again. Did any of you guys get rabies from her if she attacked you?"

"Ha-ha. Very funny, Kemo. Usually killers don't have a sense of humor," Carrie said evenly. "…I see you replaced your broken shades. Too bad you can't replace your broken nose, too. Now your glasses still look crooked. And your dignity's gotta be hurting as well, since you got beaten up by a sixteen-year-old _girl_ and your ass was only saved because my friend pulled me away before I could really do some damage."

"Hand over Mokuba," Kemo commanded, ignoring Carrie to the best of his ability.

"Never!" Tea yelled as she and the others moved into a protective circle around the boy and Carrie. "You can't have him! We know what Pegasus wants to do with him and his brother and we won't let you take him!"

"Don't make me have to use force," Kemo warned.

"Guys, if he tries to attack us, go for his nose," Joey whispered, as the nose was Kemo's new weak point since it was broken.

"Why don't you just skip to the duel and leave Mokuba out of it? He's staying with me, so unless you plan on kidnapping the both of us, you're screwed," Carrie remarked. "Cuz you know I won't go down without a serious fight. So you might as well give up on the idea of getting Mokuba. And you can tell your boss that, too."

Kemo groaned. "…Follow me, Yugi."

"Are you coming with us?" Yami asked Carrie.

"No. I'd rather stay away from the killer kidnapper with Mokuba so I don't embarrass myself again by getting angry and beating Kemo into a bloody pulp. Me and Mokuba will stay back, but I'd appreciate it if you guys would tell us how this duel goes when you return," Carrie said.

"All right. We'll be back soon," Yami promised. He turned to leave and was surprised when Carrie grabbed him from behind, pulling him into a hug.

"Good luck, you two," she whispered into his ear. "And thanks for understanding."

She pulled away and held Mokuba close to her so that Kemo would know there wasn't a chance for him to steal the boy. The thug led the rest of the gang away, excluding Tristan, as he had decided to stay back with Carrie and Mokuba. She didn't mind Tristan's company that much, even if he did find her attractive and was one of her cousin's best friends. He was at least more tolerable than Kaiba, Pegasus, and Kemo.

To be on the safe side just in case Kemo called for backup to kidnap Mokuba, Carrie retreated to the branches of a nearby tree. She made Mokuba climb up first and followed with Tristan right behind her. Somewhere near the middle of this tree was a branch large enough for the three of them to sit on without fear of it breaking. It was high enough that they couldn't be grabbed from below and also well-concealed by the leaves. They could still see if anyone came around to find them.

Carrie took the spot up against the tree and made sure that Mokuba sat the closest to her, just in case the thugs in black suits showed up and tried to get him. Tristan didn't mind sitting so close to the edge of the branch, although he kept glancing over at Carrie like he'd rather be over with her. She pulled out a cell phone she'd brought with her, even though she knew that cell signals could be caught by Pegasus.

"What are you doing, Carrie?" Mokuba inquired as she punched in some numbers.

"Checking on your brother," she replied.

"Why?" both Mokuba and Tristan wanted to know.

"I have a feeling this person Pegasus wants Yugi to duel might be the very man I despise with a passion," Carrie told them, growling when she got voicemail instead of a person.

"But I thought Pegasus wanted to kill my brother, not force him to duel in this tournament," Mokuba remarked.

"Yeah, I know. He might have had Kaiba killed already. Remember what Kemo said earlier when I was out of control? He said he was supposed to lure us to a friend who met with an unfortunate end today. And before that, when he first wanted to nab you, he said that there was someone who wanted to duel Yugi, someone we all knew well. You don't know all the people we do, and everyone knows who Seto Kaiba is. So that pretty much narrows it down to him. Sorry, Mokuba," Carrie apologized. "Kaiba might very well be dead right now, and it's all my deranged uncle's fault. I'm so sorry."

There were tears in Mokuba's eyes as this information hit him. He fell towards Carrie, wrapping his arms around her as he started crying. She awkwardly patted him on the back with her free arm while she dialed another number, wishing she could make things better for the boy who had suffered enough already.

"Alyssa? Yeah, it's your cousin. I'm at Duelist Kingdom, participating reluctantly in the tournament because our uncle is crazy and stole Jessie's soul…I'll explain it later. Listen, I need to know if Rich Boy's at work right now…No? Do you know where he might be?" A long pause. "Oh…Okay. Thanks, Aly. I know, I know. I owe you an explanation. See ya later, Aly."

"What did she say?" Tristan asked as she hung up.

"…Kaiba hasn't been seen for days. Alyssa was keeping in touch with him via cellular connection, but she hasn't been able to reach him since this morning. He was staying in a secluded place near the ocean, but when she went there to check on him no one was there. The window of one of the rooms was shattered, though, and she thinks something bad might have happened to him. With what I said about someone stealing Jessica's soul, I think she's going to stay away from Pegasus for awhile. That'll be great for her. We don't know for sure that he doesn't want to hurt her in some way, shape, or form," Carrie said as she pocketed the phone.

"What…What do you think…happened to Seto?" Mokuba sobbed, looking up at her.

"He's no fool. When Pegasus's thugs showed up to kill him, he wasn't going to give them that pleasure. If I know Kaiba, and unfortunately I do, he didn't let them lay a hand on him. He probably jumped out the window to avoid being killed by Pegasus. Don't take this the wrong way, but if your brother died, he went out honorably. Cuz let's face it, your brother couldn't take on even one of Pegasus's thugs."

Mokuba sniffed. "Yeah…You're probably right. I just hope Seto's still alive."

"I do, too, Mokuba. For your sake, he'd better be," Carrie told him, holding him in her arms so she could comfort him better than she had been.

"…So if Kaiba's supposedly dead, how could Yugi be dueling him?" Tristan asked.

"I don't know. Maybe Pegasus brought him back with his weird eye. He's got a Millennium Item, too, you know. Who knows what power lies within it? I don't even know all the power that lies within my Millennium Puzzle. Then again, it could all be a trick. Pegasus might have gotten his thugs to steal Kaiba's deck with the Blue Eyes and has got an impostor in Kaiba's place to trick everyone," Carrie suggested.

There were a few minutes of silence as no one could think of anything to say. The only sound to be heard was the quiet whimpering of Mokuba as he cried over the possible death of his older brother. His crying reminded Carrie of her life in NYC, where she had cried over her sister's pain and felt helpless as she was unable to do anything to stop it. She was mentally debating over if it would be wrong to drown it out with her I-Pod when Tristan spoke again.

"…Hey…Carrie, can I ask you something?"

"Aren't you already?" Carrie teased lightly.

Tristan laughed nervously at that. "I mean, after that question, silly."

"Sure. Ask away." _What is he going to say that he has to ask permission to ask?_ Carrie wondered as she looked at the blushing boy. _Wait. Don't tell me that he's going to-!_

"…Hey…After this whole Duelist Kingdom thing's over…Would you be interested in… going on a date with me?" Tristan stammered.

Carrie was taken aback by his question. He sure had a way with timing, as this wasn't really the greatest of times to be asking her about dating. And her heart did not yearn for him. He was only thought of as a friend, nothing more. She thought quickly of a way to put him down easy without hurting his feelings. After all, Tristan really was a great guy. He deserved a girl as great as him.

"…Oh…Tristan. Thanks for the offer, but I really don't like you that way. Don't get me wrong; you're a great guy. Any girl would be lucky to have you. It's just that we're friends and I like someone else. I'm sorry," she apologized.

Tristan's face fell, but only slightly. A smile was still present on his face. "Hey, that's okay, Carrie. No need to apologize. I should have known you wouldn't want me. We're good friends, but Yugi and you are a perfect couple. You guys are always smiling and hugging each other, anyway. It's only a matter of time until you guys are at the altar exchanging vows."

Carrie's face grew hot. "I don't love Yugi!"

"You could've fooled me."

"I don't love him! I love-!"

"Kaiba?"

"Hell no!"

"Joey?"

"No!"

"…Mokuba?"

"No!"

"…Kemo?"

"You want to get hurt, don't you?"

"No. It's Tea, isn't it?"

Carrie threw a pine cone that just happened to be hanging from the branch above her at Tristan's head. He dodged skillfully and nearly fell out of the tree. She laughed at his clumsiness and was surprised to hear Mokuba's bell-like laughter joining in. It seemed that he didn't want to cry anymore. She squeezed him while watching Tristan regain his balance.

"I'm not going to tell you who I love, Tristan. You should just respect my heart and let it go before I am forced to knock you out of this tree," Carrie said.

"All right. I still say it's Yugi, but whatever. I'll stop teasing you," Tristan mumbled. "You should know that the gang is coming back."

"Already?" Carrie quickly looked at her watch and realized that thirty minutes had already passed. "It didn't seem like that much time had passed. I must have zoned out there for a minute…or twenty."

The other three members of the gang passed below them, wondering where they were. Carrie found another pine cone and threw it at her friends, hitting Tea right on the head to gain her attention. The gang looked up and saw them in the tree, so they didn't walk any further. They waited as Carrie, Mokuba, and Tristan returned to the ground.

"How did it go?" Carrie asked.

"It was so strange. At first it seemed like Yugi was dueling Kaiba's ghost cuz Kemo said Kaiba died, then the guy's second Blue Eyes went all freaky cuz the real Kaiba was hacking the system, then the guy claiming to be Kaiba turned out to be the evil side of Kaiba and got all ugly…But he was no match for Yugi. He didn't even use Exodia this time around. And Mr. Ugly Evil is gone for good now, too," Joey stated.

"…So…Seto's still alive?" Mokuba inquired, looking at Yami.

Yami nodded. Mokuba grinned from ear to ear and shouted; he was so excited. Carrie was glad to hear it. Now Mokuba might get his brother back, depending on whether or not the businessman decided to show his face around Duelist Kingdom. She looked at Yami and gave him a small smile, which he returned without a moment's hesitation. His eyes shifted back to violet as he once again became Yugi, but the smile didn't fade the slightest bit. He removed the Millennium Puzzle from his neck and gave it back to Carrie.

"What happened to Kemo?" Tristan wanted to know.

"He disappeared after Yugi won the duel. He's probably going to lose his job after failing to do anything right for Pegasus. Serves him right," Tea muttered.

"It's getting late. The sun's already starting to set. Maybe we should call it a day and find a safe place to rest. And who knows? Maybe we'll find one last duelist to take down," Yugi said. "Oh, and Carrie. I think you should hold onto this. It's Kaiba's deck, and I believe you wouldn't allow it to be in the wrong hands."

Yugi handed her the said deck, which she held carefully in her hand. She looked at Mokuba, Kaiba's brother, thinking that he should be the one holding onto it since it was family property.

"Shouldn't you hold onto it?" she asked.

Mokuba shook his head. "It'll be safer in your hands. After all, I'm wanted by Pegasus and he'll try to kidnap me again, I'm sure. I don't want there to be any chance of him getting my big brother's deck again. You'll keep it safe, just like you'll keep that one boy's deck safe…and me."

"All right then. Let's head out," Carrie murmured, pocketing Kaiba's deck in the same pocket where she had put the boy's deck.

* * *

_A/N: End of another chapter. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading, and thanks to all who have reviewed._


	10. 10 - Enemy Within

_A/N: Thank you, kind peoples who have reviewed, and also those who just read. You guys are what keep me going. Here's the next chapter. Please read on and enjoy! ^.^_

* * *

Chapter 10

The sun was just starting to set now, signaling the end of their first day in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. Carrie was now carrying little Mokuba on her back, as he had gotten tired of walking and she had offered to carry him. He was asleep, snoring lightly behind her head. It was practically the only sound around them, as the gang was too tired to speak at the moment. Tea asked if they were going to stop anytime soon, as they had been walking for awhile and had not encountered any other duelists. Carrie agreed with her and so did Tristan and Yugi. But Joey wanted to press on, saying he was sure there was one more duel to be fought before night fell. He promised that if they didn't find anyone in ten minutes they could stop. Carrie guessed he thought he was pushing his luck.

When the silence became a little much for Carrie's fragile mind, she decided to sing. A song had been stuck in her head for awhile now, and although she thought her singing was horrible, she just had to put an end to the silence. And maybe she could get a message across to the person she loved, the one she refused to tell Tristan when he had asked her out earlier that day.

"You sit there in your heartache, waiting on some beautiful boy to…to save you from your old ways. You play forgiveness, watch it now, here he comes! He doesn't look a thing like Jesus, but he…talks like a gentleman, like you imagined when you were young," she sang quietly, but the silence allowed her voice to be heard by the others. She noticed their glances and felt like stopping, but she didn't want to face the silence again, as it spoke too much. She continued, "Can we climb this mountain? I don't know. Higher now than ever before. I know we can make it if we take it slow. That's taking easy, easy now, watch it go! We're burning down the highway skyline on the back of a hurricane that started turning when you were young." A pause, like in the song. "And sometimes you close your eyes and see the place where you used to live…when you were young."

She stopped then, for the next lyrics weren't really important and she didn't feel like singing them at that moment. It was then that she really realized that the gang was looking at her, and she couldn't help but blush under their glances.

"…Sorry…I was bored," she apologized.

"No. It's fine. You're not that bad, really. And that song's great. No need to feel ashamed," Joey assured her. "The Killers: When You Were Young. Really fits you, if you don't mind me saying so."

"Why do you say that?" Carrie asked, a little confused.

"Well, you've been hurt a lot, so you're heart's aching. You're always asking for forgiveness over the little things you do. And you've had to overcome a lot of obstacles that were like mountains in your life, this tournament being one of them. And sometimes I'm sure you think of the place where you used to live when you were young. NYC is not a very easy place to forget, especially after everything you've been through over there," Joey explained. "And besides, you've found that beautiful boy to save you from your old ways, and he really doesn't look a thing like Jesus. You found Yugi!"

A nerve throbbed in Carrie's forehead and had she not been carrying a sleeping Mokuba, she would have pounced on him. "For the last time, I don't love Yugi!"

"Sure you don't," Tristan said sarcastically with a smile on his face.

"Tristan, don't make me hurt you. We've already had this conversation after you asked me out and that nearly had you falling out of a tree, so you really don't want to go there again," Carrie stated, glaring at him.

"Wait. You asked her out?" Tea asked, surprised.

Tristan turned a little red under the eyes of his friends. "…Uh…Yeah…I did ask her out."

"She rejected you, didn't she?" Joey wanted to know.

"Shut up! You wouldn't have a better chance than me if you did the same!" Tristan claimed, glowering at his best friend.

"Of course not! The only guy she'll say yes to is our little bud Yugi cuz let's face it. They connect on levels we can't touch. And he's a lot nicer than the rest of us cuz he never gets mad to the point where he's throwin' punches. She might get that mad, but they have so much else in common that her anger issues won't matter. They're perfect for each other," Joey remarked.

"…Uh, you guys, I'd shut up right about now if I really didn't want to die," Yugi warned. Carrie was looking at them with very narrowed eyes and seemed ready to attack even with Mokuba on her back.

Joey and Tristan gulped and started backing away from her. Tea rolled her eyes at their immature behavior. Then she noticed another duelist heading their way, a boy they had met on the ship and who had been on TV before. She alerted the others of his presence, making everyone become serious again as he came closer.

"Hello, losers," the boy greeted, straightening his red hat. He saw Carrie and quickly added, "And the lovely niece of Maximillion Pegasus, Carrie West."

"Great. Now Rex knows my name," Carrie muttered. "He must have got it when some people were screaming it after my lil' dip in the ocean. Though that wouldn't explain how the hell he knows of my relations with the deranged cartoon fanatic."

"My information comes from the odds-makers. And once I heard your friends screaming on the boat, the connection was clear. There's only one Carrie in this whole tournament, and people have been saying to watch out for you…They say you're one of the best. They also say Pegasus has never dueled you or shown you the ropes, that everything you know you learned from your mother or you learned yourself. Have you really never dueled Pegasus?" Rex asked.

"No I haven't. And I regret everything that Megan taught me. I hate that woman," Carrie grumbled, an old wound being attacked again by the mentioning of her mother.

"All right, Rex. You've messed with Carrie and put your nose where it doesn't belong. Now what do you want?" Tristan demanded.

"What every person on this island wants…To duel. I've heard that the weakest of you guys beat the beautiful Mai Valentine in a duel today, and I wanna test out his deck for myself," Rex stated. "So I guess that means that I challenge you, Joey Wheeler, to a duel. Prepare to be taken down by the greatest duelist to ever exist."

"You got that all backwards, Rex! _You're_ gonna be taken down by the greatest duelist to exist!" Joey exclaimed, waking Mokuba in the process.

They were led by Rex to the nearest dueling arena. Rex, of course, took the red portal and Joey took the blue one. Rex shot Carrie a victory smile as the duel began, not sending as creepy a vibe as Weevil had, but still sending one. Mokuba was returned to the ground where Carrie kept him close because she knew Pegasus still wanted to nab him for evil purposes and would stop at nothing to get him back. The duel didn't take more than thirty minutes. Things were going Rex's way and then Joey come through with a huge comeback that managed to defeat even Rex's most powerful card, the Red Eyes Black Dragon. Joey walked away victorious with two more star chips and the Red Eyes. He stole it from Rex because of some bet they had made during the duel.

Stomachs were growling as it grew darker. They had not eaten since their encounter with Mako, and they couldn't help but feel a little hungry after the long day of dueling. Tristan was sure there were some edible plants around, but no one felt like eating bark and shrubs. They wanted some real food or something close to it.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the brat and her posse of children," a stuck-up female voice said from behind the group, one that everyone knew and whom some hated.

"Like ha-ha, Mai," Tea grumbled as they turned to face the blonde. "Why don't you ever leave us the hell alone like we tell you to?"

"You know, Tea, I was just wondering the same thing," Carrie muttered.

"Well, fine. I was going to help you guys out, but if you're going to be that way, I'll just go…And I had all kinds of food to give you guys, too. Not exactly the nutritional stuff, but still it would help quiet the stomach," Mai remarked, immediately gaining the attention of the hungry males in the gang, particularly Tristan and Joey. "But since you guys don't want me here…"

"Wait! We didn't mean anything they said! We'd love for you to stay with us!" Joey and Tristan exclaimed, looking ready to pounce on her.

"Besides, would you let a little boy _starve_?" Joey asked, bringing Mokuba into it.

"No. But if you guys don't start being nicer to me, I'm never going to help you again. Well, actually, the _guys_ are nice enough. But the _girls_…They're the ones I'm worried about," Mai stated as she glanced over at Carrie and Tea.

"Oh, they'll be nice. You just have to give them some time. They won't be mean to you once they get used to you," Yugi assured her. He looked over at his female friends. "Won't you guys?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Tea and Carrie muttered.

The group found a good place to rest for the night and built a small fire for warmth. Mai gave out the food to the hungry people, which Carrie reluctantly took despite her growling stomach. It was all junk, but like she said it stopped one from being hungry. The boys devoured what was given to them, even little Mokuba whose brother would have looked down upon him eating with his enemies. Carrie ate enough to not feel hungry and gave the rest to Tristan and Joey, who ate it gratefully.

_**You should have eaten more,**_ Yami commented.

_I don't feel like it. I'm not feeling too well, and the last thing I want to do is fill up on junk food only to throw it up all over Mai,_ Carrie told him. _You should be glad I ate something. I was thinking about going without food for awhile._

_**That wouldn't have been good for you. You are still a young girl. You need to eat.**_

_Who died and made you my mother?_ She didn't mean to snap, but she was getting a little irritated with Yami. She had tried a lot of things to make him realize something, but still he didn't get it. Was it just male ignorance, or was it because all spirits were so thick-headed? Carrie did not know. She stood up and started to walk away, not feeling up to being around people at the moment. The others noticed her leaving almost immediately, like they had nothing better to do than watch people.

"Where are you going, Carrie?" Yugi asked, concerned about her.

"…I want to be alone for awhile. I'll be back soon," Carrie said as she slipped the Millennium Puzzle from around her neck. "Do me a favor, will ya? Watch Mokuba… and watch this for me." She tossed the Puzzle back towards Yugi, who caught it like he usually did.

Carrie continued on her way, thinking that she would be left alone by everyone because she had made her wishes obvious for everyone including her dumbest friends. But some people were too hard-headed to get the point and still decided to bug her. The person following her was someone she hated a lot, but would have to get along with for the sake of the others. The only reason she did not turn around and punch the woman in the face was because of what she could provide for the rest of the gang.

"…What do you want, Mai?" she demanded through clenched teeth.

"Nothing from you at the moment. I was just curious about why you all of a sudden wanted to go off on your own in the middle of the night. I may not be the brightest person in the world, but I know there are bad people on this island who might go after some girl who's on her own. Wouldn't want one of the best opponents here to get murdered or raped or anything like that," Mai told her.

"I just need some time to think about stuff. That's all. And I know what kind of people are on the island…Murderers, kidnappers, loonies, rapists, thieves…You name it, they're here. I can handle myself just fine, thank you," Carrie muttered.

"But what do you need to think about? With your dueling skills you should have no trouble getting into Pegasus's castle," Mai stated. "…Unless what you're thinking of has nothing at all to do with dueling."

"…It doesn't. It's just…trials of a girl's heart," Carrie murmured.

"Oh, I see. You like one of your friends and you've tried to get his attention but nothing's worked because he's so ignorant. I know exactly what you mean," Mai said. "The best way to get a boy's attention is to have the looks. You've already got that part down. Now all you need is the confidence to tell him how you feel. Trying to get his attention otherwise usually doesn't work, and boys don't go for the kind of girl who is not confident about anything. You need to be confident around him, and once you see him looking at you, you can tell him exactly how you feel. After that, you just have to hope he doesn't reject you."

"…I get the feeling you've been through something like this before."

"Yeah, well, I have. Once. When I was a girly little fourteen-year-old. That was ten years ago. I told my guy friend how I felt, and he didn't reject me. But then I found out he was only with me because of my big boobs, so I dumped his ass real quick. But I'm sure that whoever you like won't be like that stupid loser."

"…Thanks, Mai. I may actually do what you told me."

"You're welcome. But first, I think you should freshen up. You and Tea may travel with a bunch of boys, but that doesn't mean you have to smell like them."

"Mai, we're outside. How can we 'freshen up' if we're outside? I mean, sure there are rivers out here, but I doubt Tea would want to wash in one of those."

"Pegasus put some makeshift showers out here so that people wouldn't stink when they've won their way into his castle. They're hooked up to his water supply, so the water's relatively clean. I found one earlier today, and I'd be glad to show you and Tea where it is, if you'd like."

"Once again, thank you."

_I guess Mai's not all that bad after all,_ Carrie thought as she and Mai went to retrieve Tea. _She has a good side, too, even if she doesn't let it show very often. I wonder why she chose to show it to me._

They went back to the campfire and told Tea to come with them. Mai led them back to an area where a showerhead hung down and was surrounded by a blue curtain. Carrie told the brunette to go first out of courtesy more than kindness, and stood outside with Mai while Tea got clean. Tea thought she heard a noise, but after some searching there seemed to be no one about. She only took about five minutes and emerged dressed in the same thing she had been wearing before. Carrie took the same amount of time, but changed into another set of spare clothes.

"Thanks again for helping us out, Mai," Carrie said, standing next to Tea.

"Hey, anything for a fellow female duelist who knows what she's doing," Mai told her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to take a short walk alone. This time,_ I_ have some things to think about."

"Okay. Just watch out. You never know who could be lurking around in the dark. I don't want you getting hurt before I have a chance to duel you," Carrie remarked.

"Don't worry about me. I know how to take care of little perverts who want to stick things where they don't belong. Just get back to the guys before they start worrying about you," Mai commented. "And Carrie…Remember what we talked about."

"I will," Carrie murmured as she watched Mai walk off.

"And you guys talked about…what exactly? I feel left out…and confused. First you hated Mai, and now you're all nice to her to the point where you're talking to her without making threats. Did I miss something?" Tea asked, puzzled.

"You could say that me and Mai had a bonding moment," Carrie told Tea. "Come on. We'd better go back. Who knows what those boys are doing without us to watch over them? We are, after all, the only people who can control them from being totally outrageous."

They started walking back towards the campfire again.

* * *

_**I just don't understand it,**_ Yami thought from within the Puzzle, which Yugi now wore around his neck.

_Maybe you just don't understand Carrie as well as you thought you did,_ Yugi put in via his own mental connection to the spirit.

_**No, I understand Carrie just fine. I'm usually prepared for her mood swings. But this... This just came out of the blue. I show a little concern for her, and BOOM! She snaps at me. Did I do something wrong that I am not aware of? Does she hate me or something? I must know, or surely I will go insane.**_

_I don't think you did anything wrong, and I know she doesn't hate you. She's just getting frustrated with you because of some things. You have been a bit ignorant of her lately._

_**What do you mean?**_

_You mean, you really don't know?_

_**No, but I'd be glad if you'd enlighten me.**_

_If you don't know, then I'm not going to tell you._

_**Oh come on! Why won't you tell me?**_

_You need to find it out on your own._

_**Can you at least give me a hint?**_

_Nope. A hint would give it away._

**_After everything I've done for you in those duels with Kaiba, _this_ is how you repay me? Maybe I should have just left that evil in Kaiba. Or better yet, maybe I should have left his evil side to roam about and come after you._**

_Threatening me won't get you anywhere._

…_**I hate you.**_

_I know you do. That's what makes withholding information from you fun._

Yami was getting frustrated with Yugi and felt like pummeling the boy who was his reincarnation. He never knew people could be so annoying until that moment when he was speaking with Yugi. Well, he often annoyed Carrie, so maybe he was getting his just desserts from someone who was so much like him.

He was debating on whether to threaten Yugi with the Mind Crush when Carrie appeared on the scene with Tea at her side. She had changed into a sleeveless white shirt and blue jeans and had also pulled her blonde hair up into a ponytail as to keep it out of her face. Her resemblance to the girl in his memories was almost gone; the only thing that was the same was her eyes and her face. She still looked so beautiful in his eyes, and even if she bore little resemblance to Iris he still felt that feeling in his heart that he was meant to be with her. As he fought this inner conflict, he made sure that Yugi would not sense anything was the matter with him and ordered the boy to return him to Carrie.

"All right, what were you girls up to?" Joey asked.

"Nothing important. We were just tired of smelling like guys," Tea replied as she sat down on the ground next to them.

"What, are you trying to say that we stink?" Tristan demanded.

"You said it, not me," Tea muttered.

"Grrr…If you weren't a girl, I'd hit you right now," Tristan stated.

"So where's Mai?" Joey inquired.

"She wanted to walk alone to think about things. She promised she'd be back soon and that she knew how to take care of people who might want to harm her. If she's not back in five minutes, I'll go looking for her," Carrie told him.

"Here. You might want this back," Yugi said, handing her the Millennium Puzzle. He looked more than happy to give it away, and she guessed that Yami had been a pain.

"Thank you, Yugi," she murmured, slipping the pendant around her neck again. Remembering about Mokuba, she glanced over to where he was sitting to find that he was just about to drop. She pulled out her sleeping bag from her backpack and told him to use it because she probably wasn't going to sleep that night in order to watch out for thugs. He fell asleep as soon as he was inside the bag.

"What are we going to do about him? I mean, we can't keep him around until we make it into Pegasus's castle. That would make it easy for Pegasus to grab him," Tea pointed out.

"What he really needs is to be with his brother again," Yugi remarked.

"…I'll call Rich Boy up and let him know his brother is not in the hands of a deranged lunatic," Carrie grumbled, pulling out her cell phone and punching in his cell number for the second time that day.

"Rich Boy…hmm…Of course! Why didn't I ever think of that before? It's the perfect name to call that stuck-up Seto Kaiba!" Joey exclaimed, praising Carrie's insult of the very popular businessman. Then he was shushed by the others as the blonde girl counted down the rings, waiting for him to pick up.

"…Hello? Who is this?" a cold voice demanded.

"Kaiba? This is Carrie," she said, indifferent to his tone.

"What do you want, Carrie? I don't have time for this. There are guys after me, and I can't waste time talking to you," Kaiba growled.

"I know, I know. Pegasus is trying to have you killed. And I also know that he kidnapped Mokuba and brought him to Duelist Kingdom to use as a pawn to control your corporation. But I know something else that you can't possibly know about Mokuba but that I'm sure you're dying to find out," Carrie stated. "Well…Maybe _dying_ wasn't the best choice of words, but you know what I mean."

"Out with it, Carrie," Kaiba ordered.

"Your brother escaped from Pegasus's grasp and found us. I stopped him from getting kidnapped again, but when I protected him the first time there was only one thug. If more come at once I might not be as lucky. He's safe for now on Duelist Kingdom. I think you should come and get him to ensure his safety, though. I'm sure Alyssa could get a helicopter and meet you before Pegasus noticed. Then she could get you here," Carrie suggested.

"…That could work. Thank you for watching out for Mokuba. You're getting a raise for this when this whole thing's over with. Just keep him out of Pegasus's hands until I get there, that's all I'm asking," Kaiba muttered in his cold way.

"Don't worry. I'll protect him with my life. Just hurry and get here as soon as possible."

"Expect me by tomorrow. And tell Yugi that I'm looking forward to a rematch when I get to the island."

"Aren't there more important things than a rematch?"

There was no answer on the other end, as Kaiba had already hung up. Carrie sighed and put her phone away.

"So is he coming?" Tea asked.

"Yeah…He'll be here sometime tomorrow. But he seems to think that a rematch with Yugi is more important than his brother's safety," Carrie muttered. "So until he gets his ass over here, I have to keep Mokuba out of Pegasus's hands. That means I won't be able to sleep tonight, but I don't really care."

"We could take turns watching out for danger. You know, like you'd stay up for two hours looking out for those thugs, then you wake me up and I do the same. At least then you wouldn't be completely exhausted tomorrow," Tristan suggested.

"Nah. I'll be fine. I've had to stay up for a week once because of something like this. I'll be able to handle one night," Carrie told him.

Suddenly, there was movement in the bushes behind them. Wary of the things she and Mai had spoke of being on the island, Carrie stood up and moved towards the bushes in an attempt to play hero for the others. She was flanked by Tristan and Joey, and Yugi and Tea moved closer to the sleeping Mokuba in case the person in the bushes was after him and managed to get past Carrie. The person stumbled out of the bushes, and everyone became less tense upon seeing who the person was.

It was a boy from their school whose hair was white and eyes were dark brown. He was nearly as tall as Carrie, and wore a white long sleeved shirt with blue pants and simple shoes. But what really threw the blonde off was the pendant around his neck…It was a ring with a triangle in the middle with the same eye that was on her Millennium Puzzle. Five other pieces hung from the bottom of the ring. Was this another Millennium Item like the one Pegasus had?

"Bakura! What are you doing here?" Joey inquired.

"I was invited here by Pegasus to participate in his tournament," Bakura murmured, as he never really spoke loudly.

"That's not what I meant. Why were you sneaking around like that? You made us think you were some kind of thug or something," Joey stated.

"Sorry. I did not mean to frighten you. I was just looking for a place to spend the night. This island is not the safest place in the world. On my way here, I heard some girl screaming, and I could only imagine what was happening to her to make her scream like that," Bakura said softly.

"Oh my God! That could have been Mai!" Carrie exclaimed, looking at the surrounding forestry. "Bakura! From which direction was the screaming coming from?"

Bakura pointed, and his finger just happened to be in the direction that Mai had gone off in. Carrie let out a string of profanities under her breath before she took off without warning the others. She needed to get to Mai because she was in trouble. Mai needed to be saved. If the others came, great. If they didn't, oh well. All that mattered was reaching Mai before something horrible befell her.

She didn't stop running until she found Mai on the ground, trembling a little. She didn't look as if she'd been raped or beat up or anything, but she still looked terrified. Carrie dropped down next to her and demanded to know what had happened.

"…Some guy…He snuck up behind me…He was huge. He stole five of my eight star chips while holding me with his massive arm…It was right against my throat…I thought I was going to die…," Mai sobbed, as tears were streaming from her eyes. "He would have gotten the others…but in my last attempt to get free…I bit him…as hard as I could. Then he dropped me and ran off."

"I'm sorry, Mai. I should have gone with you," Carrie apologized. "But I promise I will get your star chips back. I'll hunt down that guy who stole them from you right now. But first we've got to get you back to the others."

"What do you mean, back to the others? We're right here," Joey stated.

Carrie whirled around to see that the gang really was there. Tristan had even thought ahead for what Carrie would have wanted and was carrying Mokuba in his arms. The boy was still asleep inside the sleeping bag, as Tristan had not wanted to wake him and had taken no chances. Bakura was with them, too.

"You guys need to go with Mai back to the campfire. I don't want you guys to get hurt like she did from this huge guy who steals star chips. I mean, I know only a handful of us have them, but out of all of us, Yugi has the greatest chance of having his stolen. I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but Yugi…You're the smallest and the weakest of us. I don't want you getting hurt any more than you already are," Carrie said. "Out of all of us, _I_ am the one with the greatest chance of getting away from this guy unharmed with all my star chips intact and with Mai's stolen ones. So go back…It's for your own safety."

Yugi gave her a hard look, but he seemed to understand that she was telling the truth. He didn't want her to face a murderous thief on her own, but he knew that this wouldn't be the first time her life had been in danger. She had told him before of the gang she used to fight every day in NYC just to get to school and back. She could handle herself. And she was right; she was the only one of them who could have even the slightest chance of helping Mai. He knew that, even if he didn't like it.

"Come on, guys. Let's go back," Yugi told them, helping Mai get up and leading her away. When Joey and Tristan looked ready to protest, he just glared at them and ordered them to come along. Reluctantly, they complied.

Carrie scoured the forest alone, looking for the huge man who stole Mai's star chips. She had no idea what he really looked like other than his size, but she was pretty sure he wouldn't fit in with the rest of the duelists. She wasn't planning on dueling him at all; Carrie was going to fight him and force him to give up the star chips. She was in a small rage over what he had done, and she wasn't sure she would be able to control herself once she laid eyes on this man. Finding him proved difficult, but Carrie was determined to find him that night. She ran around, looking around and behind everything for any sign of this man.

The blonde discovered a small blood trail and remembered that Mai had bit him to make him let go. She followed this blood trail, thankful for the full moon that made it easy to see. After following it for a few minutes, she found him. His size nearly intimidated her, but she knew she could take him. Bandit Keith had had many big guys on his side, and they had all fallen against her. This guy would be no different, no matter how many people he had killed in his past or how many pounds he could lift with one arm. He was going to pay for hurting Mai and stealing her star chips.

The man had a dueling gauntlet himself, only it was much bigger and had more slots than the normal kind. There seemed to be about two rows of fifteen slots going around the cuff of the gauntlet, and most of them were filled. He was just putting in the last of his latest steal into it, oblivious to the bleeding bite mark just above his glove. His hand was so huge Carrie didn't doubt he could crush her head with it. But her own safety didn't really matter, just as long as she got Mai's chips back.

Without another moment's hesitation, Carrie sprung, leaping onto the man's back with her arms ready to go around his huge throat. She slid her arms around his neck and started trying to choke the life out of him. The muscular thief reached at her and tried to pull her off, but she bit his hand before he could touch her. He hissed, but managed to get a hand on her back. He pulled her off and threw her against a tree. She thought she felt something snap, but ignored it and prepared to attack again.

An evil smirk appeared on the man's lips. "You're Master Pegasus's niece, Carrie."

She hated how her name sounded coming from his mouth. "Yeah, and who the hell are you, thief?"

"I have no name. Monsters tend to be nameless. But Master Pegasus is fond of calling me Killer. And I am no thief. I just do what my master orders me to," the man's husky and evil voice muttered. "He told me not to hurt you if I encountered you, but if you do not leave me alone now, I will be forced to disobey."

"Never! You stole from a friend of mine! So unless you hand over her five star chips, I will be forced to turn you into a bloody pulp!" Carrie hissed.

Killer laughed and he sounded like nails on a chalkboard. "A little girl like you could never hurt me."

"Wanna bet?" Carrie lunged at him again, this time wrapping her arms around Killer's legs. She forced the giant to lose his balance, making him fall on his back. Moving quickly, she climbed onto his chest and started pounding at his face. His arms moved to block her, and she had trouble getting past his defense. It was only a matter of time until he caught both of her hands in just one of his and got a punch in. The force of his blow sent her careening backwards into another tree, where something else snapped inside her and caused her extreme pain. She ignored the pain and made herself stand. Killer charged at her, and she quickly moved into a position to avoid the blow and land a hit. She ducked below his fist, which went right into the tree behind her. Then she kicked upwards while he tried to dislodge his fist, striking him right under his chin and making his head go straight up. Carrie heard something crack, but this time it wasn't from her.

It was from Killer.

His neck had broken when she kicked him. His face went blank, and then he fell forward, hitting his head against the tree where his fist was lodged. Carrie moved fast in order not to be stuck underneath the corpse of the big man. She was sure that he had been dead before hitting his head, and therefore his death was her fault. But oddly enough, she didn't feel bad about it. His death had been necessary for her life and for her to get Mai's star chips back.

Carrie pulled off Killer's gauntlet, which was on the arm that was not stuck in the tree, and removed seven of the star chips from the glove before tossing the rest into the air in different directions. Five of those star chips would be returned to Mai; the other two would be for the boy who had had his stolen by Mokuba. She put those two in the pocket where Kaiba and the boy's decks were so she wouldn't forget who they belonged to. Then she turned to return to the others.

She barely made it five minutes from Killer's body before all of her pain kicked in and overwhelmed her, causing her to fall forward and become unconscious.

* * *

_A/N: End of another chapter. What did you think? I know I kinda screwed up the storyline because the duel thing with Bakura comes before the incident with Mai, but hey, I forgot cuz I haven't seen Yu-Gi-Oh in forever. Anyway, whatever you think of this, please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	11. 11 - Heating Up

_A/N: Thanks to all who read and or review. It's the highlight of my troubled life. Here is another chapter to be the highlight of your day. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 11

Yami found Carrie's unconscious spiritual form and carried her inside the Millennium Puzzle in the direction of the tablet that held the Mystical Elf. She had really taken a beating out there against a man nearly three times her size, and she wouldn't allow him to help her during the fight. She wanted to get the star chips back on her own because the man had been hired by her uncle and therefore was her problem, not his. Now she was paying for it with several cracked ribs and a broken jaw. He could only imagine the amount of pain she was in at the moment.

Mystical Elf asked no questions when he requested that she heal Carrie again. She just chanted her spell that repaired what normally took months to fix because what had happened was none of her business. She took longer this time, as these injuries were more severe than the first time that Carrie needed healing. But as soon as the spell had been completed and Yami dismissed her, she was gone.

He knew that the body of Carrie was safe from the evil-minded beings that were on the island; Yugi and the rest of the gang had gone out looking for her shortly after she passed out and took her back to the makeshift camp they had made. But her mind be in some serious turmoil after what she had just done. She had taken a life…an evil one, but still a life. Someone as fragile as Carrie would not be able to take that well. True, the death of Killer had been necessary for Carrie's own survival. But that would not register in her mind as okay. She would begin to think of herself as a murderer, and then she would distance herself even more from her friends…and Yami.

He really didn't want that.

Carrie stirred in his arms, and he looked down. The girl was already waking up. Her beautiful green eyes opened and stared into his crimson ones, still a little blank after being unconscious for so long. She seemed surprised where she found herself and a little embarrassed as she began to become awake. Her cheeks took on a pink tint and a small smile appeared on her lips. Yami couldn't help but return her smile, even though he knew it would be gone real soon.

"Hello, Yami," Carrie murmured as she got out of his arms and back on her feet. "…I had to get healed again, didn't I?"

Yami nodded once as he, too, stood up again. "Killer was not an easy opponent…The damage he did would have taken many months to heal on its own, and the pain would have been unbearable. But that can only be expected…Your fight was unfair yet you won against the odds."

Carrie's smile faded as he predicted. "…I'd rather not think about that fight. I did what had to be done. He was going to kill me if I didn't kill him first. Besides…He hurt Mai and posed a threat to the rest of the good people on this island. He needed to be dealt with. He was, and now we can forget he ever existed. And I doubt you could have done to him what you did to Rich Boy. Killer was only evil. Sending his evil to the Shadow Realm would have been the same as taking his life away."

"You're correct in thinking that way. I just don't want you to feel guilty about this later," Yami said, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"…I won't. Trust me…If I feel anything, it'll be relief," Carrie told him. "…I need to return to the real world. Yugi and the others could find themselves in trouble any moment, and I made a promise to Rich Boy that I'd keep Mokuba safe. Thank you for taking care of me again."

"…Yeah…I suppose that Yugi is far more interesting than me," Yami muttered, not intending for her to hear him.

Carrie, who had been walking away so that she might find her way back to the real world, spun around and glared at him. "…You didn't just say what I think you just said. You did not just intend that I value Yugi over you. You seriously did not just do that."

"I believe I did just do that," Yami countered.

"Do you really want to do this right now?"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have brought it up, now would I?"

"You're such a self-centered jerk! Just because I've found other friends and don't spend as much time thinking about you as I used to, you go and accuse me of thinking that they're more interesting than you! That's like saying that I don't want you around anymore!"

"You might as well be saying that. You're always handing me away to that annoying Yugi kid. Let's face it. You only have me around to help you duel when you don't have the heart to crush someone's dreams. You've lost all interest in me ever since you ran into the boy who looked exactly like me, only a little shorter and a lot younger. The ghost is no longer that important. Sure, he saved your ass and made you feel better after your father beat you. But that doesn't matter anymore. You have Yugi to make you feel better, and who knows? Maybe he can make the Mystical Elf heal your wounds. After all, he is my damn reincarnation!"

"For the last time, I don't love Yugi! And I haven't lost interest in you!"

"Well, you could have fooled me!"

"You're just so blind, you know that?"

"Oh, so now I'm a jerk and blind? What's next? Are you going to be cursing at me?"

"You're already cursing at me, so you're _really_ one to talk!"

"So says the girl that mauls anyone that irritates her!"

"Did you have to bring that up? If your thick, self-centered spirit brain can recall, I had to fight people to keep myself safe! I did it to protect others too and you know it! You also know that fighting makes me hate myself and I feel worthless! You helped me to find my worth after every fight…Unless your 'I care about you' routine was all made up and just a show to make me keep you around!"

"I never act and I never make things up! I really did care about you!"

"And now you don't?"

"If I didn't, would I have brought you here to be healed?"

"Yami, you're confusing me! What the hell do you want from me? Why are you yelling at me like you hate me and saying that you care about me? What do you want me to tell you, what do you want me to do? Just tell me! Just stop making me feel like crap and confused and like I'm a bad person!"

There were tears escaping from Carrie's eyes; Yami knew he had gone a little too far with his angry words. He calmed himself so he wouldn't hurt her anymore before proceeding to answer her questions.

"Why do you like Yugi so much? What does he have that I don't? That's all I want to know, Carrie. That's all I want to know."

Carrie swallowed hard, trying to stop the tears that had started falling from her eyes against her will. She couldn't look Yami in the eye at the moment; he had hurt her with words in a way she had never expected him to. He was supposed to be her guardian angel, her protective spirit, her Pharaoh, and yet he had hurt her. How was she ever going to be able to look him in the eye again after what he had done?

"…Yugi…doesn't have anything you don't. I do like him more than the others…But our relationship is nothing more than a really good friendship. The reason we are so close…is because Yugi reminds me so much of you. He looks like you, his words are like yours, he understands me like I thought you did…He makes me happy like you did. He is special, but that's only because of you. I like him so much because of you.

"I do love someone, but…He's too blind to see that. I've done almost everything I can to make him realize my feelings…But he still doesn't know. He…The one guy who has known me the longest…is ignorant of my heart although he is in my mind. And now that person is yelling at me…accusing me of using him for just dueling…saying that I don't care about him anymore. I doubt he even knows that he is the reason my tears are falling right now…Even if he can be a self-centered jerk who is always thinking about himself and thinks that I never think about him."

Things started to click into place. Carrie had been trying to send him a message. Her song, some of the things she had done in front of him, the way she asked him if he was all right whenever he seemed troubled…Even the way she had looked into his eyes. Yugi had even known this and the boy couldn't even see him most of the time. Maybe he was a self-centered jerk. How could he not see that Carrie loved him?

He placed a hand on Carrie's shoulder. She tried to push it off and told him not to touch her, but he ignored her. His other hand turned her face to look at his way. Her eyes would not meet his, and he couldn't exactly blame her for that. He deserved it. But even so, he had to let her know that her love was not for nothing, that it would be returned. So he did the only thing he could do in a situation like this…

Yami kissed her.

He felt her stiffen at first, which was expected after their little argument with heated words. She was obviously surprised by his intimate embrace. But she was only human and she had feelings for him, so she couldn't stop herself from melting into the kiss. It started off as a mere touching of lips, but then it became something much more than that. The kiss evolved into a very passionate make-out session.

"…I'm sorry for hurting you, Carrie. I love you so much," Yami whispered after they had broken apart. He now held her in his arms where her head rested on his chest despite her being two inches taller than he was.

"Really? And here I thought you were kissing me to prove you weren't gay," Carrie teased lightly with a huge smile on her face. "…I love you, too, Yami."

"You should get back to the real world. The others are worried about you," Yami told her even though he really didn't want her to leave.

"I know. I would say let them worry—I'll get out there in the morning. But no one ever knows when evil will strike and let's face it. I'm the one with the all-powerful Millennium Puzzle and the great spirit of the Nameless Pharaoh. I have to be out there to protect my friends," Carrie said. "…I just don't want you to think that I don't care about you anymore…I don't want to leave you alone."

"You can never leave me alone, Carrie. We are connected in a way that can't be touched. Our minds are intertwined. As long as you wear the Puzzle around your neck, neither of us shall ever be alone," Yami stated.

"All right then. I suppose I'll see you again…when everyone's asleep and I have to play guard dog. That is, unless something else happens to us tonight. Then we may meet again earlier than expected. See you later, Spiky," Carrie murmured.

She disappeared from his arms as she returned to the real world, leaving Yami alone within the walls of the Millennium Puzzle. He sighed, but a small smile was on his face. The empty place inside of him, the part that yearned to be with the girl, was now filled with contentment. And he now knew why the gods had manipulated events in his, hers, and Yugi's lives in order to make it so she would find him. He was there to protect Carrie and to love her unconditionally.

Neither job seemed to be too hard.

But looks can always be deceiving.

* * *

Yugi sat silently beside the unconscious body of Carrie while the rest of the gang spoke with Bakura and Mai. They weren't ignorant of her current state; they were just trying not to think about it. Unlike them, that was all he could think about. She had been severely hurt when fighting whoever it was that had stolen Mai's star chips. That guy didn't get away unscathed; while looking for Carrie Yugi had discovered the dead body with a fist stuck in a tree. But Carrie had not only received injury from the fight, but also from the fall she took when the pain became too much. She had hit her head on a rock, a blunt hit that was enough to cause a lot of pain. Yugi could only guess at how long she might be out of it with all that pain coursing through her.

_Yami will take care of her. He'll make sure she recovers quickly. He's done it once before, no doubt he can do it again,_ Yugi thought as he looked down at her for once. Carrie had told him about the time after a beating that Yami had made Mystical Elf heal her. _I just hope he hurries up. If Pegasus sends some of his thugs out here to get Mokuba, we won't be able to fight them off even with Tristan and Joey present._

"How's she doing, Yugi?" Tea asked, glancing over at him with concern.

Yugi sighed. "She's still out of it."

"After a fight with a guy that size, that's not surprising. She should have let us come with her to help out. Then she would have gotten the same results only without getting injured," Tristan muttered.

"Well, you know Carrie. She always does everything alone," Joey remarked.

"And that seems to be what got her in trouble…If you don't mind me saying," Bakura said quietly.

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't been so stupid as to walk off on my own, my star chips wouldn't have been stolen, Carrie wouldn't have gone after him, and she wouldn't have gotten hurt. Now she won't be able to win her way into the castle because she won't be able to wake up and it's all my fault," Mai murmured, feeling completely guilty.

"It's not your fault. It's Pegasus that is to blame. If he didn't hire people to do such heinous crimes, then you wouldn't have had your star chips stolen and Carrie wouldn't have had to get them back. It all goes back to Pegasus being such a crazy man getting joy from causing others pain. That cruel bastard…I hate him," Yugi grumbled, cursing for the first time that anyone had ever heard. What could they expect? He wasn't in a very good mood.

"Oh snap! Yugi just cursed! Now you know that something is wrong!" Joey exclaimed.

"Shut up, Joey! You'll wake Mokuba!" Tea hissed.

"Yeah, but all the yelling in the world won't wake Carrie up, and she's the only one who can protect him from Kemo, so it doesn't really matter if he's up or not!" Joey shot back.

"Lighten up, Joey! And be nice or I'll have to pound your face in!" Tristan threatened.

They got into a big argument over nothing, with Tea and Tristan on one side of it and Joey on the other. Mai was too down to shut them up and Bakura didn't have it in his personality to yell, so the yelling went on for a few minutes. Mokuba looked like he might wake up any second, and Yugi was getting irritated just listening to their voices. There was only so much a boy could take before he couldn't take anymore.

"Shut up, all of you! I'm tired of your pathetic fights over nothing! There are more important things than telling Joey to shut up and keeping Mokuba asleep! Now stop being so damn childish and act your age for once in your lives!" Yugi exclaimed, silencing them all and waking Mokuba without really intending to do so. Everyone was looking at him as if he was an alien. But at least they weren't yelling anymore.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Carrie stir. Her eyes opened slightly and she blinked a few times, but she was indeed awake. It seemed a little early after everything she had been through…Yugi assumed that Yami had indeed had her healed again and that was why she was conscious so soon. She slowly moved into the seated position, gaining the attention of the others by her sudden movement and lack of unconsciousness. She glanced back and forth between the stunned gang and company and the angry-looking Yugi, totally confused by their expressions.

"…Did I miss something?" she asked.

"Sort of. Yugi just blew up at us…and he cursed twice. But other than that, you didn't miss much," Tristan said. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine. No pain at all. Can't really tell you how that is, but it's almost as if the fight never happened," Carrie told him. "Who woke Mokuba?"

"Yugi did," the gang chorused, pointing a finger at the spiky-haired boy at Carrie's side.

"…Oh…Well, that's fine, I guess. You guys did make him mad and there's only so much a person can take before they explode. As long as Mokuba goes back to sleep, we should have no problem. Just don't piss off the happy one of us again, or next time he might not stop at just yelling," Carrie stated.

"Okay," the gang muttered in unison.

"And Mai, I have your stolen chips. The guy had like twenty-five of them, but I only took seven. Five of those are yours," Carrie remarked, pulling out the said star chips and handing them over to the other blonde female.

"What about the other star chips? What are you going to do with them?" Bakura inquired.

"The other two I took are going to go to the boy who was robbed by Mokuba and never got a chance to duel here. The rest that were in that monster's possession I threw all over the place so that someone wouldn't find the gauntlet and gain immediate entrance into the castle. I would have stolen two for Yugi too, but knowing him he'll earn his chips back in no time," Carrie explained. "But if he wants me to, I'll go back and find him some."

"No. It's fine. I'll get mine back on my own. But thank you for your concern, Carrie," Yugi mumbled.

"Thank you, Carrie. I don't know how I'll ever repay you for risking your life to save my star chips. I don't understand why you did it or how you're not in excruciating pain right now…I wasn't exactly nice to you when we first met and that fight couldn't have been easily won. But I will find a way to make this up to you, even if it means winning five star chips more than I need," Mai said.

"You're welcome, but you don't need to repay me. I was more than willing to do it."

"No, I insist. Let me do something nice for you. Like winning five of your star chips for you so that you can face your crazy uncle. And don't try arguing with me. I always win."

"Fine. Whatever. You can win my star chips for me if that'll make you happy. I'm still going to duel my hardest tomorrow, so your star chips might be obsolete by the time you find me again. Besides, I've already got four. All I need is six more. And I can get those on my own."

"I'm still going to get them for you. So get over it."

"Is anyone interested in playing a little game?" Bakura asked suddenly.

"Depends. What kind of game are you talking about?" Joey inquired.

"A duel, of course. But it won't be for star chips. It'll just be for a little fun. You'll each choose your favorite card, the one you can identify with the most, and place those cards within one of your friends' decks. Whose deck that'll be will be up to you guys to decide. But it'll be a little break from all the danger you guys have been in lately," Bakura remarked. "So how about it? Are you guys interested?"

"Oh sure. Why not? Let's see…I choose…Flame Swordsman! He's the most awesome card on the face of this earth! Surely he can take out any measly Monster that Bakura can throw at 'em!" Joey boasted, pulling out the said card.

"I choose Cyber Commander cuz he's as awesome as me," Tristan said as he pulled out one of his very few Duel Monster cards.

"Harpie Lady," Mai muttered, pulling out the card.

"Dark Magician," Yugi murmured, taking the purple magician from his deck.

"…Umm…I don't know…I suppose I'll choose Magician of Faith," Tea grumbled, picking the card from her semi-small deck.

"And I choose Gyakutenno Megami, of course," Carrie stated as she grabbed the Fairy from her deck and held it out like the others did.

"Can I play, too?" Mokuba wanted to know, trying to fight his fatigue off because he was interested in their game.

"No, Mokuba. You don't have a deck yet, and besides, you can hardly keep your eyes open. You need to get some sleep, or your brother will kill me when he comes to get you tomorrow to take you to safety," Carrie told him.

"Seto's coming? Really?"

"Yeah, now go to sleep or you'll never see me alive ever again cuz he'll kill me and mount my head on his wall so he can throw darts at it whenever he gets mad at something."

Mokuba was so excited, but was also very tired. His sleepiness won out in the end and before he knew it, he was snoring in the sleeping bag again. Carrie smiled, happy that she could make him happy, but also worried that while they were playing their game that Pegasus's thugs would show up and steal him. She was going to tell the others to exclude her from the game so that she could do what she had promised Kaiba that she would do, but they were already fighting over whose deck they would use.

A few rounds of Rock, Paper, Scissors decided that it would be Carrie's deck that all their favorite cards would go into. She tried to broach the subject of bowing out again, but they weren't listening. Yugi noticed that she was trying to get a point across and guessed exactly what it was she wanted to do and why she wanted to do it.

"Carrie, we'll stay close to Mokuba while we're playing the game. No one will be able to get him tonight," Yugi reassured her. "So relax, shuffle, and make sure we win, okay?"

The blonde smiled. "Okay, Yugi. I'll kick Bakura's ass. And with a deck like mine, we can't possibly lose. I've got Jessie's card in it."

"What do you mean? What card is that?" Tea asked.

"My sister and I used to wish we were certain Duel Monsters when we were in NYC. I was Gyakutenno Megami; Jessie was Wingweaver. I suppose she chose that card… because the Monster had so many wings and could fly away from her problems. Jessie always wanted that freedom …But right now she can't get it. At least Wingweaver will provide some strength to our cards. She is a pretty powerful Monster, after all."

"All right then! Let's get this duel going!" Joey exclaimed.

Bakura, for the first time ever that they've known him, smirked evilly. The Millennium Item around his neck began to glow oddly and he began to mutter a bunch of magical mumbo jumbo. The others just looked at him like he was crazy. That was when Carrie noticed that Bakura's soft brown eyes had narrowed and become extremely heinous. This was not the good Bakura they had been talking to just a few moments ago. This was his dark side, a side of him that came not from within, but from the Millennium Item he wore. That thing was evil.

"Bakura, what are you doing?" Tea demanded.

"Setting up for our little 'game'. The magic of my Millennium Ring shall take us into the Shadow Realm and make this even more entertaining for me," Bakura replied, his voice more dark and deep than before. "For Carrie, you've something I want, and I aim to take it from you."

_Oh God! He wants the Millennium Puzzle!_ Carrie thought, heart racing. _He can't take it from me! I won't let him!_

Suddenly, everyone who was participating in this duel with their cards was hit with a wave of dark magic from the Millennium Ring. Their souls were separated from their bodies and sent straight into Carrie's deck. Carrie herself could not escape this fate; she was just as weak in the mind as the rest of her friends. Without their souls to support them, the bodies collapsed to the ground.

Bakura chuckled evilly, standing up and approaching the soulless Carrie. "That was much easier than I expected. Even the one with the power to kill did not stand a chance against my magic. Now, after centuries of searching, the Millennium Puzzle will finally be mine!"

But just as Bakura was about to take the Puzzle from Carrie's neck, the pendant glowed with a blinding light. Bakura swore as the girl's eyes flashed open to reveal crimson, not green, eyes. He couldn't believe that the spirit still lived within the Puzzle after all the time that had transpired. But that was not going to stop him from getting what he wanted.

"We're going to duel like you said, but when I win you will return my friends back to the way they were and you will take us back from the Shadow Realm. Then you will leave and never bother us again," Yami stated, his voice making Carrie's sound deeper but still maintaining that girlish tone in it.

"…All right, _Pharaoh_. I'll agree to your terms. But you will see that this is one duel that you can't possibly win," Bakura remarked.

* * *

_A/N: End of another chapter. What do you think? There are plenty of things I've screwed up about the storyline. I hope they won't screw up your enjoyment of the story. Please let me know what you are thinking about this story. Thank you for reading._


	12. 12 - RPG with High Stakes

_A/N: Thanks to all you awesome peoples for reading and or reviewing this story. I know it can be a bit weird at times, but still you hold on. You are the highlight of my miserable days and the reason I smile. Thanks. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 12

"Bakura, why did you take us to the Shadow Realm?" Yami demanded before the start of their duel.

The evil person laughed. "Bakura no longer dwells in this body. I am a thief who was trapped in the Millennium Ring during one of my heists. And I'm sure you know why I wish to acquire your Puzzle. You know the legends about he who possesses all seven of the Millennium Items, don't you?"

That was one of the things Yami did remember from his past.

"The legends say whoever owns them will have unimaginable powers. And I wish to obtain it, and to do so I will eliminate whomever gets in my way…Even if it is _you_," Thief Bakura stated.

"That will never happen. I will win this duel and you will release my friends," Yami said.

"There's no way you can win this duel, Pharaoh. Even if you defeat me there will still be a price to pay on your end," Thief Bakura claimed.

And so they began their duel. Yami made the first move in which he played Cyber Commander, Tristan's favorite card. He was surprised to find that instead of the actual Monster being summoned by his card, Tristan appeared dressed like the Monster. The teen seemed confused and mumbled things about having a horrible nightmare, not really believing that he could be stuck in a card and turned into a Duel Monster. Unfortunately, Tristan was so distracted by being six inches tall and being towered over by 'Carrie' and 'Bakura' that Thief Bakura was able to defeat him with one of his Monsters.

"You see, Pharaoh, the souls of your friends have been locked away in their favorite cards. And in the Shadow Realm, there is a much greater price to pay for such a position. Your friend who has just been destroyed is now in the Graveyard, the place where all defeated Monsters go during a duel. You'll never see him again," Thief Bakura remarked.

_No...Tristan can't really...He can't be gone, _Yami thought, not wanting to believe it but knowing that it was true.

"It's your move."

Yami didn't want to risk his friends' souls out on the field, but he knew that the only way he could possibly win their freedom was to use them. So his next move resulted in him playing the Flame Swordsman, Joey's favorite card. The blonde had a similar reaction to Tristan's, but instead of thinking he was dreaming he thought he was going crazy. Yami explained things to him about what had happened, and Joey seemed to get it…at least a little. Joey destroyed Thief Bakura's Monster that had destroyed Tristan, taking some of his Life Points away.

Thief Bakura placed a card facedown, and Joey, trying to be a hero, moved in to attack. Yami tried to warn him, but it was too late. Joey had defeated a Morphing Jar, a Monster with an effect that sent both duelists' hands to the Graveyard. Luckily, no one else's favorite cards were in Yami's hand. But he warned Joey to be more careful next time as he drew five new cards.

One of those cards was the Dark Magician, Yugi's favorite card. Yami really didn't want to use that one because he knew how close Carrie was to the boy. But if he didn't and Joey accidentally attacked another Morphing Jar, Yugi could be sent to the Graveyard just like Tristan. He couldn't risk that. So he played the card, letting the short kid come out onto the field in Dark Magician's costume. This time, Joey explained things in his own way for Yugi's benefit. Yami also decided to use Monster Reborn to bring Tristan back, where things were explained to him as well.

Thief Bakura placed another card facedown. And just for kicks, Thief Bakura used the Trap Card, Just Desserts, to rid Yami of fifteen hundred Life Points, causing the spirit a lot of pain doing so. Yugi made the same mistake as Joey and destroyed a Morphing Jar. They were lucky again; no one was going to the Graveyard this turn. But if things kept going like this, one or more of the females weren't going to make it out of this duel.

Sure enough, Yami drew the Magician of Faith, Tea's favorite card; Harpie Lady, Mai's favorite card; and Gyakutenno Megami, Carrie's favorite card all at the same time. He also drew a Trap Card and a different Fairy Card, but those weren't going to be affected by the outcome of this duel. He could not play all of their cards on the field at the same time, which was both good and bad. If someone screwed up again and Thief Bakura played another Morphing Jar, someone would be gone. But if one of them was destroyed by Thief Bakura's Monsters, they would be gone. His best bet was to leave Mai out of this and play the two females he knew the best. He could only play one of them this round, and, against his better judgment, he chose to play Magician of Faith in Defense Mode facedown.

Tea peeked out from under her card, curious after being summoned as she was not aware of any of this.

"Hi guys," she greeted, freaking her friends out by just being on the field. They quickly surrounded her in hopes that Thief Bakura would not see her. "Why are you dressed like Duel Monsters? It's a little early for Halloween."

"Be quiet. We don't want Bakura to know you're on the field," Tristan hissed.

"What are you talking abo-Hey, what's this?" Tea asked when she realized she was holding the same staff thing that Magician of Faith held. "What the hell is going on here? I demand to know why I look like Magician of Faith."

"Evil Bakura did some freaky magic mumbo jumbo that locked our souls into our favorite cards. If you're destroyed, you get sent to the Graveyard just like real Duel Monsters," Joey explained. "So unless you want to get killed, keep it down."

"Oh…So who's dueling for us?" Tea wanted to know.

"…I want to say Carrie, but something about her seems totally different," Joey said.

Thief Bakura put another card facedown. This time when someone attacked it, it wasn't a Morphing Jar; it was just another monster in Thief Bakura's deck. That was a relief for everyone, but most of all it was a relief for Yami. He could have lost Carrie that round… And if he had he wouldn't have been able to live with himself.

"I summon Gyakutenno Megami to the field," Yami stated.

The figure that appeared from the card wasn't the Fairy Monster, as he had expected. Carrie stood from it, wearing the same pale green dress the real Monster would have worn and even bearing the same designs on her skin. She opened her eyes and was just as shocked as the others were to find where she was. But without anyone explaining it to her, she knew what had happened.

"Wait. I thought Carrie was dueling! How can she be on the field and up there at the same time?" Tristan wanted to know.

"I guess that there are two Carries because of that Millennium Thingy on her neck. It wouldn't surprise me. Bakura is the same way," Joey remarked.

"The Puzzle gave me a second soul. The soul isn't mine, of course. It's a man who looks a lot like Yugi. He comes from a long time ago, and I am fond of calling him Yami or Spiky. Take your pick," Carrie told the others.

"You have a man dwelling within your body? Eww…If I were you, I'd have gone insane and told him to get lost by now," Tea muttered. "And you say he looks like Yugi? Are you sure you just don't fantasize about him a lot and that's why you see this Yami person as a guy who looks like Yugi?"

"Shut it, Tea. She doesn't like me that way. And she's not lying. I have seen Yami and he does look like me," Yugi said.

"You know, you can stop trying to hide her. I can see her just fine," Thief Bakura commented, interrupting their conversation. "And you made it quite clear that you were hiding someone. Maybe next time you'll learn not to make things quite so obvious. Then again, there won't be a next time."

Tea's card flipped over and she was finally able to stand like the others. Thief Bakura said nothing else as he put another card facedown on the field.

"So…There aren't two Carries? There are two Yugis instead?" Tristan asked, still trying to wrap his head around this whole thing.

"Just think of it this way, Tristan. There's the cool Yugi up there in Carrie's pants, and then there's the puny one out here on the field who could never get in Carrie's pants," Joey told his friend, trying to put it into simple terms and by doing so making Yugi mad.

"That's not how it works at all! And I wouldn't even think about getting into Carrie's pants! He isn't cooler than me, either! You forget that I have the powers of the Dark Magician here! I'll show you puny!" Yugi exclaimed. He walked towards Thief Bakura's Monster and attacked it against the protests of his friends. The Monster was destroyed and wasn't a Morphing Jar, but it had shocking results for Yugi. A wave of pain hit him and made him fall to his knees.

"This wouldn't have happened had you not picked on Yugi!" Carrie growled, glaring at Joey as she kneeled beside her best friend.

"Sorry…It won't happen again," Joey murmured. "I suppose it's a good thing six Monsters can't be on the field at once. Mai as Harpie Lady would have killed me by now with all the snide comments I'm making."

"But then I wouldn't have the pleasure of doing that myself," Thief Bakura remarked as he put down another card. "Man-Eater Bug ought to put an end to your 'snide comments' as you put it."

"Man-Eater Bug? I'm so glad I'm a girl," Tea muttered. "What does it do?"

"…It destroys one Monster once it is flipped into Attack Mode," Yugi said through clenched teeth while he was in pain.

"Well then, we'd better take it out before it can take us out," Tristan stated.

"Won't…work. Attacking it while it's facedown will have the same result," Yugi told him. "…The only way around it…is what we're standing on. The Trap Card that Yami played when he put Carrie on the field. But to activate it…A Monster must be sacrificed."

"So no matter what, one of us is going to the Graveyard. I guess I'll go back. I would have been stuck there anyway had Spiky not brought me back. I'll be the sacrifice," Tristan volunteered.

But when he moved to go after the Man-Eater Bug, Joey hit him in the gut with the hilt of his sword. Tristan doubled over from the blow after his best friend declared that it would be him going to the Graveyard, and before anyone could stop Joey, he was running towards the facedown destroyer. He tried to stab down before the Monster could pop up, but the bug was standing up before he could. He wrapped around the bug's head and fought viciously with the Monster, yelling for Yami to use the Trap Card. Reluctantly, he did so, sacrificing Joey and destroying Man-Eater Bug. There was no bringing him back this time; Monster Reborn had already been used.

"…He…He sacrificed himself for us…," Tea stuttered, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Just like that…My best bud's gone," Tristan mumbled, feeling very sad on the inside.

Yugi and Carrie couldn't find word to describe how they were feeling. They both had tears in their eyes because Joey was their closest friend—Carrie's first one at that—and they really hadn't wanted to lose him…or anyone for that matter.

"Don't be so sad. You will all be joining him in the Graveyard soon enough. That is, if the Reaper of Cards doesn't get to him first," Thief Bakura remarked.

Tea's tears hit her card, causing her to glow. The Magician of Faith's effect had been activated, and her ability allowed for a Magic Card to be used again. Yami chose Monster Reborn in order to bring Joey back. The blonde was curled in a ball, screaming for something to leave him alone. Then he realized he wasn't in the Graveyard anymore and straightened himself out.

Carrie grew tired of all this losing of friends and the chancing that one of them would be gone for good. She knew what cards were in Yami's hand because it was her body, and she had a plan to end this all now before Thief Bakura could play another Monster Card that could jeopardize the lives of her friends. She didn't like it, but there was no other way that she could see. Her friends wouldn't like it, either, and Yami would absolutely hate it. But she had to do it. She just had to before anyone else ended up in the Graveyard.

"I sacrifice myself to bring out Wingweaver to destroy Thief Bakura!" Carrie shouted, taking everyone by surprise.

"WHAT?" her friends and Yami exclaimed, completely opposed to the idea.

"You heard me. I'm going to bring out a stronger Monster to end this all right now. I'm fully aware of what will happen to me when I am sacrificed. So don't make this any harder than it is already. This is the only way to win…This is the only way to save you from being sent to the Graveyard," Carrie whispered.

"But Carrie…You won't be saved. We couldn't live with ourselves if you were to be sent to the Graveyard because of us," Tristan commented.

"We need you, Carrie!" Tea claimed.

"Who's gonna protect Mokuba if you're gone?" Joey pointed out.

"Yami has my body. He can do it just fine," Carrie muttered.

"But Carrie…We can't let you do this for our sake," Yugi stated.

"Sure you can. It's my decision and no one is going to stop me from making it. And there's more to this sacrifice than just winning this duel," Carrie murmured before looking up at Yami in her body. "So…Do it already, Yami. Sacrifice me and bring Wingweaver out to end this."

"Carrie…I…" Yami trailed off, unable to finish his words.

"…I know."

Fighting tears, Yami did as she told him to do. Carrie disappeared in a bright white light, tears pouring from her eyes as she vanished from the world. She was replaced by a Monster with long purple hair wearing a yellow dress with three pairs of white wings. Her attack power was extremely high—2750—as was her defense—2400. She could definitely get the job done of defeating Thief Bakura.

"…Isn't Wingweaver the card that Carrie's sister always wanted to be?" Tea asked as tears streamed down her face again.

"…Yeah…Carrie sacrificed herself…for Jessica…in a way…," Yugi mumbled, tears falling from his eyes as well.

Thief Bakura laughed evilly upon witnessing this little scene. Yami, who had been crying himself, got very pissed at the evil spirit and decided to let it out right then and there. Before Thief Bakura could even flinch, Yami up and punched him in the face, sending him flying backwards. His friends in Duel Monster guise looked up at him in shock, for they hadn't expected him to be so emotional about this.

"Don't you dare laugh about Carrie sacrificing herself or I'll kill you, regardless of whose body it is!" Yami threatened. His anger had caused his third eye that matched the one on the Puzzle to appear on his forehead, glowing intensely from his emotions. "Carrie was a brave woman and I will not have you taking joy from our pain! I'd rather have the blood of the innocent Bakura on my hands than listen to your sick little laugh or look at that smirk on your face! You may be just a thief without a heart, but if you want to stay on the planet with a body, you'd better keep your damn mouth shut!"

Thief Bakura walked back over to the stump on which they were dueling, wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth that was a result of the punch. The smirk had disappeared from his lips, but his amused look never left his eyes. He sat back down, watching Yami for any sign that he might strike again.

"Fine then. I will not poke fun at your lost lover. Let us just get this duel over with and put an end to your misery," Thief Bakura muttered, pulling two cards from his hand. "I play Lady of Faith on the field…And for a little more fun, I'll use the Change of Heart card on…Wingweaver."

"…No…That's the card Carrie sacrificed herself to bring onto the field," Tristan said.

"That's why he wants to use it…," Yugi murmured.

"Exactly. It's a shame your friend sacrificed herself to help you win, but the exact opposite will happen. It's almost as if she did it to allow me to win this duel and reunite you all in the Graveyard," Thief Bakura remarked. "This will be a sad ending indeed."

The Lady of Faith appeared on the field, and shortly after her appearance, the Change of Heart angel/demon popped out of its card. Only it wasn't just the angel/demon…It was Bakura…The good one. He didn't look like he wanted to take over Wingweaver or anyone else on that side of the field.

"What's Bakura doing in the Change of Heart card?" Joey asked, sniffling.

"It must be his favorite," Tea sobbed.

Bakura did something no one, especially not Thief Bakura, expected. Instead of taking over Wingweaver and bringing her over to his side of the field, he just took over Lady of Faith. Thief Bakura growled at this, pissed that his good side had not done what he'd wanted him to do.

"Attack me. It is the only way you can win," Bakura stated, now in the guise of the Lady of Faith.

"We can't. Not after what had happened with Carrie. And you'll be sent to the Graveyard just like her," Tristan pointed out.

"So what? It's better than being possessed by evil," Bakura said.

"I have a better idea," Yami muttered, using the powers of his Millennium Puzzle to switch Bakura with Thief Bakura. He couldn't have done that for Carrie because then she would have ended up in Bakura's body, but he wished the Puzzle could have done something to save her. "Wingweaver, attack Lady of Faith."

The only Duel Monster on the field who was not being possessed by a human took to the air. She used one of her magical fairy spells to destroy the evil spirit, sending him to the Graveyard without any thought of who else was there. Then Bakura, being the good person he was, sent everyone, including the unused Mai, back to their bodies and took them out of the Shadow Realm.

Only one person couldn't come back, for she had sacrificed herself to save her friends.

Yami could not stop himself from crying while the others lay on the ground, as if they had just been sleeping. Only Bakura was awake, and he didn't dare bother him.

A river of tears as long as the Nile poured from the Pharaoh's eyes as he mourned the loss of Carrie.

* * *

Carrie found herself in the Graveyard, which looked exactly like the graveyards she had seen in the real world. The Reaper of Cards had not found her yet, but she had no doubt he would show up soon. She still bore a resemblance to Gyakutenno Megami despite no longer being in the duel. The only part she didn't like about being the Fairy was the lack of shoes.

Tears were still flowing freely from her eyes, and her heart felt like it was broken. She had left Yami because she felt her being sacrificed for a stronger Monster was the only way to save her friends. They had just discovered that they loved one another, and now they would never see each other again. It was all Thief Bakura's fault. Had he not tried to steal the Millennium Puzzle from her by forcing them into this stupid duel, none of this would have happened. She would still be in her body talking to the man she had loved ever since she met him. Now she would never feel love again.

She heard air moving behind her and knew immediately that the Reaper of Cards was coming for her. Instinct screamed at her, telling her to run away. But her heart was broken and she didn't feel like running. It wouldn't matter. In the end, she would still be stuck here and would never see her friends or Yami or Jessica or Alyssa ever again. She was pretty much dead, anyway. The only part left to do that would actually make her dead was to be reaped of her soul.

All she did was turn around to make the Reaper's job much easier and close her eyes so she wouldn't see the scythe tear into her.

What she didn't expect was to survive him.

Thief Bakura had dropped in shortly after she had, something she hadn't expected. He didn't see her as he ranted about how close he had been to getting her Millennium Puzzle. The Reaper decided that the evil spirit was a bigger priority and moved in to reap him instead. Carrie sighed and walked away from those two.

_Even he doesn't want my soul_, she thought sadly.

Someone appeared in front of her, getting in her way of walking through the Graveyard. Carrie glanced up to find herself staring at the very, very tall Gyakutenno Megami, her favorite Monster Card in her whole deck. The Fairy smiled down at her, not trying to be intimidating at all. But Carrie definitely felt puny in comparison.

"Little one, you do not belong here," her melodic yet wise voice remarked.

"…Yes I do. I was sacrificed in a duel to bring forth a stronger Monster. Sacrificed Monsters come to the Graveyard. I am supposed to be here," Carrie murmured.

"You are not a Monster like me. You are human, and you belong in the world with the other humans and with the Pharaoh, little one. The world is not through with you. It needs you, as do your friends. And most of all, the Pharaoh needs you at his side. Without you, little one, I fear the Pharaoh shall never be the same. He may even end his own life in order to be with you again," Gyakutenno stated.

"…Technically, it wouldn't be his life he'd end. It would be mine. But I get what you're saying. But I can't get out of the Graveyard…Can I?" Carrie asked.

"Yes, you can, for I will help you leave. My magic will lead you back to the real world, where you belong. Just keep out of the Graveyard from now on, little one, and do not hurt the Pharaoh and yourself this badly again," Gyakutenno told her.

"Don't worry. I won't do this ever again," Carrie promised as the Fairy began to chant a spell. "Thank you so much for doing this."

"You're welcome, Iris," the Fairy whispered as Carrie disappeared in front of her.

* * *

Yami had retreated into the Puzzle, not wanting to be out in the real world when the others woke up. His tears had not ceased, and he had collapsed to the floor within the Puzzle as soon as he got there. He felt so empty and his heart felt like it was in pieces now that Carrie was really gone. Even Mystical Elf and her healing spells could not make this feeling go away. Nothing could make this pain go away.

A bright light appeared out of the corner of his eye, but he ignored it, thinking it was just his imagination. He didn't look up when he heard the sound of something running towards him, thinking that he had imagined that as well. He only glanced up when he felt someone touch his shoulder and say his name, and that was only because he recognized the voice too well. When he saw who was there, he wanted to believe he was hallucinating or dreaming. But she seemed so real that neither really seemed possible.

"…Carrie…How did you get out of the Graveyard?" he asked.

"Gyakutenno helped me. She said you, my friends, and the world needed me. And from what I saw when I came back, I know that at least part of it's true," Carrie replied, sitting on the floor beside the collapsed Yami. "…I'm so sorry for hurting you so much that you cried. I should have thought of another way of defeating that evil spirit. I'm so sorry…"

"It doesn't matter. You're here, that's all that matters. I love you so much, Carrie. I never want to lose you again, not for a second," Yami said, pulling her into his arms.

"I love you too, Yami," Carrie murmured.

They were both still teary-eyed form being separated and thinking they would never see each other again, but happiness about being together again overwhelmed the sadness. They were both so overcome by emotion that neither of them could stop themselves from kissing and going into a passionate make-out session that made their last one look like just an ordinary kiss.

* * *

_A/N: Weirdness! Romance! Romance weirdness! What did you think? Please tell me. Also, if peoples could tell me about what happens next after the Mai thing and the Bakura thing so that I could start working on that ASAP, that would be great. Thank you for reading._


	13. 13 - New Arrival, New Pain

_A/N: Thanks to all you awesome peoples! Here's another chapter to keep you happy! Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 13

Carrie awoke the next morning to the sounds of people talking and this weird stiffness in her muscles caused by she didn't know what. Last night after she and Yami had met again and had their little make-out session, Yami had told her to get some sleep; he would watch over Mokuba. She had protested a little, but he would have none of that…not after what she had been through that whole night.

It all seemed like some crazy dream. Her going after Killer and then killing him, Bakura being possessed by an evil spirit, everyone being sealed into their favorite Duel Monster card, her sacrificing herself to improve her friends' chances of getting out alive, being in the Graveyard, being sent back…None of it seemed real. But at the same time, it didn't seem like it could just be a dream. Carrie always thought her imagination was out of whack because she could never be creative. So could she have really made up that whole night's events? She doubted it. And Yami was there to assure her that everything was true, that it really happened.

The others were talking about the duel with Thief Bakura, only they believed it was all some crazy dream. Mai was the only one who really couldn't contribute to the conversation, as her card hadn't been played last night. Yugi appeared to know the truth of last night, but was acting as if he believed they had dreamt the whole thing. Maybe it was better that they were at least mostly oblivious to Yami's existence. The way that Tea had reacted to her admitting a guy lived in her body was one reason. And then there was Joey and the 'cool Yugi in Carrie's pants' comment. Everyone would just tease her and Yugi if they really knew the whole truth about Yami, and she couldn't have that.

"Hey! Look who's finally up!" Joey exclaimed, noticing Carrie. "Morning, Sleepyhead! Sleep well? Cuz it seemed like you were dead there for a few minutes!"

"…Yeah…Dead…I slept fine, thank you," Carrie muttered. Technically, she had been dead for a few minutes, as she had been in the Graveyard, but she couldn't exactly admit that to her friends without seeming crazy.

"You know, I had this really strange dream last night. We were all dressed up like Duel Monsters, and there was an evil Bakura and there was a Yugi in your body…And then you went to the Graveyard because you thought that you could bring a stronger Monster to end the duel and win us our freedom with your sacrifice," Tea remarked, pretty much summing up what they had been talking about before Carrie woke up.

"We all had that dream. Did you have it, too?" Tristan asked.

"Nope. I didn't dream about that at all." It was true; Carrie had dreamt of Yami and Yami alone. Besides, what they were talking about wasn't a dream.

"Then what did you dream about?" Joey wanted to know.

"None of your business. A girl's dreams are for her to know and for her friends to never know unless she wants to tell them, but by the time that is an option, she's probably already forgotten it," Carrie replied.

Joey pouted and crossed his arms. "You're no fun anymore, Carrie. What happened to the girl who used to joke around with me and sneak up behind me and jump on me? Did she go away with Duelist Kingdom or something? If Pegasus stole her away too, I'm gonna hafta beat him up and demand he give her back."

"Well, Joseph, she has been through a lot of hell lately, so it's only natural that she would turn serious and-" Mai was cut off when Carrie pounced on Joey, making him land flat on his stomach with her on his back, arms around his neck. At first, he was too surprised to react, but then a huge smile broke out on his face. Mai sighed. "Nevermind."

"See? I'm still the same old Carrie. I just matured a little," Carrie said. "So…You really want to know what I dreamed about last night? I mean, _really_? No joke?"

"Really, really, my dear little blonde friend," Joey told her.

"All right. Beware…This will have you creeped out for all eternity. Mokuba, be a doll and cover your ears. This is not for kids' ears." After Mokuba had followed through with what Carrie had told him to do, she continued with her lie. "There was me…and you…and Tristan…and I think I saw Bakura once or twice…There was a bedroom…and I think I should stop because two people are blushing and one person is irritated and another looks slightly amused."

"Yes. Please. Stop," Tea grumbled, as she was the irritated one.

"…It wouldn't be too much to ask if you…didn't go into detail," Bakura murmured, as he and Yugi were the blushing, embarrassed people.

"No. Go on. You haven't gotten to the good part yet," Mai stated, as she was the amused one who knew what Carrie was going to pull.

"Yeah! Come on! We want to hear the rest!" Tristan remarked.

Carrie sighed. "All right. So I walked into the bedroom, thinking it was just going to be normal and have no one in it. Turns out the whole place had been transformed into a romantic atmosphere. Candles, rose petals, slow and soft music…You know, the works. It would have been great…Except for one thing. The room hadn't been set that way for me. I found Joey and Tristan tangled in the sheets. Creepiest thing I've ever seen."

Joey and Tristan gaped at her, too shocked to say or do anything. But then her story really sank in and they looked at each other. Slowly but surely, they moved away from each other, even though Joey still had Carrie on his back. The others just laughed.

"What about Bakura? You said you saw him once or twice," Tea pointed out.

"Oh yeah…I ran into him after running away from the horrible scene. He went to investigate and throw them out…But I had to save him from them and their male anatomy parts. I suppose they wanted another partner or something. Poor Bakura…He was more traumatized from the situation than I was," Carrie said. "Sorry, Bakura."

Bakura turned a bright shade of red, not liking how this story seemed to intend him almost getting something up the rear. Joey and Tristan had looks on their faces that were absolutely priceless. The others were a bit uncomfortable, but they did laugh about it because at least they weren't involved in this twisted little lie. Mokuba just sat there, fingers in his ears, oblivious to anything that had been said about most of Carrie's male friends.

_**You have such a sick imagination about your friends, **_Yami stated via their mind connection. Carrie could imagine him shaking his head with a small smirk on his lips, amused and slightly disturbed at the same time.

_Oh, come on. You know you enjoyed it. Besides, they had it coming to them, what with Joey bugging me about my dreams and Tristan saying that I liked Tea...Bakura didn't really deserve it, but hey. I couldn't have used Yugi or little Mokuba, and the only other guy I know is you, so you see my predicament here._

_**All I see is a twisted imagination.**_

_Hey, better a twisted imagination than no imagination. And that twisted imagination is going to make our future nights...interesting...to say the least._

She felt Yami stiffen more out of surprise than anything else. She let him ponder that while she grabbed Mokuba to let him know it was all right to listen again. He smiled up at her and she couldn't help but hug the little boy who had seen too much in his young years…though she really couldn't call him a boy. From what she knew, Mokuba was about the same age as Jessica. Maybe it was his height that made her think of him as a younger kid.

"Well, once Carrie gets something in her system, I'm going head off on my own so I can get cracking on those star chips. I may have eight, but I need to win seven more to make up my debt and get into the castle," Mai remarked, handing Carrie something to eat.

"We can't let you go off on your own, not after what happened last night," Tea put in.

"Don't worry. Most murderers and other attackers don't strike in the day. And if anyone tries to get me, I'll be more alert and I will be able to take them down. Plus, if Carrie gives me her cell number, I can always get a hold of her if things get hairy. 'Course, I would have to find some way to repay her again. Hopefully it won't be more star chips," Mai said.

"I should be heading off as well. It's best to split up so that we have a better chance of finding star chips. Besides, we'll see each other again. We'll just all be going into the castle instead of sitting around a campfire," Bakura stated.

"I might have to break off from you guys, too. Rich Boy's gonna be coming to get Mokuba, and I'd rather not have his attention diverted by his wanting of a rematch with Yugi. He needs to get Mokuba to a safe place. Dueling should be the last thing on his mind, but yet he mentioned wanting a rematch. Just so he doesn't get that chance, I think it would be better if I didn't head out with you guys today," Carrie told the group as she finished the food she had been given and gave Mai her cell number.

"No way, Carrie. We travel together or not at all. So what if Kaiba wants a rematch against me? If I have to, I'll beat him again so he'll have no reason to stay on the island anymore. Then he will have no choice but to take Mokuba away," Yugi commented.

"That's Seto for you. Always interested in dueling and winning. That's what makes Big Brother so great," Mokuba mumbled, still smiling.

"If you say so, Mokuba. I'll take your word for it." Carrie looked down at her watch and sighed. "Well, we'd better be going. It's nine and time for some dueling. We might get lucky and find a few suckers on our way to meeting with Kaiba, and we'll come that much closer to getting in the castle."

The gang said their goodbyes as Mai and Bakura went their separate ways before walking off to find other duelists and or Kaiba, unaware of anything else that might be going on.

* * *

Kaiba stood near the docks as he waited for his ride, a suitcase in his hand that contained a way for him to defeat Yugi. True, he no longer had his deck full of Blue Eyes White Dragon cards, but that really didn't matter. All he needed was a chance to duel Yugi again to see if there really was a heart of the cards. It didn't matter what deck he used; any deck could defeat Yugi's if he really tried.

Just when he began to think that Alyssa had bailed or something had happened to her, a Kaiba Corp. helicopter appeared overhead. It wasn't the quietest means of escape, but it would do just fine for its purpose. It would get him away from the mainland, take him to his brother and Yugi and Pegasus, and when his business there was finished it would take him home. By that time, everything should be back to normal and the Kaibas should have nothing to fear.

The wind caused by the blades blew Kaiba's blue jacket/duster violently as it touched down. His brunette friend sat in the pilot's seat, a blank look on her face, not even looking his way as he climbed into the passenger's side. That was unusual, but he didn't have time to think about it. He could see some of Pegasus's thugs coming, attracted by the noise of a helicopter where only boats should have been. He ordered Alyssa to take off again, which she did without saying a word.

It wouldn't take too long to reach Duelist Kingdom by air, maybe an hour at the most. But the silence would get him thinking about a lot of things that he had already figured out, and he really didn't want to second-guess himself. So he did the only thing he could do while stuck in the air with a pretty girl who had been his best friend even before he was really a Kaiba.

He talked.

"Hey, Angel. Thank you for taking this risk. Your uncle might get suspicious about this, but I'm sure you knew that…Or you really just don't care what Pegasus thinks," Kaiba muttered coldly.

"…No. I don't care what he thinks. All he does is provide a place for me to live and money to spend. He could drop dead for all I care," Alyssa mumbled monotonously.

"That might be taking it a bit far. He doesn't give you money—you earn it by working for the both of us. And you're hardly at home, anyway. What you're saying doesn't add up," Kaiba remarked, a little confused by his friend's words. "…But anyway, Pegasus is going to pay for everything he's done to me and Mokuba and the company. No one kidnaps my little brother without suffering. And Yugi will also pay for defeating me. I am the best and he just got lucky that one time. He will see how unbeatable I really am when we duel again, you'll see."

"…Yes. Both of them shall pay," Alyssa murmured without emotion.

"Angel, are you all right?" Kaiba asked, concerned.

"…Yes. I'm fine. Why don't you call Carrie and let her know you're coming so that she can be prepared for your arrival?" Alyssa suggested.

Sighing, Kaiba pulled out his cell phone and dialed Carrie's number. She hadn't given it to him; he had caught it when she had called him the previous night. He counted two rings before she finally picked up. Her voice was cool-ish, but not anything like Alyssa's was at the moment.

"Are you coming anytime soon, Kaiba?" Carrie wanted to know.

"I'll be there within the hour. Meet us at the docks with Mokuba and Yugi. I don't care what you do with the others. You can push them into the ocean for all I care. Just as long as those two are there, it doesn't matter. And he better be unscathed, or I'm taking back what I said about giving you a raise," Kaiba threatened.

"Don't worry. Little Mokuba is perfectly fine, and so is Yugi. I'm guessing you're coming with Alyssa because you said us. She'd better be unscathed when I see her, or you're in a world of trouble," Carrie shot back.

"She will be…For the most part," Kaiba grumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean? Did you drug her and let something out that's supposed to be kept in your pants?" Carrie demanded.

"No. I would never do that to Alyssa. No, she's acting all weird and blank. It's hard to explain…I have no clue what's wrong with her," Kaiba told her.

"Maybe she's just trying to block out the fact that she's flying with a guy that would love to get in her pants."

"Watch it, Carrie. You keep talking like that, and not only will you not get a raise, but you will not have a job. Now do what I told you and I'll see you around ten."

He hung up, in a worse mood than he had anticipated after such a phone call. Carrie had a way of pissing him off, especially when she brought up what a manwhore he could be and the fact that he liked Alyssa…somewhat. He had tolerated her only because of his best friend, but as long as she was out of it, he could do whatever he wanted with Carrie's career, even end it.

Thirty minutes later, Duelist Kingdom came into view. Alyssa silently flew towards the docks just as Kaiba had mentioned to Carrie that they would. He could just barely see people standing there and assumed that those were the losers Carrie called friends and his little brother. But just before they came within landing distance, Alyssa made an unexpected and hard right turn. Kaiba, who had been sitting without a seatbelt on this whole time, was slung against the wall of the helicopter. He swore and pulled back over to Alyssa, who, he noticed, was turning the helicopter straight for the side of a cliff.

"Alyssa! What the hell are you doing?" Kaiba exclaimed, grabbing the brunette roughly by the shoulders.

"Fool. Alyssa's soul has been locked away for hours now," his friend stated, glaring up at him with an evil smirk and blank eyes.

* * *

Carrie watched in horror from the docks as the helicopter crashed into the side of the cliff, immediately turning into an exploding pile of burning metal. She tried to cover Mokuba's eyes so he wouldn't see what could possibly be the real death of his brother, but it was too late. He had seen it and his violet eyes were already filling with tears. The gang was just as shocked as she was to see the helicopter crash.

_I thought Alyssa was flying it! Why the hell did it crash? _Carrie thought as she too fought tears over the possible loss of her cousin.

_**Pegasus might have had something to do with it,**_ Yami told her. _**We are unsure of what the Millennium Eye is capable of. He could have very well taken her soul and possessed her with his magic in order to trick Kaiba into coming here. I wouldn't put it past him. Pegasus is a very sinister man who probably wouldn't hesitate to kill the niece who has been like a daughter to him if it meant things went his way.**_

_You're probably right. I just hope they survived...Somehow._

Without thinking, Tristan took off for the smoking remnants of the helicopter. He was a very good friend of Alyssa's, a better friend than even Carrie, and he just had to see if it was really possible that his other best friend could be dead. The others stayed back, knowing how painful this might be for him to accept. Carrie almost felt like running over and looking through the wreckage despite the fact that she could severely hurt herself doing so. But she held back to hold onto the hope that things would turn out all right against all the odds, praying this wasn't what it looked like.

It was then that a silhouette appeared in the smoke. Tristan stopped as a slightly bruised Kaiba emerged, holding an unconscious Alyssa in his arms. The gang and Mokuba gaped at him as if he was a ghost. He might has well have been a ghost. It didn't seem possible for him to have survived such a crash.

"Kaiba! Are you okay? How's Alyssa?" Carrie demanded as he and Tristan came closer.

"…I'm fine. I'm not so sure about Alyssa. She was acting weird before making that fatal turn…And then she said something about not being Alyssa because her soul was locked away hours ago," Kaiba muttered, looking down at the bruised girl in his arms.

_So...Yami was right. She's been locked away, just like Jessie,_ Carrie thought. _Now we have to save her, too. How much more can be at stake?_

"That thing's on fire! How the hell did you survive and manage to rescue Aly without becoming flame-broiled Kaiba?" Joey wanted to know as Mokuba ran over to hug his still living brother. Kaiba just looked down at him with a small smile, as if Mokuba was just a little boy he saw on the street and not his brother.

"I grabbed Alyssa and jumped out before it hit the rocks," Kaiba replied.

"And you didn't get any serious injuries from a fall like that?" Tea asked, not buying it.

"Not really. I did land on my leg awkwardly, but it's probably not-" Before Kaiba could finish, a great wave of pain surged through the leg he 'landed awkwardly' on. He fell to his knees, barely able to keep Alyssa in his arms as he did so. The pain was coming from a torn tendon or possibly a bone fracture in the lower part of his leg.

"Seto!" Mokuba exclaimed.

"Nothing, huh? Sure looks like something to me," Tristan grumbled, taking Alyssa from Kaiba. "Maybe you should rest awhile and see if that helps with the pain. After all, you're going to be stuck on this island with the rest of us for quite some time with an injury like that."

"If I wanted your…advice, I would have asked for it," Kaiba hissed.

"…Pegasus's thugs will be attracted to the fire. We should get moving before they come and find both Kaibas here," Carrie murmured. She came over to Kaiba side and sighed, swallowing all the pride she'd ever had to say this next part. "You can use me as a human crutch until the pain becomes bearable. We all would like nothing better than to leave you here for Pegasus to get, but we won't do that for Mokuba's sake. So get up and try not to stand on your injured leg while we get out of here."

Kaiba looked at her, surprised that she of all people was offering to help him. He didn't have enough time to react though, because just as Carrie had predicted, men in sunglasses and suits showed up. Five appeared at once, and no one looked like they could take them. Kaiba thought he could have taken at least two had he not been injured, but that wasn't possible. He knew none of the losers could take them. They were as good as caught.

He obviously didn't know Carrie well enough.

She charged right into battle without a second thought, punching the biggest guy right in the face with so much force that he went careening back into the guy right behind him. Another guy tried to restrain her from behind, but she ducked and knocked his feet out from underneath him with her legs. The other two came at her from two different sides, fists drawn back, ready to hit her. To avoid them, she just did the splits, causing every male in the area to go pale.

"Tristan! Joey! Protect the Kaibas!" Carrie yelled as the guys in suits got back up.

Carrie busied herself with two of the guys while the other three slipped past her. Tristan laid Alyssa down gently beside the injured Kaiba and grabbed one of the thugs by his head. He brought the guy's face down on his knee and then followed up by kicking him in the face. Joey took on another, punching and dodging and kicking and blocking. The other guy headed for Tea and Yugi, who appeared the most helpless of the whole gang.

Tea figured she had better do something before the guy could nab Mokuba, so she finally put her dancing skills to work for the greater good. With one swift ballet-style kick of her leg, she hit the thug right in his weakest point and had him tumbling to the ground. Then she kicked him very hard in the head and managed to knock him out. Yugi looked at her in surprise, but she just shrugged. She had picked up some things from Carrie, and besides, dancing wasn't all about graceful movement. It could also save lives when one got into a sticky situation. She had just proved that.

The fight was over pretty quickly. Tristan had his defeated foe slung over his shoulder as the gang made a pile of the thugs for other thugs to find. Carrie tossed hers on the ground carelessly like they didn't matter, for they really didn't matter the slightest bit to her. Joey's foe was too heavy for him to lift, so he just kicked his the whole way. Tristan was kind enough to take care of Tea's for her.

"All right. Now that that's out of the way, we need to go," Carrie stated, coming back over to Kaiba. "Stand up, use me as a crutch, and let's get a move on."

Without another moment's hesitation, Kaiba complied. Grimacing with each movement, he managed to get into the standing position. He rested his right arm on Carrie's shoulders, allowing her to support his weight where he couldn't. Even without using his injured leg, he still felt pain. Carrie promised that they would brace his leg when they got to a safe place, but that he would just have to suck it up for now. The gang moved out to escape another battle, to be safe.

Was there really a safe place on Duelist Kingdom?

* * *

"Hey Carrie, why don't you sing for us again? This walking is getting really boring really quick, especially with Rich Boy here bringing down the mood with his very presence," Joey requested after they had been walking some time without finding a place that Kaiba would willingly stay at.

"Why? It's not like I sing very well or anything," Carrie muttered, giving her blonde friend a small smile as she said so. "Besides, I don't want to make my boss's ears bleed."

"My ears would only bleed if the dog started whining," Kaiba grumbled, referring to Joey with his comment.

"Fine. I'll sing if it'll keep Joey from killing Kaiba," Carrie stated as Tea struggled to stop Joey from attacking Kaiba. She was surprisingly strong for her size and her past, and especially for a dancer. But Joey was a man on a mission, so he was about to drag her to the ground if something didn't happen to make him stop.

"All right. I'll be civil for a song," Joey mumbled, throwing his hands up in surrender.

Carrie thought about a song that most people might know and might have a message behind it for someone to decipher. One particular song came to mind, and without anything better to do, she decided to lend her friends a musical melody.

"I don't wanna to be the girl that laughs the loudest or the girl that never wants to be alone. I don't wanna be that call at four o' clock in the morning cuz I'm the only one you know in the world that won't be home. Ahah…Sun is blinding…Ahah I stayed up again…Ooh…I am finding that that's not the way I want my story to end. I'm safe, up high, nothing can touch me. Why do I feel this party's over? No pain inside, you're my protection. But how do I feel this good sober? I don't wanna be the girl that has to fill the silence. The quiet scares me cuz it screams the truth. Please don't tell me that we had this conversation cuz I won't remember. Save your breath, cuz what's the use? Ahah…Night is calling, and it whispers to me, softly, come play. Ahah…I am falling, and if I let myself go, I'm the only one to blame. I'm safe, up high, nothing can touch me. Why do I feel this party's over? No pain inside, you're like perfection. How do I feel this good sober? Coming down, coming down, coming down. Spin around, spin around, spin around. I'm looking for myself sober. Coming down, coming down, coming down. Spin around, spin around, spin around. Looking for myself…Sober. When it's good it's so good until it goes bad. Then you try to find the you that you once had. And I've heard myself cry never forget…Broken down and making me just trying to find a way back…I'm safe, up high, nothing can touch me. Why do I feel this party's over? No pain inside, you're like perfection. But how do I feel this good sober?"

That last part repeated once more, but repetition wasn't necessary. She looked at the others, including the spiritual Yami, and tried to see if they could decipher any meaning to her song choice.

"…Wow. That was another great song. Pink: Sober. I always did find that song to be very well-written," Tea remarked. "I don't really know if it fits you in any way, though. Not like When You Were Young did."

"Why do you say that, Tea?" Tristan asked.

"Well, for one, Carrie's not a drinker and the whole song deals with this girl breaking away from being drunk and finding happiness sober. Two, Carrie's already the girl who doesn't fill the silence and she always wants to be alone. Three, she's always getting into trouble and things are always hurting her, so she's not untouchable. Four, she only laughs when Yugi does, and it's not even that loud. Five, she's never scared of anything, especially not silence. And six, no one is her protection," Tea told him.

"Yes, but how can you be so sure? The silence is one of the most dangerous things to be surrounded by. Silence can tell volumes of horror to a person if one has an ear to hear," Yugi pointed out. "Carrie has been in silence for a long time. She could very well be afraid of it because of what it says. And she does want to be alone sometimes, but mostly she's with us saving us when we get into tough spots. She is mostly untouchable, for when she fights she hardly gets injured. And when she does get injured, she heals so fast it's like the injury never occurred. Also, with everything she's been through, she would have a lot of pain inside. You could even say she might be falling and that she could let herself go. This world is so confusing to a girl who has been in so much pain, so it can feel like the world's spinning around and around while it's coming down. Plus, she always feels like she's the only one to blame for everything. Need I list any more reasons?"

Tea scowled, crossing her arms bitterly. Yugi had her beat.

_**I can think of one more thing,**_ Yami remarked, gaining Carrie's glance. _**You do have protection when things get rough…A guy who is like perfection. You have me, forever and always.**_

_Forever and Always is a totally different song. But I know what you're saying, Spiky._

"Okay. Song time's over," Kaiba grumbled as they came across their abandoned camp grounds. "We can rest her for awhile…until I can overcome the pain. Then we've got to get moving so we can get into the castle and confront Pegasus for what he has done to Alyssa and for what he tried to have done to me and Mokuba."

Carrie heard thunder and glanced up at the sky. It was dark with storm clouds. Resting here would not be wise. Everyone would get soaked and that wouldn't be good for Kaiba or Alyssa. They would have to find a better place to rest until she could figure out something to do about Kaiba's injured leg. So instead of letting Kaiba go, she urged him to continue on. He protested at first, but one look at the sky made him change his mind. He let Carrie lead him in another direction with the others close behind.

They found a cave not too far from their campsite just as a clap of thunder echoed overhead and buckets of rain began to fall from the sky. Everyone rushed into the shelter of the cave to avoid being completely drenched. Carrie helped ease Kaiba into a comfortable position on the ground and ripped off one of the sleeves from a shirt she had brought with her. On her way here, she had grabbed some branches in order to make a splint for his leg. How she knew how to make one was due to her taking medical classes on weekends behind everyone's back.

_Yami, would you ask the Mystical Elf to heal Kaiba, if it's at all possible? The spell doesn't have to work immediately, but we don't have time to wait for him to heal, _Carrie said as she finished bracing his leg.

_**I will try. But I am not promising a miracle, for Kaiba has no connection to the Puzzle and the magic may not reach out past its walls,**_ Yami told her.

_I know. Thank you for at least trying...I love you._

_**I love you as well, Carrie.**_

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. What did you think? I know I keep bringing songs into this story, and I'm sorry if you don't like that. I just got music on the mind. Whatever you think about anything related to this story, please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	14. 14 - Rain, Rain, Go Away

_A/N: Thanks again, awesomest peoples in the whole world! Here's another chapter for your enjoyment! Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 14

The rain didn't cease in the slightest while Yami retreated inside the Puzzle to ask a favor of Mystical Elf. If anything, it just started to fall harder. Carrie sighed, bored out of her skull and unable to do anything about it. She had to protect the Kaibas until Kaiba's leg was healed. And besides, even if she wanted to leave to find some unlucky duelist to end her boredom, she wouldn't be able to until Yami returned to her mind. All she could do was wait.

With the rain had come a cool wind. It blew into the cave every now and then, causing its inhabitants that weren't wearing long sleeves or pants freeze. That was pretty much Tea with her short skirt and Carrie with her short sleeves. Tea's problem was easily solved; Carrie threw a pair of her blue jeans at her and told her to change away from the boys' eyes. Carrie's wasn't so easy to fix. The only long sleeve shirt she had brought she had used to brace Kaiba's leg…or at least one sleeve had been used. In her infinitesimally small wisdom, she hadn't thought to bring a jacket. But she didn't complain. She just suffered in silence like she was used to doing.

She felt the familiar presence of his spirit beside her and smiled.

_Welcome back, Spiky. Did she heal him, or was it impossible?_ Carrie asked via their mental connection.

_**She was able to, but it took a tremendous amount of effort on her part. The healing magic won't even reach him for some time. We may have to wait until night falls before he can walk again. But she tried and he will heal, so that's all that matters,**_ Yami stated. He noticed her shivering every now and then but said nothing.

She noticed his glance. _The stupid rain brought its friend the cool wind with it. I'm cold, but I can only imagine how Mai is doing right now, what with that sleeveless top and shorts. I bet we'll find her as a popsicle when we head out again. And don't get me started on poor Mako. He'll be frozen in the ocean clad in what he is. Why weren't we informed that Duelist Kingdom was going to have rain and freezing wind? If I'd known, I would have brought my leather jacket._

_**Check your bag. I'm sure it's there.**_

_And I'm sure I checked it a thousand times and it's not there._

_**Check again.**_

_(Sigh.) Everyone's going to think I'm crazy._

_**The only person who thinks you're crazy is you.**_

Carrie grabbed her backpack again, expecting to find nothing with long sleeves in it like before. But to her surprise, her hand grasped leather, and she only owned one thing made of leather. She pulled out her black leather jacket that she had worn so often in NYC. It had kept her warm even on the coolest of days. It would definitely come in handy now.

_...I'm not going to ask how you did that. I'm just going to assume it was magic and move on from the subject,_ Carrie thought as she slid into her favorite jacket in the world.

Yami just smiled, happy to make her happy. She returned his smile as she stood up, taking everyone by surprise. She was right next to the entrance of the cave, so they all assumed that they knew what she was going to do. It wasn't too long before her friends were on their feet and standing behind her. Kaiba might have stood as well, but he was still unable to as Mystical Elf's magic hadn't reached him yet.

"Carrie, where do you think you're going?" Tristan asked.

"I think I'm going out of this cave to do stuff. Actually, I don't _think_ I'm going to do that. I _am_ going to do that," Carrie replied.

"You can't go out there alone. Not in that weather. You'll be an easy target for people like that guy who stole Mai's star chips or any other crazy guy who thinks you look interesting. And what if Pegasus's thugs track us down? We can't fight them off. You're the only one who can really handle them. We're sitting ducks without you," Tea claimed.

"So says the girl who used her dance moves to knock out one of those thugs. You guys will do just fine without me for a few hours. Besides, I can handle myself against any guy or girl who dares mess with me, no matter what weather we meet in. No one is going to get my star chips or anything else from me, okay? I'll be back soon," Carrie assured her.

"I still think you should let someone go with you, just in case you get into another fight," Joey said, crossing his arms.

"I'll go with you," Yugi volunteered, walking over to her side.

"Yugi, that's not-"

"Shut up. You can't dissuade me. I'm going with you or you're not going out at all," Yugi stated, smiling despite himself. "So you might as well save your breath and start walking. I'm not going to let you do anything all by yourself."

Carrie sighed. "Fine. Yugi can come, but no one else. If I even think we're being followed by one of you guys, there's going to be hell to pay. And you won't like it if there's hell to pay from me. So you'd best stay put until we come back. You know what to do if any thugs show up. And if Mai or Bakura find you…Let Bakura in and keep Mai out in the rain. Get a picture of what Mai looks like with the rain ruining her hair and the cold turning her skin blue if you can, okay? Bye."

Carrie and Yugi left their friends in the cave, stepping out into the drenching rain. Carrie had no second thoughts about going out at this moment; the rain was more welcoming than the silence she had been forced to endure within the cave. She didn't mind Yugi tagging along too much. She probably wouldn't have let him come had he not been her best friend that looked like her lover, though.

The rain's pace slowed down amazingly as they grew farther away from their hideout. They didn't come across any duelists, but that was to be expected. Who in their right mind would stay out in the rain when they could be looking for shelter from it? Still, the blonde was sure there was at least one person who couldn't find cover that she could duel. Not every person on the island could be safe, right? That was what kept her out in the steady rain…The hope that she might find someone to duel so she would have more star chips and be that much closer to saving Jessica, Grandpa, and now Alyssa.

Yugi followed her without a word about how crazy she could have been, as he was her little loyal friend who would never hurt her with words. There was a look in his eyes like there was something he wanted to say, but was too embarrassed to bring it up. Carrie ignored it at first. Curiosity got the better of her in the end.

"What is it, Yugi?" Carrie asked, stopping and turning around to face him.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Nothing's wrong with me, I have nothing to say, so why don't we just continue walking aimlessly?" Yugi suggested, trying to walk past Carrie and failing miserably.

"The hell you don't! I can see it in your eyes. So don't lie to me. What do you want to say that you think is embarrassing?" Carrie demanded. She never really liked it when people lied to her, and usually she got mad when she caught someone in a lie. But Yugi was an exception due to the fact that he was her best friend and they shared many things in their lives and he was an innocent little person.

Her short friend fidgeted and didn't meet her gaze. "…Well…um…I had this kinda silly idea to get you and Yami to spend more time together since it's obvious you two like each other…But it's really stupid and there's no point in even saying anything more about it, so let's move on from the subject."

"What do you mean? Yami and I are just friends like you and me. Nothing there," Carrie lied. She didn't know why she was doing so; Yugi wouldn't judge her just because she was in love with a spirit. But maybe, just maybe, she was a little embarrassed to admit she loved a dead guy who was thousands of years old than her because it seemed pedophilic on Yami's part.

Yugi gave her a hard look, knowing that she was lying. "Carrie, that might be true for you and me, but it's not so for you and Yami. Last night during that duel with evil Bakura …When you sacrificed yourself for the rest of us…Yami was absolutely heartbroken. And you were, too. I saw it and remember. The others don't because they don't understand the powers of the Millennium Items. What they remember they believe to be nothing more than a crazy dream. But I saw it…The way you and Yami were looking at each other when you thought you would never see one another again. You were a bit more conservative about it than Yami; when evil Bakura began to talk smack about your pathetic move Yami hit the spirit and threatened to kill him. But there's no denying what you guys feel."

Carrie sighed. "I was…sort of hoping you'd forget about last night like the others. It was too painful to have been real…Everyone else is saying it was a crazy dream…And yet, it wasn't. You and I both know that. And you know a lot more than you should, Yugi. You don't think I'm weird for falling in love with a man hundreds of times older than me, do you? Even though he looks just like you?"

"No, of course not. No one can really choose who their heart falls for. Love isn't a matter of choice. Love is instantaneous. It doesn't matter who your heart chooses just as long as that person returns your feelings, which, by the way, Yami better be doing. If he didn't, I'd be forced to annoy him to death," Yugi remarked with a smile.

"But don't you think it's a bit weird?"

"Well, to be honest, it is just a little. But I won't condemn you for it. What I believe this means is this, and Yami will have to forgive me for these next words. I believe that if the Puzzle had been solved by me and not you…If you still managed to come to Domino City …You would have fallen for me instead of Yami. With that being said, I would like to point out that Yami and I would kinda be the same person if that had occurred and you might have actually still ended up falling for him in a sense, but if you didn't know what the Puzzle was capable of you would think you loved me. Again, that is just my opinion of the situation. Yami is probably fuming right now."

He was, of course. Yami was going off about how Yugi was just saying that to piss him off and also because Yugi wished he could have Carrie. Carrie just smiled at the spirit's reaction, unfazed by anything that he and her best friend had said.

"I hate to admit this in front of him, but you're probably right about that." Her words caused Yami to stop his angry ranting and for both spiky-haired people to stare at her in surprise. "What? It makes sense to say that. If you really thought about it, Yami, you'd see it, too."

"Maybe he sees it but doesn't want to believe it because that would be like admitting you falling for him was just a lucky mishap," Yugi pointed out.

"…Okay. Let's change the subject before Yami becomes completely pissed at the both of us. What was your idea for bringing us closer together? Cuz what we just discussed… That couldn't have been it at all."

"…It's really…stupid."

"Nothing you say is ever stupid. And even if it was, I'd never say anything about it. So come on, Yugi. Tell me your idea."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"…Do you really want to know what it is? I mean, _really_?"

"Yugi, ask me that one more time and I'm going to have to…do something."

The spiky-haired boy sighed. "Fine. Here's my very, very, very, very stupid idea. You and Yami can only see each other when no one else is paying attention and or you are both in the Millennium Puzzle. If you tried to talk to him with others around, they would think you were crazier than you really are. So here's the idea. I wear the Puzzle, Yami takes over, and you guys carry on like you normally would only limiting the talk about crazy things like spirits and real Duel Monsters or any other ancient crap that would make you seem weird. It would work just fine now, since we're alone and haven't come across any people since breaking away from Bakura and Mai. Besides, even if we were caught…Everyone already thinks you and I like each other."

_**Tell him no. I refuse to control his body while spending time with you. Just because everyone thinks you two are in love doesn't mean we can play off of that. We cannot have a relationship based on a lie. We cannot let people think you are with Yugi when you are not. Tell him no, Carrie,**_ Yami urged. Carrie could tell he really didn't like Yugi.

_What do you have against Yugi, Yami? He hasn't done anything to you,_ Carrie said.

…_**I have nothing against him. I just don't want something to develop on his half and for you to end up hurting him accidentally. I don't want you to pretend there's something when there's not and I don't want to chance him…falling for you.**_

_Yami, if he was going to fall for me he would have done it by now. So stop it._

"…All right. We'll try it this once. But that's it. Yami would hate me for all eternity if we tried again. I hope he won't tell you his reasons for that, cuz if he does I'm going to have to hurt him in not nice ways," Carrie told Yugi, slipping the Millennium Puzzle off and handing it to him. "And let me know if he gripes at you for doing this. I'll be sure to make him behave if he does. No one is allowed to pester you, not even him."

Yugi smiled at her before putting the Millennium Puzzle around his own neck. The pendant glowed for a moment before returning to normal. It was almost as if nothing had happened. But Yugi's violet eyes had shifted colors and Carrie knew she was no longer in the presence of an innocent little boy. She was in the presence of the handsome Nameless Pharaoh with mesmerizing crimson eyes. Only one couldn't tell that just from looking at Yugi. The eyes were the key to the knowledge. If she was as clueless as the rest of the gang, she would have still thought it was her short friend. But she knew way better.

"Hurt me in not nice ways? Really? And what are nice ways to feel pain?" Yami asked, his voice sounding normal for him in Yugi's body as he crossed his arms.

"…You don't want to know the answer to that question. It goes with my twisted imagination that we talked about earlier. Besides, Yugi doesn't need to hear this kind of talk. He's too innocent," Carrie remarked.

"He says this was designed for us to talk without fear of him eavesdropping. He wants us to pretend like we're the only two here, that it's like I have my own body and he's nowhere around," Yami informed her. "Now he's going to retreat into the Puzzle to give us privacy because he's 'nice that way'."

"I don't feel comfortable about this, though. I mean, I know it's you, but I still see Yugi. The voice and the eyes are you, but everything else is him. The height, the flattening wet hair, the innocent face…There's no getting around it. Maybe you were right. This isn't going to work. What was I thinking, letting Yugi do this? I'm crazy," Carrie grumbled.

"You're not crazy," Yami claimed. "Here. Let me see if I can possibly help with your problem. Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you."

"Are you gonna do some magical crap with the Millennium Puzzle?" Carrie asked, closing her eyes like he told her to.

"Maybe I am, maybe I am not. You'll just have to wait and see." There were a few moments of silence as Yami tapped into the magic of his Puzzle. "All right. You can open your eyes again. I hope it worked. I am not sure, for I cannot see what I look like."

Carrie opened her eyes again and was taken aback by what she saw. Yami had indeed done some 'magical crap' to alter the appearance of himself. Instead of being Yugi with crimson eyes and a deep voice, he looked exactly like his solid form in the Millennium Puzzle. The effects of the rain had still affected him—his spiky hair was falling flat and straight. But it didn't look bad at all. He looked so very handsome.

Yami took her in his arms and was about to kiss her but she held up her hand. He didn't need to ask why—the look in her eyes was explanation enough. Even with the altered appearance and the fact that he was in control of Yugi's body, Carrie didn't feel comfortable enough to be intimate with a body that wasn't his. He understood and didn't press the subject.

"…We should continue to look for a duelist that I can take out. Or one that you can take out on Yugi's behalf," Carrie murmured, moving out of Yami's arms. "It's only a matter of time before all the duelists who can't make it are out and people are in the castle. We can't waste any more time. I have to save Jessie and Alyssa."

Yami and Carrie set out in silence, one feeling awkward and the other wishing he could stop the other's awkward feeling by having his own body. That was impossible, of course, but one could only hope that his wish would come true.

Carrie found a male duelist who appeared to be in his early twenties trying to stay dry under an oak tree and failing miserably. As soon as he saw her and Yami, he pulled out his deck and challenged her to a duel. At first she was doubtful that Pegasus's technology for dueling would work during a storm, but somehow the system didn't fry and it worked just fine. Unlike the rest of her duels on Duelist Kingdom, Carrie dueled for herself and Yami watched from the sidelines. She beat the guy and earned herself two more star chips, bringing her total up to six. Only four more were necessary to get into Pegasus's castle, and she knew she could get those with ease.

She could have earned all of the male duelist's star chips, which he, too, had four at the start of the duel. But she wasn't like Mai. Sure, she wanted to win enough to enter the castle and face Pegasus. But she didn't want to completely crush someone else's chances of making it there. What if she and Yugi weren't the only ones put in their position? There was no way to be sure. She just had to play it safe on their part and not make her opponent wager all his star chips.

The guy ran off after his defeat, but not before saying thanks for her not eliminating him from the competition. The rain didn't let up; it seemed the storm wasn't going anywhere for awhile. No one really cared, though. The rain had been Carrie's friend when life was too hard way back when she lived in NYC. It was times like this that she wished she knew what happiness was enough so that she could know how to dance in the rain.

"…We should get back before the others start to worry," Carrie stated.

But just before she and Yami could leave, a dark hulking figure emerged from the shadows. He reminded Carrie of Killer, but his dark blue-black hair was wilder and he wore two huge gauntlets instead of one. He was also a little smaller in comparison with the dead Killer. He looked ferocious, like he should have been an animal instead of a person. He tried to grab Carrie, but she moved aside swiftly and pushed Yami backwards so the man couldn't get him.

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?" Carrie demanded as the man turned towards her again.

"I have no name. Master Pegasus calls me Panik, for I send panic into every person who faces me in a duel. And as to what I want…" He chuckled evilly then. "…I want your star chips!"

"Oh…So you're just like that man I killed the other day…Killer. I guess you want to end up just like him," Carrie remarked, trying to unnerve Panik.

Panik's eyes widened. "Killer? You're the one who killed him? A little girl like you who doesn't look like she could kill a fly…You killed him?"

"Yes. I, Carrie West, niece of Maximillion Pegasus, killed Killer. And judging from your reaction to hearing this 'tragic' news, I suppose you knew him well," Carrie said.

"Yes, I knew Killer well. You could say we were friends…If it is possible for monsters to be friends with one another. We didn't have the same duty—Master Pegasus assigned us to different things. He was a Collector, meaning he was to steal star chips from unsuspecting duelists by any means necessary except killing. He was the best at his position because of his size. No one could get away from him, or if they did they had no star chips. But then…You killed him last night. I found his body…His neck had been snapped…How did you kill him? The Collectors were ordered not to come after you," Panik pointed out.

"He stole from a friend. I found him, got into a fight where my ass almost got kicked, kicked him under the chin, and the force of the blow broke his neck and resulted in his death. That's all," Carrie replied coolly. "Got my friend's star chips back and threw the others so that no one could find them and win entrance. So…Are you a Collector like Killer? You said you were assigned to different things, but the only difference between you and Killer is that you have two gauntlets."

"No, I am not a Collector. I am an Eliminator. The duties are similar, but the only difference is Eliminators duel the people they take the star chips from. We need the two gauntlets for all the chips we get. As you can see," Killer said, turning his arms around so that Carrie could see all the star chips he had won in duels, "I have been in many duels in which I have won. No one has defeated me. No one _can_ defeat me. I am the best Eliminator in Master Pegasus's command."

"Did Pegasus order the Eliminators to leave me alone as well?" Carrie asked, not really impressed with what Panik was telling her.

"As a matter of fact, he did. But for once in my life, I will disobey not for the purpose of angering Master Pegasus, but for revenge! You killed my friend…Now you will suffer at the hands of Panik! And look…I have six slots left in my gauntlets! Just enough for when I defeat you and avenge my fallen comrade!" Panik exclaimed. "Now get into the blue portal and prepare to face my wrath, Carrie West!"

"Carrie, don't do this. He doesn't just want to take your star chips. He wants to take your life. After this duel, he will come at you…And he will attempt to kill you," Yami told her as Panik went up in the red portal.

"If he does, then he will just end up like his friend…Dead. Don't worry about me, Yami. I can do this. And I won't let him get under my skin. I will win this and protect myself if my life becomes jeopardized," Carrie assured him.

"At least let me duel for you."

Carrie shook her head. "Thanks but no thanks. This is one duel I have to play for myself. If he really wants the Carrie that took Killer's life, then he'll get her…And he'll wish he never challenged me to this duel."

* * *

_A/N: Yeah...I decided to make Panik his own person after seeing his episode again. Originally, Killer was supposed to be Panik, but the episode changed my mind. Hope that doesn't change your opinion of the story. So what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	15. 15 - First Break

_A/N: Sorry that I haven't updated in forever. Been busy with school and making sisters' Christmas presents. I hope this chapter will satisfy you loyal readers. So please, read on._

* * *

Chapter 15

Carrie glared across the wet arena as Panik laid down his deck. She didn't know there was a control panel at his disposal over there at first, but when he pushed a button and her feet became restrained she caught on. She didn't make a big deal about it; when Carl had been really mad and needed to beat up on her, he had restrained her arms and legs with metal chains and had abused the hell out of her. These were just the same, only her arms were free and she could probably free herself if things got hairy. He pushed another button that made flamethrowers pop out of either side of the blue portal and they shot fire extremely close to her—she could feel the heat of the flames as they narrowly avoided singeing her. But even that didn't scare her. Being around Carl made very few things frightening. Besides, the rain made the fire less threatening than it could have been.

Yami was afraid for her, but he knew she could handle herself. She had grown up in a rough environment, and that had made her strong enough for anything. If he tried to interfere, she would just get mad at him and he didn't want that. But he promised himself that if she was going to die and there was no other way, he was going to step in, no matter what the consequence. For now, he could just watch with Yugi, who had come out of the Puzzle to see Carrie win though he allowed Yami to keep control of his body.

"The wager on this duel will be this: I win, you give me four of your star chips…You win, I give you all of mine," Carrie stated coolly, dropping her whole gauntlet onto the dueling screen when Panik had stopped the rain of fire. "Do you agree with this?"

"Of course I do! I know I'm going to win and eliminate you! Then Killer will be avenged for what you did to him!" Panik exclaimed, throwing the four star chips down so hard that he probably could have broken his part of the dueling technology. "Let's duel, you stupid bitch!"

They drew their five cards for their hands. Carrie was going to go first and her hand was a winner in her opinion. She looked over at Panik, who had a maniac grin plastered to his face. It had been there ever since he had decided to avenge Killer. Did he not realize who he was up against?

"…Does it bother you how easily I finished him?" Carrie asked in a casual voice, placing Mystical Elf on the field in Defense Mode without looking away from Panik. She saw his expression change slightly and continued to press on. "…Does it make you tremble to know how easy it was to snap his neck when I am but a teenage girl? Does it make you afraid that I might do the same to you? He was too easy…He died way too quickly. He bored me so much even when I let him beat me around for a little bit. You're boring, too, and I can't help but to desire…your death."

Panik's expression became that of one who didn't believe and one who feared. "You… You bluff! _I_ am the one who could snap you in half like a twig! _I_ am the one who sends panic into people! _I_ am the one who will win this duel! _I_ am Panik!"

Carrie chuckled darkly to herself. "But you're not the only one who can manipulate people's emotions, Panik. It seems to me…that I'm the one sending the panic and you're the one trembling. So maybe we should just keep quiet and duel before I make you wet your pants."

Panik growled, becoming angry again. "Let's see who wets their pants, bitch!"

They went on dueling. (Pretty much, Panik dueled like he did when he faced Yami in the actual show, only he was against Carrie and her deck.) Carrie was about to lose, but she had Gyakutenno Megami on the field and two Monsters necessary for a Fusion Monster that could possibly win this. She smirked evilly as she drew the last card she needed, and she could have sworn she'd seen Panik shiver. She played her combo, fusing Queen's Double with Hibikime to summon Empress Judge, a Warrior Monster with an attack of 2100 and a defense of 1700. Empress Judge looked like a red-head, tanned version of Gyakutenno Megami, with purple designs on her face where the Fairy bore red ones and wearing a dark purple gown. Alone they were strong—together they were unstoppable.

To make Empress Judge even stronger in order to bring down Panik's Defense Shield, Carrie equipped the Magic Card, Axe of Despair, to her, making her attack power 3100. There was one more card in her hand and that was it. Panik thought she was going to attack the shield and try to destroy it with both of her Monsters, which their combined Attack Power of 4900 would have taken it down easily. But that was where he was wrong.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Attack it!" Panik shouted. He had a plan with a Trap Card that he wanted to spring on her, but he needed her to attack first.

"Tempting, but no. I'm not going to attack you. I think…I'll use this card instead," Carrie said, holding up the last card in her hand so that Panik could look upon it.

"Dark Hole? No way! If you use that, both of us will lose all of our Monsters!" Panik yelled.

"Yes, but it is a necessary loss," Carrie remarked. "Besides, I have my Monster Reborn available to bring back Empress Judge. True, she won't have Axe of Despair anymore, but her normal attack power will be more than enough to destroy you.

The Magic Card was placed, and a black hole appeared on the field. It swallowed Gyakutenno Megami and Empress Judge, destroying them instantly, and pulled the Monsters on Panik's side of the field in after them. Even the Defense Shield couldn't stop them from being destroyed. Then Carrie activated her Monster Reborn card to revive her Warrior and attacked him directly. Panik's Life Points flew to zero—the duel was over and won.

"Well, now that that's over with, you can release me," Carrie muttered as she put her deck up and placed the dueling gauntlet back on her left hand.

Panik didn't reply; he was too angry and wasn't thinking straight. Carrie looked at him, knowing what he was planning to do and knowing that Yami wasn't going to like it. But she knew she could survive whatever this guy threw at her, even if she wasn't wearing the Millennium Puzzle around her neck. The control panel was at his left—he could easily make those flamethrowers go out of control. The rain had died away during their duel. Nothing could stop the full rage of the fire now. Smirking sinisterly, Panik pushed the button and with one peeved bang of his fist, destroyed it so that the fire would go out of control, hoping it would kill the girl who had killed Killer and beaten him at a duel.

Yami and Yugi watched in horror as fire engulfed Carrie. He almost was too shocked to move backwards to avoid being flamed himself. The whole dueling arena was swallowed by fire as so many flamethrowers were going off that they created a fiery vortex. He managed to get Yugi's body outside of it, but he knew there was no way he could save Carrie without threatening Yugi's life. So they couldn't do anything but watch their worst nightmare unfold before them…and pray that she would somehow survive this.

Carrie looked at the fire around her like it was air, not caring that it could have killed her had she not the protection of ancient powers. She easily managed to pull her feet out of their metal restraints like they were made of nothing. Panik, who was also amazingly untouched by the flames, stared at her in fear, beyond shocked to see she was still alive. He stumbled back a step as he looked into her dark eyes.

"…What…What the hell are you? Some sort of demon?" Panik exclaimed as Carrie perched herself on top of the blue portal, looking like a cat ready to pounce.

"I suppose you could call me that. A demon is close enough to what I am and have been for centuries while I've waited for him to return. 'Course, the Millennium Puzzle lent its protective powers to me, which I'm most grateful for. For now, my foolish foe, it is time for me to do to you what I did to your friend…Killer," Carrie said sadistically before springing. She managed to leap from the top of the blue portal to the top of his red portal in a single bound. She nabbed her four star chips, then grabbed Panik's head violently with both hands. She twisted it roughly, causing a snapping sound to reach her ears. Then she dropped his lifeless body into the flames before jumping out of the flames herself.

Yami saw someone roll out of the fire on the side that Panik had dueled on and managed to run over that way. He was pissed and ready to fight, as he believed that Panik was the one over there. To his surprise, he found Carrie standing there with nothing to show that she had ever been near fire except for a few frayed, singed strands of hair. She glanced at him as she placed her new star chips into the last four slots on her gauntlet, her eyes dark and sort of blank.

"Carrie, are you all right?" Yami asked, concerned and mystified at the same time.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Never felt better," Carrie replied. "We should get back to the others. The storm's passed, and it's been hours since Mystical Elf healed Kaiba. We should be able to move out now and get Mokuba somewhere safe. And after we get you and Joey the star chips you need, we can finally get into Pegasus's castle. We're that much closer to saving Jessie, Alyssa, and Grandpa and getting the money Serenity needs for her eye surgery."

Yami wasn't sure that she was really okay, but that was mostly due to the dark look in her eyes. They weren't green anymore. They were just black, completely and utterly black. There wasn't even the white of her eyes showing. Not really, anyway. Only a small ring remained. Yugi confirmed that he wasn't imagining it, and he, too, was afraid that his friend wasn't all right.

"I'll take the Puzzle back now, thank you. So that means Yugi can take over again. But before he does, there's something I wanna do first." Carrie came closer to Yami, who had to force himself not to back up or look away. Then she grabbed his chin roughly and put her lips on his, forcing him into a kiss. But unlike their other ones, this one was not passionate. It was violent, if it was possible for a kiss to be so. This just confirmed what both Yami and Yugi were thinking—there was definitely something wrong with her. Before she hadn't wanted to kiss him because he was using Yugi's body. Now look what she did. What was wrong with her?

Carrie slipped the Puzzle from around Yugi's neck as she pulled away. Yami's last words to Yugi were to act like everything was normal so he wouldn't set Carrie off, so Yugi did his best not to look fazed by Carrie's strange new behavior. He was pretty good at it; he was smiling and his eyes showed no fear or concern. Yami couldn't help but be proud of the boy who looked so much like him, but he had to stop admiring him as Carrie put the Puzzle around her neck and act the same as usual if he wanted her to think everyone wasn't concerned.

They reached the cave quicker than they had left it. The gang was just outside of it, as was Kaiba, Mokuba, and even Bakura. The white-haired Brit had found his way back to them sometime after Carrie and Yugi had left. It seemed that there was a duel going on between Joey and Kaiba using some sort of new dueling system Kaiba had created. That must have been what was in the suitcase he had been carrying around for so long. Carrie had left him the deck that Yugi had retrieved from Kaiba's dark side, so he was able to use Blue Eyes if he wanted to. Tristan was holding Alyssa, whose eyes were open but expression was blank.

"How long has she been conscious?" Carrie inquired, coming over to his side.

"Carrie! You're back! We were just about to send the search parties out for you," Tristan remarked with a smile. Upon seeing her serious expression, he replied, "She opened her eyes about an hour ago, but she hasn't spoken a word or moved. Maybe Pegasus is waiting for the right moment to use her as a zombie again. Who knows?"

"Did you get any star chips?" Tea wanted to know.

To answer her, Carrie held up her left hand and turned it around to show off all the filled slots. The others gasped, surprised that she had gotten them so quickly. Yami wondered how much more surprised they'd be if they knew how she had gotten them.

"So you could get into the castle right now if you wanted to…Wow. I am very impressed, Carrie. No wonder people say you're unbeatable and the biggest threat on the island," Bakura complimented.

The blonde shrugged. "…That's a matter of opinion, I suppose."

"Hey, why is your hair singed?" Tea asked, noticing the unnaturally dark tips of Carrie's blonde hair.

"I got into some trouble. But hey, I'm fine. Nothing to worry about," Carrie assured her.

Kaiba defeated Joey and started insulting him. The gang was quick to jump to his defense…Everyone besides Carrie, that is. She just looked at Kaiba like he was an interesting insect that she wanted to squash. Yami could sense a feeling of wanting to kill welling up within the blonde and began to fear her capabilities again. But he did not act fast enough; Carrie had pounced and punched Kaiba in the face, shocking everyone. The young businessman fell onto his backside but acted fast enough to block Carrie as she pounced again. This time, she had intended to straddle him and beat him into a bloody pulp. His arm was the only thing holding her back. She moved to break it, but Tristan, the only person who was strong enough to pull her off and stand against her violence, did just that. Everyone was looking at her, but unlike the last time she had had a violent moment, she didn't care the least bit, not even deep down. She just felt like killing them all. Yami put a stop to that by mentally overpowering her.

Kaiba wiped away the blood that was trickling from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to stand again. The leg of which he had injured before and had been splinted earlier was still throbbing, but obviously it was healed enough that he could walk on it and he had removed the splint as well. But that wasn't important. He was glaring at Carrie as if she was a venomous snake and was pulling Mokuba as far away from her as he possibly could.

"I can't have my little brother around you anymore, and I can't be around you any longer. You're fired because you are a public menace and threat, and if I ever see you again, you'll be in big trouble. There will be charges pressed against you, Carrie West, even if you are the cousin of Alyssa," Kaiba stated.

Carrie snorted. "You think I care? I was going to quit, anyway. And I don't care that I'm related to 'Alyssa.' She can die for all I care. All she is…is a pathetic mortal who could never keep promises to her abused relatives. She got her just desserts, having her soul stolen by Pegasus and being used in an attempt to kill you. Now if only that had worked. Then both of you would be bye-bye and we wouldn't be having this conversation. What fun that would be. Two of the world's most famous liars taken out in one foul swoop. And I would have seen it."

"How can you say that? She's your cousin and our friend!" Tristan exclaimed, outraged.

"She's no cousin of mine," Carrie muttered.

"Carrie, what's wrong with you? Why are you saying such things?" Mokuba demanded with teary eyes, peeking out from behind his brother's blue duster.

"There's nothing wrong with me, you little brat! I'm just tired of keeping the truth within me and tired of fighting my urge to snap everyone's necks! All the mortals of this world should drop dead, especially little snot-nosed, spoiled rotten brats like you!" Carrie hissed, glowering at the frightened boy. "Your brother should have never come here. Then it would have been easier to break you. Ah well…The more bloodshed the better."

"Carrie! You need to quit it right now! You're taking it way too far and you're starting to talk like some psycho serial killer!" Joey shouted.

"That's not Carrie. It can't be her," Bakura told Yugi. "She seems so dark…And her eyes aren't hers. I believe she's being possessed by an evil. This evil doesn't come from the Millennium Puzzle; we both know who resides there. This evil must be a part of Carrie that even she doesn't know about. And we need to do something about it before she kills someone, which might be soon."

Yugi sighed and gathered up all the courage he had. If anyone stood a chance in making Carrie stop being evil, it was him. He would have to be hero if Yami could not play the part, which he could imagine would never be the case. Yami must have been putting up a huge mental fight within Carrie's mind if she hadn't killed anyone yet. Now it was up to him in order to make the threat leave for the time being. So without another thought on the subject, Yugi walked over to his friend who was being possessed by evil and restrained by Tristan. She had just elbowed the brunette really hard in the gut to make him release her when Yugi reached her. She looked down at him, but unlike with the others the killing gleam wasn't in her eye. It didn't seem like she could really kill him. He didn't understand why, but he decided to use that to the group's advantage.

"Carrie, this has to stop," he stated.

"It'll never stop. Not when I'm truly free. The only way to prevent it is to kill me," Carrie said coolly.

She turned her back on him and looked like she might walk away. Yugi didn't want that and quickly grabbed her arm. Before he could really think, she had turned around and grabbed him by his throat. Only she no longer looked like the Carrie he knew. Her hair had shifted colors completely to reflect the color of her eyes—black. A dark murderous aura surrounded her, visible to the eye as dark lightning and felt as a violent wind.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Carrie screamed at the top of her lungs, only her voice seemed to echo.

Just as suddenly as she had changed, Carrie returned to her blonde-haired, green-eyed self. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, her hand released Yugi, and then she collapsed to the ground. Yugi gasped for air from where he landed, kneeling with his hands on the ground beside her. Everyone else looked absolutely petrified of the blonde girl lying right next to him.

"…Okay…That was a bit freaky…," Joey said. "Was it just me, or did her hair change colors for a second there?"

"…She seemed so evil…like Bakura was in our dream. Maybe the Millennium Puzzle is like the Millennium Ring…and they both harbor evil spirits," Tea suggested.

"Have fun dealing with the psycho-blonde that wants to kill everyone. We're out of here," Kaiba muttered, taking Mokuba's hand in his and turning to leave.

"Wait, Kaiba! You can't just leave! Pegasus's thugs are after you guys! Without Carrie, you'll be easy prey!" Tristan remarked.

"I'd rather be easy prey for them than easy prey for her," Kaiba stated.

"But that wasn't Carrie! That was an evil that resides within her that managed to take over for a few minutes," Bakura told him.

"If you expected me to believe that bull, you must be very stupid," Kaiba grumbled.

"Fine! Go ahead and put your business in jeopardy! I say let Pegasus kill ya off! Then we wouldn't have to listen to your damn insults all the time! Go ahead, get outta here! Just don't come haunting us when you get killed by those thugs!" Joey shouted.

Kaiba smirked. "Oh, is the dog still sore from our duel?"

Joey growled and looked ready to attack, but Tristan restrained him so he couldn't hurt the businessman. Yugi had caught his breath by now and was standing, looking at Kaiba without an expression on his face. Even his violet eyes didn't reflect what he was feeling for once in his life.

"You aren't leaving us until you have a way to safety. As long as you're on this island, you and Mokuba aren't safe even with Carrie to protect you. And don't start with that stuff about her being a psycho-killer. She's not. That wasn't her…And don't you start with that stuff about how people don't get possessed. They do and you're living proof of it. So unless you want me to force you to stay, then you'd better stop saying you're going to leave, and help calm Mokuba," Yugi said. "So what's it going to be?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "You couldn't force me to stay here even if you really tried. You're just a shrimp. You couldn't possibly-"

He was cut off when Yugi pulled a Carrie-style move where he knocked Kaiba's legs out from under him. Mokuba let go of his brother's hand as Kaiba fell on his backside for the second time that day. Yugi stood above Kaiba, still lacking an expression, as the others looked at him in surprise.

"I've picked up some things from Carrie, so I am capable of keeping you here…even if I am just a shrimp," Yugi muttered. "Now are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way where I kick your ass?"

"Oh my Kami! Yugi cursed again! He's becoming all badass and Carrie's going psycho! It's the Apocalypse!" Joey exclaimed.

Sighing, Kaiba got to his feet and brushed the dirt off of his duster. "Fine. But if she ever makes Mokuba cry or threatens our lives again, we're leaving."

Yugi smiled. "That's good enough, I suppose. It's getting dark, so I suggest we go back into the cave and get some sleep. Hopefully, when Carrie wakes up again, she will be normal."

* * *

After Carrie's evil flash, Yami had gone into the depths of her mind to try and find her, but without success. The good person he knew seemed to have fallen into a place he couldn't find and that she couldn't escape. But he couldn't give up. She needed him or that evil might take over again. The whole time he was searching, he hoped he wouldn't accidentally find her evil.

But with all his luck, he stumbled into a dark part of Carrie's mind…where evil resided.

In this dark area wasn't much nor did it appear all that large. All he could see was a figure suspended in air, but he was too far away to distinguish what this person looked like. There was something sort of wrapped around her, but not exactly. It was a red dragon that looked familiar, but looked a little off of who it reminded him of and he couldn't exactly place a name to it. The dragon was huge and twisted its body around the figure as if there was a glass case around the person. Its orange eyes were watching Yami as he came closer, probably trying to determine if he was a threat.

The person that was suspended in thin air had black hair about the same length as Carrie's and was just as tall, it seemed. Her eyes were closed, and her skin was the same tone as the girl's in his memories. She wore a black gown without any sleeves and a skirt that stopped at the knees along with a pair of sandals. On her right shoulder was a tattooed eye that matched the one on the Millennium Puzzle. The dark aura surrounded this girl, sending shivers into Yami but he was tough enough not to be too fazed by it.

_Who is this person? And why is she so evil? She is sort of like Iris, but Iris was never this dark...Why does she dwell in Carrie and threaten the lives of all 'mortals' as she put it? _Yami wondered, standing directly below the girl and the dragon.

"**Pharaoh, you shouldn't be in here."**

The voice was deep and ancient—it came from the crimson dragon. Yami looked at the head of this creature before speaking.

"Why shouldn't I be here? Why is she here? Why does she want death to all humans? And why does she resemble Carrie and Iris so much?" he asked. "Who are you, anyway?"

"**I am Uria, Lord of Searing Flames. I have been with this girl for many lives, trying to hold back the evil created five thousand years ago," **the dragon said. **"This evil resides in the girl and I am keeping her restrained, and to answer one of your questions, she looks like Carrie and Iris because she **_**is**_** Carrie and Iris. Carrie is one of Iris's reincarnations. This evil came to be when Iris died shortly after you were locked away in the Millennium Puzzle. She has been with every one of Iris's reincarnations ever since, which is the reason for her being here. She wants death to all humans because evil has corrupted her. She is immortal and wants to destroy the world, much like all other corrupt beings. And she also wants you. That is why you shouldn't be here, Pharaoh. If she senses you here, I may not be able to hold her back."**

"Tell me, Uria. How did she take over when you have been restraining her?"

"…**Sometimes, the evil is able to slip out when the present holder of her gets angry or feels threatened by someone. You could say that my power has its openings. She can take control of the body temporarily, but even temporarily has proven fatal in the past. We are lucky she only killed that evil mortal after that duel and not any of Carrie's allies."**

"Is there any way to put an end to this evil?"

"**Not now. I fear she will die with this evil, just like all of Iris's reincarnations before her. They all died around the age of seventeen or eighteen because of _her_ and what she did to those around her. Sometimes she even made her host so miserable they committed suicide. Iris herself didn't live to see the end of her eighteenth year. If Carrie survives to be nineteen, then perhaps the evil will go away."**

The area began to tremble. Uria tightened his grip around the air surrounding the evil he restrained and looked down at Yami. **"She senses you. You must leave now, Pharaoh. Her desire for you might overcome my power, and she could come after you. You must go before she awakens."**

Yami nodded to show he understood. He turned his back on the dark region of Carrie's mind and quickly walked out to prevent the evil from seeing him. As he came back into the brighter regions of Carrie's mind, he heard the roar of a dragon and wondered if Uria was fighting against the evil…and hoped he was winning.

* * *

_:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Flashback::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

"_All right, Care-Bear. I'm going to teach you how to duel so that you can become as good as your mother when you get older, okay?"_ _Megan said, handing seven-year-old Carrie a dueling placemat and a deck of Duel Monster cards. "Now, don't be surprised if your mother beats you this time around. I am one of the best duelists in the world, so that can only be expected."_

_Megan told her daughter the rules of the game, and Carrie listened intently without speaking. This was one of the only times she got to spend time with her mother. Any other time, her mother was too busy with five-year-old Jessica and her husband's business. But Carl was out working and Jessica was asleep, so Carrie was finally able to do something with her mother. It was a Saturday and none of her friends were doing anything, anyway._

_When Carrie knew the rules well enough, they started their duel. Megan took it easy on Carrie at first, but then Carrie put up a front that forced Megan to duel harder. The orange-haired woman played her best cards only to have them destroyed by Carrie. The worst of it was that Megan had purposely made Carrie's deck weaker than hers, and yet the girl was still winning. She was so embarrassed when her Life Points went down to zero and Carrie's were still in the thousand range...She had been undefeated until that moment. She had been dethroned by a child._

"_...Did I do good, Mommy?" Carrie asked. Megan had an angry expression on her face, and Carrie only saw that when she'd done something wrong._

"_No! You were horrible! Now go to your room! Your father will deal with you when he gets home!" Megan shouted, knocking over the table on which they had been dueling to where it nearly fell on little Carrie._

_Frightened, Carrie ran crying into her room, closing the door behind her and locking it. She rolled herself up into a ball on her bed and just laid there, crying her eyes out until Carl came home. She heard the loud banging at her door, his voice angrily ordering her to unlock it, and then she walked over and opened it._

_The last thing she remembered about that day was a fist being brought down on her head._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_She went to school two days after that incident, a bruise on her forehead but otherwise okay. Carrie smiled as she skipped over to a group of her friends, expecting them to be happy to see her. But instead, they looked absolutely disgusted._

"_What are you doing over here, freak?" her old best friend demanded, glaring at her._

"_What do you mean? I'm your friend, not a freak," Carrie said, confused. "What's going on over here? Why are you guys being mean to me all of a sudden?"_

"_We're not your friends anymore. We don't make friends with people who beat up on five-year-olds, even if it is their sister," another of her old friends replied._

"_I've never hit Jessie! Never!" Carrie exclaimed._

"_Whatever. Your mother called mine and told her that you've been beating up on your sister ever since she came home from the hospital. Our parents don't want you hanging around us anymore, so if you don't leave, we'll get people to make you leave," a third old friend of hers threatened._

"_She's lying! She's just sore that I beat her in a duel Saturday! That's why she told your parents that story! That's why she got Daddy to hit me in the head!" Carrie shouted, but her friends would hear nothing of it._

"_Brandon! Help! This freaky baby-beater won't leave us alone!" _

_The boy named Brandon and his friends came over and pulled Carrie away. She was crying long before they started to beat her up. They left her tangled up in the swing set as recess ended, and a teacher had to free her. At least the teachers still believed she was a good kid who didn't beat babies._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_Megan threw open eight-year-old Carrie's door, a deck of Duel Monster cards in her hand. The girl hadn't dueled ever since that accursed day where her world had been turned upside down, but Megan didn't want that to be the case anymore. She grabbed the child by the collar of her shirt and lifted her off the bed._

"_You're going to get this family a lot of money, little brat! You're going to be in a dueling tournament this afternoon, and you'd better win, or Carl's going to be very pissed and have to motivate you to do better!" Megan told her, throwing her to the ground and tossing the deck at her feet. "Now get ready! We're leaving in ten minutes, and if you're not in the car by that time, Carl's gonna beat you and Jessica!"_

_Megan left again, slamming the door behind her. Carrie hurried to get dressed, which was something she had become a pro at in the course of one year. A red T-shirt, a pair of plain blue jeans, sneakers, hair up into a ponytail, and that was it. Then she grabbed her denim jacket to cover the bruises and put her deck in the pocket of her jeans and walked out of her room. That had only taken her three minutes. The other seven would be spent getting Jessica ready, for Megan no longer cared for either of her daughters anymore._

_Jessica was a fast-learner as well. When Carrie opened the door to her room, the six-year-old was already dressed in a pink T-shirt, lavender denim pants, her Velcro shoes, and a white jacket. Her hair was short, so nothing needed to be done about that. What really needed to be taken care of was her black eye. Carl had given it to her last night when she refused to go to bed. Sighing, Carrie grabbed the concealing makeup from Jessica's dresser and called her sister over. She worked quickly to make the bruise disappear. The makeup did its magic and it looked as if Jessica had never been hit. But both girls knew better than to hope their pain would just disappear like that._

_They ran out to the car and piled in the back. Jessica didn't have a booster seat like she was supposed to. If they ever got into a car crash, she would probably die or receive severe injuries. Carrie held her close in the backseat, glad that they were both too short to be seen in the rearview mirror._

_An hour later, they came to the arena where the dueling tournament was being held. Megan handed Carrie her entry form and pushed her into the line with hundreds of people before heading back for the car. Carrie watched as they drove away, wondering why they were leaving her by herself and worrying about Jessica's safety._

_The people who looked at her entry form were a little concerned that she was there without the supervision of a parent, but they let her in because of who she was related to. She was one of the first people to duel, and she was up against an adult male who looked like he knew what he was doing. He sneered and demanded to know what kind of parent sent their kid to duel for money when it was clear they wouldn't win. He was only boasting that he would win until Carrie made him lose all of his Life Points. And throughout the whole duel, she never said a word._

_She won that entire dueling tournament and got the prize money of five thousand dollars. Her uncle Pegasus and cousin Alyssa were there and cheered for her, but her parents were nowhere to be seen. So she took advantage of the opportunity and asked her uncle if he would create a bank account for her that she could put her winnings in for the sake of her and Jessica. At the age of eight, she was already beginning to think about protecting herself and her sister._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_Fourteen-year-old Carrie and twelve-year-old Jessica were walking home from school when a gang of badass guys appeared from the shadows. Carrie pulled Jessica behind her protectively as their leader, a blonde man with an American flag bandana and sunglasses, came towards her, a sinister smirk on his face. Carrie could tell he had bad intentions for her._

"_Hello, sweetheart. Haven't I seen your face before?" the man asked, inches away from her. "Oh, that's right. You're Carrie West, the niece of Maximillion Pegasus and reigning champion of most dueling tournaments. You are great at the game, probably even better than that cheater who created it. And you've got a pretty face to go with that superior dueling skills. You'd be the perfect duelist babe to have at my side when I take revenge on Pegasus for what he did to me at the most recent tournament."_

"_Get lost. I'm not going anywhere with you," Carrie growled as she watched the gang members closely, looking for a way to get Jessica out of there safely. This was one of the most dangerous situations they'd ever been in, one where they could be raped and murdered instead of beaten and murdered. This was almost worse than anything Carl could have done._

"_Feisty little thing, aren't ya? Well, my boys will break you of that fighting spirit. Have a little fun, boys," the man said, turning his back on her._

_As the gang members closed in on Carrie and Jessica, the blonde saw an opening that her sister could use to escape. She thrust Jessica in that direction and started fighting the boys off, yelling for Jessica to run. Without asking why, Jessica took off. The man watched her go without going after her or ordering some of the gang members to follow her. It was obvious he only wanted Carrie._

_Luckily, being beat up for eight years of her life made her learn how to fight. Carrie took out all of the gang members save the leader and faced him, breathing slightly irregular from all the fighting. He smirked at her, impressed._

"_Who are you? And why do you want me?" Carrie demanded._

"_My name is Bandit Keith. And I've already told you why I want you, sweetheart. You've got the skills to make Pegasus weep and the body to make all boys come calling. One day you'll be at my side in all meanings of the word, and if that means I must beat you and carry you home over my shoulder, then so be it," the man replied. "...I'll leave you alone for the rest of the night, sweetheart, but tomorrow, you'd best be prepared to see this face...Cuz I'm gonna be coming after you."_

_Carrie watched Bandit Keith walk off before sprinting for home. She managed to get past Carl and into her room and was surprised to find Jessica sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest. Carrie closed and locked the door before coming over to Jessica's side, grabbing the container of concealing makeup along the way. Her sister looked up; her face was covered with bruises that hadn't been there when she had run away from Carrie and the gang members. She saw what Carrie had and smiled, but shook her head._

"_...No, Carrie. I don't want to cover it up anymore," Jessica whispered._

"_But Jessie, if you don't, Carl is going to get pissed and beat you even more," Carrie protested, not wanting her sister to be in even more pain._

"_If he wants to beat me, then he can live with the marks showing. He will get caught and then he'll be in a cell and we won't have to deal with him anymore. Besides, he's not my father...He may be yours biologically, but he isn't a father," Jessica remarked. "I don't want to cover the evidence anymore, okay?"_

_Carrie sighed and put the container down. "Okay."_

"_...So what about those guys? Did you take care of them, or did they hurt you?"_

"_I took care of them for today...but tomorrow they'll be after me again."_

"_What are you going to do about it?"_

"_...I can't do anything about it except beat them back. But I don't want your life to be threatened, too. So I guess what I'm trying to say is this. We're going to have to go to and from school separate ways from now on. I'll take the shortcut where we were ambushed today and you'll have to take the long way, okay? It's for your own good."_

"_But what about you? They could seriously hurt you."_

"_I'll be fine. I can handle myself."_

"_...Okay. Just...Be careful."_

"_I'll do my best, Jessie."_

* * *

_A/N: End of a very long chapter. What did you think? Please tell me. We've finally got an insight into what Carrie's childhood was like from the moment she first dueled to when she first met Bandit Keith. And Yugi...Well, he's becoming a bit out of character. And another thing about Carrie...Ooh, she's got an ancient evil in her. Lots of things going on with her. Thank you all for reading._


	16. 16 - Repercussions

_A/N: Not much to say. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 16

Carrie opened her eyes, but she wasn't back to reality just yet. She found herself surrounded by darkness without any sign of anything else, least of all light. Tears were falling down her face from the memories that had come to her during her unconscious state and she could do nothing to stop them. They also were caused by what she had said when she really wasn't herself to the only friends she had and about the only relative she had that cared about her besides Jessica. She couldn't believe she had said those things about Alyssa or Mokuba. It just didn't seem possible. But it was and she knew it fairly well…too well, in fact.

_Where am I? And where is Yami?_ Carrie wondered, walking in the darkness despite the fact she couldn't see.

She stopped abruptly when she felt what must have been the wall of this place she was in, perplexed that darkness could have walls. She began feeling her way across the wall to try and find a way out, like some spectral door or something. After a few minutes, she found no door but discovered her boundaries. That didn't help her any. And when she attempted to climb the walls, she found out that walls made of darkness were tall and slick and there was a ceiling of darkness about twenty feet above that put a stop to her escape plans.

"Okay, whatever's going on here better stop. I'd like to leave and return to reality now, thank you very much. So if you'd let me go, that would be great," Carrie said, irritated. Nothing changed. Carrie swore under her breath. "Yami, where the hell are you? I want to leave! This darkness is making me feel claustrophobic! Hello? Spiky, can you hear me? Paging all people with hair that makes up about half their height! Come help a blonde who can't find her way out of darkness!"

No one replied vocally, but in her head, she heard a faint call.

_**Carrie…Where are you?**_

"That's what I would like to know. All I can see is darkness. Am I lost in my mind or something?"

Faintly, Yami replied, _**That's possible…You were possessed for a while there. The real you had to be sent somewhere during the hostile takeover.**_

"…Yeah…Hostile takeover…," Carrie murmured, feeling the sadness well up inside of her again. The tears had been falling the whole time; she had just been ignoring them. She sank into the corner of her dark seclusion and pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her forehead on her knees as the tears continued to pour.

_**Carrie, what is the matter? Why do you sound so sad?**_ His thoughts sounded stronger, like he was coming closer to finding her.

"…Because…I said things…that shouldn't have been said…about poor little Mokuba and Alyssa…and I'm a horrible person…"

_**No, you're not. And you didn't say those things. The evil within you possessed you and said them herself. You are blameless.**_

"Great. I have an evil spirit, too? I'm as screwed up as Bakura…Only I'm much worse than he is. What else could go wrong?"

_**Carrie, you're being hard on yourself for things you have no power over. Perhaps there is another reason why you are so morose and snappy.**_

"I am not snappy!"

_**Yes, you are. You just snapped at me.**_

"Oh…I did, didn't I? Sorry…"

_**Is there another reason?**_

"…Yeah…I remembered things about my past…Things I've deliberately forgotten because they were so horrible. And they hurt…They hurt so much, Yami. I never want to remember them again, but I can't hide from my past forever…There was so much pain… so many tears shed, bruises inflicted…and worst of all, child misuse."

_**Would you care to enlightenment me on these memories while I try to find you? I mean, you don't have to if it's so painful…I don't want to be the reason you are pained.**_

"No. You have a right to know what happened to me…that led up to me becoming who I am…and also why people are the way they are…why they're always after me."

Carrie recounted her memories to Yami as he attempted to locate her within the depths of her mind, only pausing when she became choked up or when she felt Yami's thoughts drifting away instead of coming closer. Her first duel where she beat Megan, the aftermath of that duel, her friends shunning her for a lie Megan created, being beaten up for the first time because of that lie, having to participate in countless dueling tournaments just because Megan and Carl wanted to exploit her and make money off of her skills, and her first confrontation with Bandit Keith and his gang…including every little detail. She passed images via their mental connection about certain things she remembered seeing, including a mental image of an abused six-year-old Jessica and an abused twelve-year-old Jessica. She felt his sadness about hearing of her past and could imagine his crimson eyes shining with unshed tears, for Yami hardly ever cried but he would experience her misery even so. He shared her pain because his heart beat for her, and that was why she liked him so much.

As she felt him come closer, a light appeared behind the wall in front of her. Carrie watched as the light became brighter and realized that Yami must have been the cause of it. The light made it easier to see the boundaries of her dark seclusion, as it made the darkness lighter and her eyes could finally look around without complete darkness being their only greeter. She called to Yami to let him know he was coming close because she could kind of see and sense him, and he promised to be there quickly.

The light became so bright that only a little bit of darkness remained. Yami was right outside her not-so-dark seclusion. It was just a matter of whether or not he could get inside to reach her. From the corner she was still sitting in with tears still running down her face, Carrie listened as Yami muttered something in a language she wasn't familiar with, wondering what he was doing. She didn't have much time to wonder, for suddenly a blinding white light took over her vision and the room, forcing her to look away. When the light had faded, Yami stood within a doorway that he had created, looking at her with a concerned expression. Carrie, still stricken by guilt and sadness, slowly rose to her feet and walked over to Yami.

"…Let's get out of here…," Carrie sobbed as she came to his side.

He said nothing, but he grabbed her and held her in his arms. Carrie didn't resist his action even though she didn't melt into it at first due to the numb feeling she got from her emotions. But after some time, the sadness overtook the guilt and she collapsed into his arms, a flood of silent tears streaming from her eyes. He held her comfortingly, knowing that nothing he said could make her pain go away. Her pain derived from her past, and one couldn't change the past. All he could do now in the present was love her and try to stop her from ever experiencing pain again.

They stayed like that for they didn't know how long, only Yami had made them retreat into the Millennium Puzzle so she wouldn't be near the dark room that had caused her to remember the pain she had desired to forget. They weren't standing anymore, either—rather, they were sitting on the floor and one was holding the other in his arms while she wept into his chest. No words were exchanged between them the whole time. Words wouldn't help this situation…They could only make it worse. The silence wasn't very helpful, either, but at least it was being kind to Carrie this time and not screaming the truth at her. Usually, it would bring Carrie pain, but this time it was being as comforting as Yami for a change. Perhaps it knew she was already hurting. Perhaps the silence knew everything.

When Carrie finally stirred, her eyes were red from all the crying and Yami's shirt was drenched. But she wasn't hurting so much anymore and just being held by her lover had made her feel much better. She glanced up at Yami with a small smile, and he did his best to return it.

"Thank you…for…everything," Carrie murmured, sitting up a little so she could kiss him. It wasn't anything passionate, just a mere touch of the lips, but it was enough.

"You are very welcome," Yami said.

Carrie smiled slightly bigger before sighing and resting her head on Yami's chest despite its wetness. "…Yami…There are some things we must discuss…about you and me. I know it's…kinda bad timing after what's just happened…but we need to get it out of the way before anything…really serious happens."

Yami, who still had his arms around her, gave her a small squeeze. "If you think things must be said, then say them. I will listen and state my opinion just as you will."

"Okay, then. Here's the thing," Carrie began. "We've had some…rather intimate moments now and then. But we really don't have a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship because we're more good friends than romantic people. Sure, we've had a couple make-out sessions and you've held me when I needed to be held like just now. But where are we going, Spiky? Do we really want to make this a serious relationship, or are we just fooling around with our hearts?"

"Carrie, I love you. I would never fool around with someone's heart, and I wish to be in one of these serious relationships you speak of. Of course, you'll have to tell me how this works because I am outdated. In my time, a coupling between a man and woman was marriage, not boyfriend and girlfriend. Women didn't have a say in who they married unless they were of high status, and even then the father had dominance over the decision. So I will be new to this whole experience," Yami told her.

"I will be, too. I've never fallen in love before I met you," Carrie remarked. "And no one loved me before you came along. Not really, anyway."

"I find that hard to believe," Yami stated.

"Bandit Keith doesn't count."

"Of course not. But perhaps there were boys in your school who secretly loved you."

"We're getting off topic. If we are to be in a relationship, there are some rules that must be established. Usually it's the parents' job to set up these rules, but we're both lacking those, so we'll have to set them up ourselves."

"I shall leave that up to you. You know more about what these limitations should be than I would, and I fear you might call me old if I suggest something."

"I would never call you old, Spiky. You're only eighteen…"

"And a few millennia."

"Anyways…Here are my rules for this relationship. One, you and I cannot look at another person in the same way we look at each other. If we do and are caught, it's free yelling rights for the other person. Two, you can't fall in love with one of my friends. Three, you can't fall for Yugi, no matter how cute you think he is. He is you reincarnated, and for you guys to do anything sensual would be wrong on so many levels because it would be like doing those things to yourself…"

"I would never fall in love with Yugi! He's a boy, he's my reincarnation, and he's annoying!" Yami exclaimed, outraged. He caught Carrie smiling and knew she was just kidding about that one, but it didn't make him like it any more than when he thought she was being serious.

"…Four, we can spend time together, but it is restricted to night when I'm sleeping or times when I've been knocked unconscious and have nothing better to do than hang out with you. Five, and this one is the most important for our relationship, we can't have sex until my eighteenth birthday. I know you're just a dead guy hanging out in my mind with me and taking over my body at times, but we don't know what could happen. And I don't want to risk getting pregnant with a ghost baby. Besides, I'm too young to be participating in that kind of activity with anyone, including a spirit. Will you be content in waiting for the day I turn eighteen?"

"Of course. I agree with your logic. I could wait longer if you so wished it."

Carrie smiled. "I bet your male hormones would beg to differ."

She was right, of course. He did want to embrace her in that sensual way because he was, after all, a male human. Even if he was dead, he could still feel that desire. Carrie attracted him in that way, but even if he was allowed to do that before she turned eighteen, he probably wouldn't know what he was doing. He didn't know if he had died a virgin, but all his memories of everything were practically gone, anyway. Waiting would be difficult but necessary for the both of them.

"I myself am not excluded from the hormones thing. If I really wasn't in control of my body, I probably would have pushed you to the ground and ripped your shirt off by now. Waiting will be hard for me to do, what with your perfect body and handsomeness, but I will try my best to keep to the rule I have created for us," Carrie said. "I agree to abide by the rules. Do you?"

"Yes, Carrie. I agree to abide by the rules…for you."

Carrie's smile widened until it couldn't get any bigger. "Then it's official. We're in a relationship. Now we just have to keep it hidden from the living people so they don't think I'm crazy and imagining a boyfriend. Speak of living people…" Carrie's face fell as she anticipated what she would face when she returned to reality. "…I should return to them. They are probably worried…and afraid…of me right now. Worst case scenario… They've already abandoned me. Best case scenario…I have to earn their trust again. Only one way to find out."

"Whatever happens, I will always be here for you."

"And I thank you for that, Yami. I'll never have a better friend or lover than you."

Their lips found each other and neither person could resist it. They entered another passionate embrace that didn't end for some time when Carrie forced herself to return to the real world.

* * *

Morning was coming upon Duelist Kingdom, but for Yugi it had been morning for hours. He had had a hard time staying asleep while the rest of the gang plus the Kaibas had slept for the whole night. Joey had brought Carrie in, for Tristan had his hands full with Alyssa, and put her away from everyone else. They were all a little afraid of her after what they had witnessed yesterday, but Yugi and Bakura were the only ones who put their fear aside to stay near the girl. Bakura was asleep on the other side of Carrie, snoring quietly and looking peaceful for someone who had been possessed by evil so many times. Yugi still had his eyes closed, but he wasn't exactly asleep. He was aware of everything going on around him, including the rising of the sun.

He felt movement to his right and opened his eyes, immediately thinking that the others were awaking. The only other person who hadn't really gotten any sleep was Alyssa, who had been placed against the cave wall beside Tristan. She hadn't moved ever since, and she hadn't fallen asleep, either. Yugi assumed that was because she didn't have a soul anymore and people couldn't sleep without their souls. So she couldn't have been what had caused him to think people were waking up, and he didn't know if Carrie could wake up so quickly after what had happened yesterday.

To his surprise, the blonde whom was to his right and Bakura's left was indeed awake. Her green eyes were open and she had moved herself into the seated position. He could see the guilt and sadness in her eyes and knew she had a complete understanding about what the evil within her had done. She felt responsible for it even though it really wasn't her fault. But the rest of the people in the cave thought she had been speaking freely of her own mind and wouldn't take lightly to the words she had said. Would they ever accept her again?

Carrie looked over at him and he smiled the best he could in his tired state.

"Morning, Carrie," he greeted.

"…Morning, Yugi," Carrie murmured, a wan smile appearing on her lips.

"How are you doing today?" Yugi asked, knowing she would know what he really meant by his question.

"…I'm…not as great as I'd like to be. After what happened yesterday, that can only be expected," Carrie replied in soft tones as to not wake anyone. "…Yugi…I'm sorry that I attempted to…choke the life out of you. I didn't mean it; it wasn't really me. There's this evil within me…I don't know much about it…but it wants to kill everyone. I'm just so screwed up. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Carrie. I know it wasn't you. And you're not screwed up. Everyone has their issues. Yours are…just a bit more complex than most peoples'. But it's fine. You don't have to apologize to me. I don't blame you and neither does Bakura," Yugi told her.

Carrie sighed. "But the others do. Especially Rich Boy. And the way I talked to Mokuba …It just wasn't…It just wasn't right. If he never talks to me again, I'll completely understand. If all my friends abandon me for what happened, I'll completely understand. I deserve it. Being possessed by evil is something I should be able to control. It taking control isn't a good enough reason for what happened. There's got to be more to it than that." Tears were in her eyes again—she couldn't help it.

Yugi pitied the girl but didn't know what to say to make things better. The others really would see things in that light and there wasn't anything that could change that. Not Tristan's feelings for her, not Tea's admiration for her fighting skills and city of origin, not Joey's friendship, not Mokuba's gratitude for her, and definitely Kaiba's debt to her. He knew they would all throw her into the fire without worrying about the direction of the wind, and she would accept it as justified punishment. That was wrong in his book, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"…Carrie? Are…Are you awake?"

The blonde female turned to see that Mokuba was awake now. His childish purple eyes were looking at her with a mixture of fear and admiration…the fear from what he had seen yesterday and admiration for everything she had done prior to that occurrence. She glanced down at her hands, wishing it was anyone else watching her. He was the one she had hurt the most with her words. Yugi sensed her dread and wanted to step in.

"Mokuba, now's not the best time to-" he began, but Carrie cut him off by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"…Yugi, you're a good friend, but this is something that needs to be taken care of now before it becomes a major problem," Carrie whispered. "Mokuba, will you come over here? I don't want to speak loudly and wake the others."

Reluctantly, the frightened boy silently walked over to Carrie and Yugi. He sat a few feet away from Carrie, still afraid that she might harm him. Yugi could hardly blame him, even though he knew the person who had attempted to kill him wasn't really Carrie.

"Mokuba…What I said yesterday…about you being a brat and whatnot…I didn't mean it. Something came over me and made me out of control. I know it's no excuse, I know you'll be afraid of me forever…But I just had to apologize. Words are nothing but words. If I could go back in time and stop the evil from taking over…I would. If you want to batter me to let me know how you feel…Go ahead. I deserve it," Carrie murmured. The tears had gotten worse when Mokuba had come over; she really felt like shit for making Mokuba cry. Yugi had seen the way she had protected the kid and knew this wasn't an act at all. She loved the boy like he was her little brother. Surely he would show mercy.

The black-haired boy swallowed hard. "…I won't deny…that you hurt me. But Carrie… You've done so much for me…It couldn't have been you saying all those hurtful words to me and Big Brother…" The little boy reached across the distance and hugged Carrie. "…So I won't do what that evil did. I won't use words to hurt people. You're forgiven."

It took a moment for her to react, but Carrie returned his hug gently. Yugi kept his eyes on Kaiba, whom he feared might wake up and find his brother hugging someone he deemed a threat to the boy. Luckily, the young businessman was still deep in dreams and wouldn't be outraged by the sight.

"All right, you guys. You're not fooling anyone. Get up. I know you've been listening," Carrie muttered as she released Mokuba.

Groaning, Tea and Tristan sat up. The female brunette crossed her arms and glared while the male brunette got up to check on Alyssa. He pulled out a water bottle he had with his stuff and stuck it in her mouth so she could be hydrated. The girl didn't react; she just kept her blank stare at nothing in particular.

"You were acting very wrongly yesterday…And being possessed by evil doesn't cut it. I know that evil doesn't give you the option to resist it, but you did something to let that evil out. So…What exactly happened before you and Yugi came back that could have possibly made you into that evil bitch who wanted us all dead?" Tea demanded quietly.

"…I believe it would be best to explain it when everyone wakes up. I do not want to explain myself more than once…," Carrie said.

"That makes sense, but it could be awhile before Joey decides to get up," Tristan grumbled as he sat by Tea. "We could be waiting a long time."

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE, KAIBA! GO AWAY, BLUE EYES! AND I'M NOT A DOG!" Joey screamed, awaking from a nightmare and waking up the last two people sleeping. "Oh…It was just a dream…My mistake."

"Your mistake my ass! You knew damn well you were dreaming, you stupid mutt!" Kaiba hissed. His eyes narrowed to slits when he saw how close Mokuba was to Carrie, and the glare was enough for Mokuba to retreat back to his side.

"…Did I miss something?" Joey asked as he stifled a yawn.

"No. Carrie's just about to tell us what the hell was wrong with her yesterday," Tea replied, arms still crossed.

"There's nothing to tell. She's a crazy bitch who wants to kill us all. And I'm not going to sit here and listen to her lies. We're out of here," Kaiba stated, getting to his feet and walking towards the sunlight. "Come, Mokuba."

Mokuba looked almost like he was going to listen to his big brother, but then he made a turn and settled himself at Carrie's side beside Bakura. Kaiba's expression was both pissed and shocked at his brother's disobedience.

"Mokuba, come. We're leaving this crazy bitch before she hurts you. Come, Mokuba," Kaiba repeated through clenched teeth.

"No, Big Brother. I know Carrie. She isn't like what she was yesterday. She would never have said those things to me unless something forced her. And before you start calling her names again, remember that she saved me from being taken by Kemo and that she saved both of us from being captured by other thugs. Would a homicidal crazy person have done that? No. Therefore, Carrie isn't one of those people," Mokuba claimed.

"And as the song goes, she may be a crazy bitch, but she'll f so good," Joey put in, cleaning his language up for Mokuba's ears. His reference to the song Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry earned him a lot of glares.

"Will you just hear her out?" Mokuba inquired.

Kaiba groaned, but said nothing else about Carrie. He leaned against the side of the cave opening, ready but reluctant to listen.

And Carrie retold the events that led up to her evil outbreak, only leaving out the parts that involved Yami. She didn't even leave out the part where she killed Panik. Everyone was shocked to hear that she had blood on her hands except for Yugi, but they all seemed to agree that it was somewhat good to have him gone so he couldn't eliminate anyone else. She told of the way she felt when she was in that rage of evil and that only Yugi had been able to stop her from going all homicidal, although she didn't know why. She also reassured everyone that the Puzzle was not what harnessed her evil, that her evil was hidden somewhere within herself. But she promised to try to be in better control of herself so something like that wouldn't happen again.

"…Ever since coming to Duelist Kingdom, I have become an entirely different person. I have killed two people…one in self-defense, one on purpose…and have harmed my friends…the only friends I have ever had. Everyone whose ever trusted me doesn't anymore. I hope I can change that to be what it was before, like my evil never took over. I understand it will take time and that some of you will never look at me the same way again. But I…I want to try," Carrie concluded. "Does anyone want to try with me?"

A few moments of silence passed, but Carrie waited patiently. The first person to raise his voice was Tristan, for it was unnecessary for Yugi to say anything when everyone already knew his feelings about this. After him came Mokuba and Bakura, then Joey, and then a reluctant Tea. Kaiba remained silent, but from the look in his eyes Carrie knew he would give her another chance.

"Okay, then. Let's go get some star chips."

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. Interesting little bit. Next chapter, a familiar and hated face will come back to haunt Carrie, but his target will be one of her friends. How will she deal with that? Who knows. What did you think? Please tell me, and thank you for reading._


	17. 17 - Blast from the Past

_A/N: Thank you peoples who are reviewing! You brighten my day! Here's another chapter gift-wrapped for you just a week away from Christmas! Enjoy seeing what's inside!_

* * *

Chapter 17

The gang set out to find unlucky duelists that they could duel. They knew the number of people on Duelist Kingdom was dwindling quickly and their chances of finding someone to undermine were lowering, but they were still determined. Even Kaiba was looking for someone to beat so he could take their chips and their gauntlet, for he had his own reasons for wanting into Pegasus's castle. Carrie didn't know how he would enter a duel without star chips, but she didn't care to ask.

Alyssa was still immobile, so Tristan was carrying her around. Any people they did encounter would probably stare and wonder, for carrying around an unmoving body wasn't the most appealing thing to do, especially considering who the girl was. Her face was all over the place. Surely people would think they'd kidnapped her to bribe Pegasus. The gang hoped that wouldn't be the case, for they really didn't want to explain what was going on for fear people would think they were crazy.

"I'll take her up to the castle," Carrie volunteered. "Then we wouldn't have to really worry about her or looking like we were crazy."

"No. I will not give Aly back to that monster even if she has lost her soul. I don't trust him after all he's done," Tristan stated.

"I agree. There's no telling what he might do with her. He might use her as a lure to trap someone else and cause that unlucky fool to die. We can't take her there until we all can get in," Kaiba agreed, siding with one he hated for once.

"But if we don't, you guys will never be able to duel cuz everyone will think you're kidnappers and call the men in black suits on you," Carrie pointed out.

"Carrie's right. Alyssa's done in right now, and I doubt Pegasus would use her again after he failed to eliminate Kaiba. It would be better for us if she was somewhere else, and unfortunately the only other option is for her to be in Pegasus's castle. If we continue to drag her around, we'll never get the star chips you need to get into the castle, and then it'll be Carrie versus whoever else gets in for the souls of three people. We can't risk it," Tea remarked. For once, she was taking to Carrie's defense.

"I'm sure Pegasus wouldn't hurt Alyssa if we left her in his care again. She is, after all, his niece," Yugi put in.

"Yeah, and he tried to kill her when he tried to kill Kaiba," Joey countered.

"But now he has no reason to try and kill his niece. Kaiba is out of his grasp once again, and the man knows Kaiba wouldn't fall for the same ploy twice. Perhaps he'll give up until Kaiba manages to win his way into the castle and then he will strike again. Alyssa will be in somewhat good hands, I believe," Bakura chimed in.

"It's four against three. I'll take Alyssa and be back in a flash," Carrie said.

Tristan was reluctant to hand his best friend over to the girl who would take her to the man who had tried to kill Alyssa, but he knew there was no getting out of it. Alyssa slid into Carrie's arms, feeling as light as usual because her cousin was always thin. The blonde thanked Tristan before walking in the direction of the castle that towered over the island.

_I wish the Puzzle could return the souls of those the Millennium Eye steals,_ Carrie thought as she went along her way. _At least then I wouldn't have had to come here. I could have restored Grandpa and Jessica...And when I found out about Alyssa, I could have restored her, too. It would have saved me a whole lot of trouble. But nothing's ever easy, is it? Everything's got to be difficult, or else it would have no point. Damn points. I want an easy way out._

Carrie didn't feel good about leaving Alyssa with Pegasus, but what other choice did they have? Souls and the fate of the Kaibas rested on their shoulders, and warding away duelists for her friends was not the way to go. She would hand Alyssa over, but if she found out that Pegasus was using her for evil again, the man would truly suffer in ways that Carrie couldn't put to words.

It took her thirty minutes to reach the door. She was surprised to find Kemo standing guard with another man in shades and a suit, and couldn't help but smirk. Being a guard was the lowest job of security for Pegasus; she knew this from her visits when she was younger. She assumed this was his punishment for not capturing Mokuba and failing to have Yugi lose that duel against Dark Kaiba. Kemo's expression flashed bitterly when he saw her approach, and Carrie guessed he was still sore from getting beaten up by her. At least he still had his life. Not everyone she'd gotten angry at could say that.

"Hey, Kemo. See you've been demoted quite a bit from kidnapper to welcome mat," Carrie taunted.

"And I see you've haven't changed from a bitch at all," Kemo grumbled. He obviously noticed Alyssa in her arms but didn't want to say anything about it because that would be admitting the helicopter incident had been planned and was expected to end without either passenger leaving alive.

Carrie ignored his insult. "Would you do me a favor? Tell your master he should take better care of his relatives and you know, not try to kill them in a helicopter crash. You can take her back to him, if you please." She handed Alyssa over to Kemo, reluctant more than ever because of who he was. "And also tell him that when I see my cousin again that she'd better be well and not dead. If she's found otherwise…There will be no mercy for him…At least, not from me."

Kemo took Alyssa and conveyed an order via his headset. Another man in a black suit emerged from the castle to take the brunette girl inside. When the door closed with Alyssa behind it, Carrie turned on her heel and left the place.

"Why aren't you going in?" Kemo asked, as he had noticed her full gauntlet when she handed the zombie girl over.

"…Because I have to help my friends to join me in the ranks," Carrie replied without stopping or turning around.

Although it had only taken her thirty minutes to get there, Carrie took nearly an hour to find her friends. It wasn't because finding them was hard—many duelists she encountered were whispering about Yugi and Kaiba being in duels. It was because she wanted to spend a little time away from the gang so she could be with her boyfriend alone. During the times when she was the only one in sight, she would sing aloud while talking to him with her mind.

They didn't exchange that mushy gushy crap other couples would say to one another. Instead, they spoke of strategies to defeat Pegasus and the other duelists who made it into the castle, how she could learn to control her ever out-of-control anger to avoid killing sprees, and what the future might hold. Carrie did try to pry information out of Yami about her dark side when he made the comment he had seen it, but he kept his lips sealed and refused to give her even an inkling of information about the subject.

A question suddenly appeared in Carrie's head, seemingly out of nowhere. She didn't know why her mind chose this question or how, but it wouldn't go away no matter how many times she tried to push it away. She growled in frustration, cutting off the lyrics of a song she had been singing and getting Yami's full attention. Now there was no getting around asking the question with his probing crimson eyes on her, even if he was nothing more than a spirit.

_Yami, can you remember if you loved anyone when you were alive?_

She felt the spirit stiffen from shock that she had asked such a question. There was another cause for his reaction, but Carrie could not get past his mental barriers to figure out what it was. So she just waited patiently for Yami to reply.

Images of Iris flashed through Yami's mind, but he made sure Carrie would not be able to see them. He felt her probing and although he knew she could not invade his privacy against his will, he was a little unnerved by it. It was obvious he hadn't expected such a question, and from what he could gather from Carrie's mind, she didn't even know why the inquiry had entered her mind. But she couldn't put the thought to rest until he said something. Yami quickly regained his composure and thought of something he could tell Carrie that wouldn't set her off.

_**I see a girl often in my dream memories, but I know not if I loved her.**_

He said it with the same tone he used to tell her the truth despite the fact that it was a lie. Yami wasn't completely sure of why he was so hesitant to tell Carrie of the girl named Iris of whom he'd loved in the past. All he thought about the subject was she would think he only loved her because she was Iris reincarnated, and that wouldn't work out good on his part. There was more to his love than who Carrie was in a past life. Wouldn't she see that if he told her the truth?

Immediately…Hell no.

In time…Maybe.

It was also because of this reasoning that Yami kept the information of Carrie's evil hidden, for explaining the evil would force him into telling the girl about Iris. He did not want to get on that subject until there was no other choice. Besides, if anyone were to tell Carrie about who she was, shouldn't it be the dragon, Uria, who restrained the evil?

The girl, however, didn't seem satisfied with his answer. _How can you not know if you love someone? In memories, your heart is still compelled to feel certain things. Even a spirit as old as you should still harbor feelings with his memories._

_**I thought you said you'd never call me old.**_

_I'm not. I'm calling the spirit of you old. You are not in any way being applied to the age thing...Hey! You got me off-subject!_

_**Damn...You caught me.**_

_Well?_

_**Perhaps my spirit is so old that feelings have left my faded memories.**_

_I doubt that. _But she said no more on the subject, for obviously she realized she'd never get any further on the topic.

Carrie found her friends as Kaiba defeated a duelist with his Blue Eyes. Everyone else was watching from the sidelines as the opponent's Life Points raced to zero, being silent for the first time ever. Only Mokuba was cheering for his brother's victory. It seemed the gang didn't feel like Kaiba needed to be cheered for, and Carrie could hardly blame them. The young businessman descended from the blue portal and walked briskly over to the opposing red portal, where his defeated opponent stood with his dueling gauntlet in hand. Five star chips glistened in the glove, catching the rays of the sun as he gave it to Kaiba.

"Maybe next time you won't be lured into a duel with the promise of my Blue Eyes White Dragons as a prize," Kaiba muttered, placing the heinous gauntlet onto his right hand before turning his back on the other duelist. He saw Carrie standing behind her friends and scowled. "You've finally decided to return, I see. Took you longer than I expected."

"I wasn't in a hurry to see you again," Carrie shot back as the gang turned to see her. "The word on the island says at least two of you people were in duels. How'd you do?"

"Well, Big Brother just won five star chips from some guy because Seto promised him his Blue Eyes cards if he won, Yugi beat another duelist and got three, and Bakura won two. Now Big Brother has five, Yugi has six, and Bakura has six. And of course, you have ten and Joey has four," Mokuba informed her.

"So Joey, you're the only one who didn't duel while I was gone?" Carrie asked, finding that odd. He had, after all, beaten Mai and Rex Raptor in duels, and Rex had been champion of the latest dueling tournament. Why wasn't anyone interested in dueling her blonde friend?

"Everyone's got better taste in skill than poor Joey here. They know he isn't worth their time in dueling and won't even attempt to pick him off," Tristan remarked.

Joey immediately took offense to that. "Hey! I have great dueling skills and I am worth someone's time in dueling! I beat Mai and Rex, didn't I? Besides, I don't see _you_ dueling anyone 'round here! So shut up about my skills! I may not be as good as Yugi or Carrie or Rich Boy, but I can kick some ass and take names, so back off!"

"That Rex wasn't all he was cracked up to be, anyway. I dueled him once and beat him in five minutes flat," Kaiba grumbled. "And wow, you beat a girl. Not something to be boasting about unless it's someone like Carrie or Alyssa…You know, a girl with real skill and not some mediocre deck any amateur like you could beat. Girls are generally easy to beat, what with their decks of pretty Fairy cards and Spellcasters and such. It only makes sense that you would be able to beat them, as you are of their skill level. The only other duelists you could attempt to beat are dueling monkeys."

"Kaiba, Mai was not an easy opponent. She used tricks that got into your head and made you lose your nerve so that she could defeat her opponents. She earned eight star chips using that method last time I checked. Joey beating her was no small feat," Yugi stated.

"Still, Kaiba does have point. Joey's skills aren't anything to brag about. Most of his victories were won with your guidance," Tristan pointed out.

"Grrr…I can't believe you are agreeing with him! Do you guys doubt my dueling abilities just because I lost to Rich Boy? That's not freakin' right! Hell, even Yugi wasn't able to beat him without Exodia! Kaiba's a freakin' tournament champion who's like ten times more talented than that Rex kid! Well, if you look down on me that much, perhaps I should just leave!" Joey exclaimed, fed up with Tristan's betrayal and Kaiba's sneering.

"Joey!" Tea cried, going to go after the blonde as he ran off, but Carrie stopped her with just a touch on the shoulder.

"You shouldn't pursue him right now. His duel with Kaiba lowered his self-confidence, and this conversation isn't helping him. Allow me to talk to him. I'll get him to come back of his own free will," Carrie said.

"What if he doesn't want to come back because of the way some of us treat him?" Bakura inquired curiously.

"He'll come back," was Carrie's response before she took off after Joey.

At the same time she ran after her friend, the whole group was being watched without knowing it by three pairs of eyes. One belonged to a short guy whose voice was on the brink of femininity, another hid behind the glasses of a red-haired man with all the answers, and another to a brawny man lacking brains. They eyed the group of duelists with interest, as they too were participating in the tournament.

"Do you think the boss would be happy with them?" the ghastly short boy asked.

"How could he not be happy with them? They're Seto Kaiba, Yugi Muto, and Carrie West. The other two he won't be so impressed with—it's so obvious their skills are those of amateurs. But he'll be interested in the other three…Especially the girl," the red-haired one claimed.

"It's the same Carrie he keeps talkin' 'bout making his, right?" the moron inquired.

Ignoring his question, the short boy said, "I want to duel the blonde guy. He seems… interesting…and easy to beat."

The red-haired one sneered. "Always looking for an easy route, eh, Bonz? Y' know, the boss is gonna want you to pursue a challenge one of these days."

"Yeah, but that day probably won't come for awhile," Bonz murmured. "We should go back to the boss and tell him about who we found."

The group disembarked without gaining anyone's attention.

* * *

"Joey, you can talk to me," Carrie said as she walked beside her blonde friend alone in the woods. The gang was somewhere behind them, but she didn't want to think about them because they weren't important at the moment. All that mattered was getting Joey's self-confidence back.

"…No, I can't. You're a better duelist than me. You don't understand what it's like to be the underdog that's looked down upon," Joey grumbled, kicking a rock as he walked.

"Sure I do. When I was forced into all those tournaments as a child, people used to look down upon me because I was short and they didn't think a child could have much dueling skills," Carrie retorted kindly. "And me being a better duelist doesn't mean that you can't talk to me. If you haven't noticed, I understand more than other people my age."

"Which is probably why you're a better duelist than me," Joey muttered.

"Joey, do you know your enemy? Cuz I'm not him. And I suppose it doesn't matter what I say, for even if I say it'll be all right, you still say you're no good. If you don't believe in yourself, why should I? Is me trying to make you feel better just a waste of my time? Don't you want to listen to your best female friend, or do you want her to leave?" Carrie wanted to know.

When he didn't answer her, Carrie turned to leave just as she said she would. But before she could, Joey grabbed her by the wrist so she would go no further. She turned to face him again, this time with hope that he would listen to her.

"Don't go. As much as I…hate to admit this, I need the company of a friend. Being alone just makes me doubt myself even more," Joey admitted, releasing Carrie's arm. "I'm sorry for being so down. It's just…I'm tired of people criticizing me just because I didn't start out a great duelist. Even though Grandpa trained me to become better and I've gotten better cards than just Monsters, everyone still doubts me. I beat Mai Valentine, master mind manipulator, and Rex Raptor, dino-dragon duelist, but people have forgotten that those were important duels. I won Red Eyes kicking Rex's ass. But they don't care. All they remember is that me and Red Eyes got our asses handed to us by Kaiba and his Blue Eyes. Will they ever see past that one duel that was unfairly matched up?"

Carrie took her time in answering. "…You shouldn't care what the others think or say. You think too much about what the others will think about you and not enough about how you feel about your abilities. Tristan may say things that really irk you, but I'm sure he's just teasing you. And Kaiba…Well, he only thinks he's a great duelist. What comes out of his mouth should be the least of your concerns. Celebrate your victories, think about your losses, and see where you can improve so victory will be yours in the next battle. That's the only way duelists can really learn to improve. But all of that will not be possible unless you believe that you can win. So tell me, Joseph Wheeler, do you believe in the abilities of yourself and the deck you wield?"

The girl watched throughout her whole speech as Joey's expression slowly changed to the one she was used to seeing on his face. A broad goofy smile appeared on his face, and he pulled her into a tight embrace, which made her smile too.

"With a speech like that, of course I do!" Joey exclaimed.

"Good. That's what I wanted to hear," Carrie said. When Joey put her back on the ground, Carrie pulled out her deck and searched through the cards. "Now, before we go on any further, I want to help enhance the abilities of you and your deck…If you don't mind." When Joey claimed he didn't mind her help, Carrie pulled a particular card from her deck and held it out to him. "Shield and Sword can help you in tough situations if you allow the heart of the cards to guide you. Take heart and use it well—it shall bring you victory many times over as it has brought me in past tournaments."

"Gee, thanks so much! You're the best, Carrie!" Joey shouted, taking the card from her and putting it in his own deck.

Carrie smiled again and beckoned the gang over, as they had gained ground during her little speech. They came hesitantly for the most part; only Kaiba didn't seem to give a crap that he had hurt Joey. Carrie glared at him, wishing he'd have more of a heart and less of an attitude. After all, he was going to be stuck with them for quite some time. The least he could do was be kind to those he was stuck with.

"Hey, Joey. Sorry about what I said. I didn't think you'd take it so seriously," Tristan apologized because he was nice that way.

"That's all right, man. Carrie helped me to see that I shouldn't listen to your guys' opinions, anyway," Joey said. "Now how 'bout we continue looking for duelists while Carrie treats us to another song?"

Carrie blushed at the mentioning of her singing again. "Why do you want me to sing so much? Tea could do it, too! And I'm sure the rest of you have moderately good voices! Why must you always pick on the blonde girl?"

"Because the rest of us are too embarrassed to sing in front of people," Bakura murmured. He was afraid Carrie was going to turn the tables and make it so _he_ had to sing, and he really didn't want that.

"Come on, Carrie! Please sing. You owe us for yesterday," Mokuba pointed out.

"Oh, so now you're all going to gain up on me and use my craziness against me? That just doesn't seem fair," Carrie muttered. "Fine. I'll sing, but on one condition. Tea has to sing with me. It's only fair that both females in this group go through the same torture. Girls don't let girls suffer alone, now do they?"

Tea sighed. "I suppose not."

Carrie pulled out her I-Pod from her jacket pocket and shuffled through until she found a good song. She turned the volume up all the way so they could hear the music as they sang.

"One, two, three, four…"

"Woo hoo, woo hoo…"

"Well, my heart knows me better than I know myself, so I'm gonna let it do all the talking."

"Woo hoo…Woo hoo…"

"I came across a place in the middle of nowhere with a big black horse and a cherry tree."

"Woo hoo…Woo hoo…"

"I felt a little fear upon my back. He said don't look back; just keep on walking."

"Woo hoo…Woo hoo…"

"Then the big black horse said look this way. He said hey lady, will you marry me?"

"Woo hoo…Woo hoo…"

"But I said no, no, no, no-no-no. I said no, no, you're not the one for me. No, no, no, no-no-no. I said no, no, you're not the one for me."

"And my heart hit a problem, in the early hours. So I stopped it dead for a beat or two."

"Woo hoo…Woo hoo…"

"And I cut some cord and I shouldn't have done it, and it won't forgive after all these years."

"Woo hoo…Woo hoo…"

"So I sent it to a place in the middle of nowhere with a big black horse and a cherry tree."

"Woo hoo…Woo hoo…"

"Now it won't come back cuz it's all so happy, and now I've got a hole for the world to see."

"Woo hoo…Woo hoo…"

"And it said no, no, no, no-no-no. Said no, no, you're not the one for me. No, no, no, no-no-no. Said no, no, you're not the one for me."

"Said no, no, no, no-no-no. You're not the one for me. No, no, no, no-no-no. You're not the one for me."

"Big black horse, and a cherry tree. I can't quite there cuz my heart's forsaken me."

Carrie and Tea repeated that line a few times before the song ended. After that, Carrie had to act quickly as the song Let It Die by Foo Fighters started blaring. Her I-Pod fell silent and she stuffed it in her pocket again. Joey beamed and hugged both of his female friends for completing his request.

"Big Black Horse and a Cherry Tree by HT Tunstall wasn't the greatest song you could have sung, but it worked just fine for you," Joey said. "And this time we're not gonna try to match the lyrics to Carrie's personality cuz the lyrics made absolutely no sense and it would be pointless."

"I'm glad we could make you smile, Joey," Tea stated with a smile of her own.

It had been nearly forty-five minutes since the trio of spies had ran off to their boss. Now two of them were back with orders to capture a certain blonde. They hid in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. Joey felt like he was being watched and stopped in his tracks, looking around for whoever was stalking them. He saw no one and neither did the rest of the group. The duo saw him and smirked from their hiding spot.

"Mutt, what is your problem?" Kaiba demanded, fed up with Joey.

"We're being stalked, I just know it!" Joey claimed.

"Joey, there's no one around except us," Tea remarked.

"I know what my gut's telling me, and it's saying we're being followed," Joey told them matter-of-factly. He turned on his heel and went another way.

"Joey, where are you going?" Tristan shouted.

"To stalk them!" Joey yelled as his distance from them grew.

Little did he know, he had just fallen into a trap of which there was no escape.

* * *

An hour later, the gang split up to look for Joey, who had neglected to show up and might have lost his way. They had little luck; all they found of their lost blonde friend was his wallet with a picture of Serenity in it. That had been their clue that Joey hadn't gotten lost, that instead he was lured into a trap and taken somewhere. Shortly after making that discovery, they found a cave near a set of waterfalls. They went inside and found two sarcophaguses inside. Tea and Bakura, thinking they were empty and just meant to scare people, each opened one. To their surprise, a skeleton fell on each of them, scaring the crap out of everyone…even Kaiba. Tristan overcame his fear to smash the skeletons to bits. It was then decided that whoever was in this cave had a sick twisted sense of humor, or it just might have been Pegasus with the creepy idea.

Traveling farther into the cave proved this place to be more like catacombs than the normal run-of-the-mill hole in the mountain. Skulls and bones lay all over the place, giving it a haunted mood. Mokuba clung to the side of his brother's blue duster, more afraid than the others were of this place. He had the right to be. It was pretty spooky. The gang came to an area with two possible directions. There was no indicator of which spooky tunnel Joey had been forced down. Just as they were pondering about what to do about this dilemma, Bakura accidentally stepped on a trick switch in the ground. The gang turned as a weird sound started to come towards them, getting louder and louder with every passing second. Out of the shadows emerged what appeared to be a boulder. Some members of the gang freaked out and ran down one of the tunnels as the 'boulder' rolled after them. Carrie quickly pushed the Kaibas towards the other tunnel to avoid the chances of them getting hurt by the 'boulder', saving herself from getting trapped. She told Kaiba and Mokuba to stay put while she went to check on the others that were being chased.

She came across a traumatized Bakura lying on the ground as she went, and she assumed he had been run over by the thing. The only question was…If that was a boulder, then how did he survive being rolled over by it? Carrie stopped to help him up at the same time a huge POP! echoed throughout the cave. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Tristan had punched the 'boulder' and it had exploded like a balloon. A speaker lay where the balloon had been, still playing the sounds of a rolling boulder even though it no longer was in that guise. It was then decided that Pegasus had a weird sense of humor.

They ran quickly down the other tunnel and found Joey engaged in a duel against a ghastly-looking Bonz. Three other men were sitting on the rocks behind Bonz's dueling portal, which looked a lot like a tombstone. One Carrie recognized immediately and growled, as she hated that man with a passion.

"…Well, well. Look who came to see me. And I didn't think you liked me, sweetheart," the hated man said suddenly, interrupting all conversation that had been transpiring with the gang, Joey, the thugs, and Bonz.

"For the last time, Bandit Keith, I'm not your sweetheart," Carrie hissed.

"What? _This_ is the Bandit Keith that tried to kidnap and rape you in NYC?" Joey exclaimed. The man had not revealed his identity during the whole duel, so he had no idea who he was until that moment. Now he hated him more than ever.

"Kidnap and rape are such harsh words. Take as my own and love are much better ones," Bandit Keith commented.

"…So, instead of coming after me like you used to, you decide to come after my friends. How cowardly of you. At least you got the sense to get some new boys. The one dueling doesn't look like much, but the other two look somewhat worth my time," Carrie muttered. "Though I have to say, the brawny one looks absolutely brainless and the red-head doesn't look like he could kill a fly. Bad combo in my opinion."

"Hey! Don't talk about me like that!" the red-haired one snapped.

"You're very mean for a girl!" the big one whined.

"Bonz, finish this duel so we can get out of here. Boys, have at Carrie, will you? I'd like to have a consolation prize if Bonz manages to screw this up somehow, and if he doesn't, she'll make a nice trophy for this victory. Now attack," Bandit Keith ordered.

"Yugi, give Joey backup for me. He has a card that could help him destroy the Zombies, and I don't think he's played it yet. Tell him while I kick some ass, cuz I'm about to be too busy to speak," Carrie said as the dummy and the genius ran across the cave at her.

Carrie went down on her knees as the guys came closer. She quickly took out the big guy's legs and jumped up to punch him in the head on his way down. The red-haired guy threw a small sphere at her head in an attempt to stun her for a moment, but it didn't work; she'd been hit with better things in the head and hadn't been stunned by them. She punched him in the gut and kicked him back so he fell on top of the big guy. All the while, Joey had taken advice from Yugi and used Shield and Sword to win the duel, earning him four more star chips for a grand total of eight.

Bandit Keith stood up, as did his fallen new hands, and walked briskly for the tunnel that led to that area. Bonz and the thugs followed slowly behind him, upset that they had failed their boss.

"Hey, Bandit Keith," Joey said suddenly, making the blonde stop. "Next time, maybe you'll have the guts to duel me yourself."

The thug sneered. "If you ever dueled me, you'd lose in five minutes flat. Your deck is amateur compared to mine. I'd wipe you off the face of this planet. And no one would remember you."

"I highly doubt that, Bastard Keith," Joey growled.

"Look, I don't care about wiping out losers like you. I only care about two things: getting my revenge on Pegasus for making me look pathetic during my last dueling tournament, and having Carrie at my side in all ways. She's one of the only people with a deck as good as mine and she would do well beside me in tournaments. And she's a beauty. I'll do anything to get her," Bandit Keith stated.

"But she won't let you do anything to get her cuz she hates your guts," Carrie remarked, crossing her arms. "Now go away before I have to kick your ass, too."

"I will…as soon as I do this."

Bandit Keith grabbed Tea suddenly. She screamed as the man ran, his thugs right behind him, fighting against his grasp. But she wasn't a fighter like Carrie and couldn't make the American let go. The gang quickly pursued him with Carrie taking the lead. But they were too late. By the time they reached the entrance, Bandit Keith was making his thugs push a boulder to trap them in. They reached it just as the boulder covered the entrance.

"She'll be returned when Carrie surrenders herself," Bandit Keith called through the rock before beating up his thugs and stealing their star chips so he would have a total of ten. "And you'd better make that soon, Carrie. I'm about to go into the castle and face your sham of an uncle."

Then he walked away, with Tea over his shoulder, knocked unconscious by one of his fists.

* * *

_A/N: What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading, and an early Merry Christmas to you all!_


	18. 18 - Trapped

_A/N: Thanks to the peoples that have reviewed. Here's another chapter for your enjoyment. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 18

Carrie and the men of the gang tried to move the boulder, but to no avail. It was sealed in place and wouldn't budge for the world. Kaiba and Mokuba didn't try to help, for the brunette businessman already knew it was pointless and his brother wasn't strong enough to try. When they had no more breath in them, the gang pulled back and caught their breaths, frustrated with the recent events.

"Damn it! I should have known that bastard would be here and that he would come after me again! Why was I so stupid as to forget about him?" Carrie exclaimed, punching the wall of the cave. It did nothing but hurt her knuckles. "Who knows what he's doing to Tea right now! And it's all my fault! I should have known he would pull something to get me to go after him! Why am I so stupid?"

"You're not stupid, Carrie. Bandit Keith outsmarted us all," Tristan remarked.

"Yeah, but I don't him trying to kidnap and rape _you_, so you really can't be blamed for his behavior. Only I can. If he never saw me…If I never came to this damn island…Tea wouldn't have been stolen," Carrie pointed out.

"That may be true, but it doesn't matter now. What could have been never matters; what can be is what's important. Now we have to save Tea before Bandit Keith does something terrible to her," Yugi stated.

"And how exactly are we going to do that? In case you haven't noticed, this place is a giant labyrinth. We could be lost down here for Kami knows how long," Kaiba grumbled.

"We'll find a way out if Carrie has to pound through these walls," Joey claimed.

"Hey! Why do I have to be the one to pound through the walls? Why can't _you_ do it? You might be able to with your head…It seems hard enough!" Carrie growled, though she was being more teasing than serious about that.

Suddenly, Bakura's Millennium Ring glowed. One of the pointers hanging off of the ancient pendant pointed in a certain direction. The group gathered around and wondered what it meant.

"My Ring points towards Millennium Items, I believe. When I first encountered Carrie, it did the same thing. And it also pointed towards Pegasus's castle when we came to the island. Perhaps it is pointing towards the castle now. I am unsure of what my Ring does fully, but I believe we can trust it to take us anywhere. One thing is for sure, though. We cannot stay here," Bakura said.

"Right. The more time we waste talking, the farther away Bandit Keith gets with Tea," Mokuba agreed.

Carrie saw Kaiba roll his narrowed eyes out of the corner of her eye and smirked. He was annoyed that his brother was learning things from the gang and believing in the powers of inanimate objects. She loved the expression on his face; if she wasn't concerned about the fate of her friend, she might have teased him about it. But there was too much at stake for her to waste time jesting. There would be time for that later. As for now, Tea needed her help.

Bakura and his Millennium Ring led the group through the enigma that was the cave. It would make random turns on the fly, forcing them to follow its direction to the best of their human ability. Soon cave walls gave way to stone walls that were made of several hundred pieces of stone. It seemed this part was not the cave, but part of some huge maze. Carrie just hoped their following the directions of an object that once possessed evil would not be for nothing. Mokuba stumbled on a loose stone that laid in his way and fell. Both Carrie and Kaiba stopped, but Carrie was closer to him and closer to the ground. She picked the boy up and put him on her back like she had done in the past. Then both she and the rich man who was only two years older than her took off to make up the ground they had lost.

The white-haired British schoolboy stopped suddenly, causing the others to stop as well. Before them was a dueling arena with four portals within what appeared to be a room, not part of a cave. Two doors were on one side of the room with Japanese symbols painted on them while the other sides were barren. The place looked deserted. Then from out of nowhere, two men appeared, jumping around like acrobats from a circus. Both were bald and dressed alike, except for one wore orange where the other wore turquoise. They spoke in rhyme and riddle, but what they were implying was clear enough. They were the Paradox brothers, Eliminators by hire for Pegasus. And they wanted to duel Yugi. But that was before they saw Carrie, Kaiba, and Mokuba. Then they spoke of other things.

"The niece of our master has proven to be a force," the one in orange remarked.

"She has not only the boy, but Seto as well, disrupting the master's plan course," the one in turquoise agreed.

"It would please him, no doubt…"

"If we brought both of the Kaibas about."

"Well, too bad! I'm not going to let you get either of them!" Carrie hissed, standing protectively in front of Kaiba while keeping Mokuba on her back. "You may work for Pegasus and you might be Eliminators, but it's not in your job description to kidnap people. I would know. I spoke with one of your kind before kicking his ass in a duel. That's how I got all of my star chips."

"Well then, Miss West. How about we make a deal?"

"We duel your friends, and if we win, the Kaibas we steal."

"No dice. The Kaibas are not up for grabs," Carrie stated.

"You misunderstand. On this, you have no word, no power."

"It's either that, or you will be stuck in the maze for your final hour."

"You know, I could just kick your asses and force you to tell us how to get out of here. At least then I could probably get you to stop talking like you're from a Mother Goose nursery rhyme. But my friends are in terrible need of star chips, so I'm going to let them handle you. All right, I'll agree to your deal. But if Yugi and whoever he duels with win, we keep the Kaibas and I get complete power over you. Fair?" Carrie asked.

"The Paradox brothers agree…"

"For whenever we enter a duel, we secure victory."

"Carrie! What are you doing?" Kaiba demanded as she turned to face her friends. They were all looking at her like she was crazy. Even the invisible Yami was giving her a weird glance.

"What, do you all have so little faith in me and yourselves? I know what I'm doing. Besides, I wouldn't risk losing two more people without having a plan. Mokuba, Kaiba… You have nothing to worry about. You won't be sent to Pegasus so easily. Yugi and whoever he duels with will ensure victory on our side," Carrie assured them.

"If that's true, then I should be dueling with Yugi," Kaiba muttered.

"No, Kaiba. As much as I would…enjoy…dueling alongside you, I would rather win this one with Joey," Yugi said. "He's proven himself to be stronger than any of us ever thought, and I believe he's earned himself a real challenge."

Kaiba looked ready to protest since the fate of him and Mokuba rested on this duel, but one look from Carrie and he was biting his tongue to keep quiet. She was in no mood for arguments. One of her friends was in terrible danger, and she wouldn't take any crap from anyone until Tea's fate was safe and secure. With that thought in mind, Carrie slipped the Millennium Puzzle from her neck and handed it to Yugi. She didn't want to chance this duel any more than she had to. With Joey up there, they needed all the help they could get.

* * *

Pegasus chuckled as he held a wine glass full of fruit juice in his left hand. He had seen everything that had happened with Carrie and the gang via video cameras, and it heartened him to see his little niece making negotiations on the part of the Kaibas' fate. He had no doubt that the Paradox brothers would win, but they would have their hands full. He had seen the exchange of the Millennium Puzzle and knew the spirit within would put up a front that would send Life Points reeling downward. But little Yugi had been a fool to choose the blonde boy as his dueling partner. Although none of the gang knew how to tag team duel, Pegasus was certain that Seto Kaiba would have been a better choice of dueling partner.

"No one ever did earn victory by choosing their bone-headed friends," Pegasus mumbled to himself, taking a sip of his juice.

What really unnerved him was what had transpired earlier with Bandit Keith. That American brute had kidnapped a girl in hopes of taking Carrie as his own. Pegasus had never liked that man, even when they had been in that tournament a couple of years back where Pegasus had gotten a boy out of the audience to defeat him. Even though he was being evil to Carrie in his own ways, Pegasus did not approve of Bandit Keith's actions. At least Pegasus's evil wasn't as bad as what Bandit Keith's intended evil was to be.

Perhaps that was why Carrie was bargaining on this duel, the Kaibas for the Paradox brothers. She wanted to put the Eliminators to use to track down Bandit Keith and then save her friend…Or something along those lines. The girl had brains, he'd give her that, but so much rested on the shoulders of her friends.

"My little Care-Bear…How much you've grown," Pegasus commented before turning his full attention back to the duel.

* * *

Carrie ignored the duel for the most part, as she grew tired of the Paradox brothers' endless riddles. Everything they said rhymed and was wrapped in enigma, and she didn't like the type. She preferred her answers to be straightforward and clear. And it soon became clear that the men weren't going to give them any sort of clue about which door was the way out, even when they said that they would with their enigmatic way. She just watched the Life Points and hoped that one of the Paradox brothers' would hit zero first.

Before she had handed the Puzzle over to Yugi, a lot had happened. Her spirit had quickly retreated into the pendant and gathered some ancient magic that she would need if her plan were to succeed. She hadn't even told Yami what she was going to do; she hadn't had the time. All she let him know was that he'd better win the duel, or she was going to be very pissed and her dark side might come out again. She wasn't even exactly sure what she was going to do, but some force inside her had driven her to get the magic.

Now all that was left to do was wait.

She was torn from her mental wonderings when she heard cheering from Bakura, Tristan, and Mokuba, who was still on her back. The Paradox brothers had lost, and Yugi and Joey had discovered which door would lead outside. They also had all the chips they needed to get into the castle. Everything had turned out right.

Carrie approached the Paradox brothers, who were very sore from their defeat, after putting Mokuba down. They glared at her like she was a venomous snake, but she didn't mind or care.

"Remember our deal? You two are now at my disposal, not Pegasus's. You now work for me," Carrie reminded them. "So come along like good little boys and let's go catch a kidnapping rapist, okay?"

"We work for one man and one man alone. We are by no means bound to you, the girl whose mind is slow and mouth is faster," the one in orange growled.

"Maximillion Pegasus is the one who is _our_ master," the one in turquoise grumbled. "And we're still taking the Kaibas, no matter what you say."

"We will fight you if you get in our way."

"Wrong answer." Before either man could react, Carrie thrust her hands to their foreheads. She called upon the ancient magic she took from the Millennium Puzzle and let it flow into their minds, taking away any resistance they had. What she was doing was unknown to her, but she didn't care as long as it worked in to her advantage. In the reflection of their eyes, she could see that her eyes were glowing gold and a third eye had appeared on her forehead, the same thing that had happened to Yami when he used the Mind Crush on Kaiba.

When there was no magic left in her, Carrie moved away from the Paradox brothers and nearly collapsed. Tristan had come over during her magic act and caught her before she could fall. The others had come as well, and all looked a little amazed by what Carrie had done. The Paradox brothers had blank expressions, but then they looked at the blonde girl being held by her tall brunette friend.

"Command us, Mistress," the one in orange murmured.

"…Leave with us out of these tunnels, back to the outside world. Then hunt down Bandit Keith and destroy him physically. That means no dueling, just physical maiming. If you fail, return to Pegasus, for I will have no more use of you. Now go," Carrie ordered.

"As you wish, Mistress West," the one in turquoise mumbled before he and his brother disappeared through the door that led to the outside world.

"Carrie, what did you do?" Joey asked as Yugi returned the Millennium Puzzle to its rightful owner.

"Honestly…I have no idea. But hey, it works in our favor. We'll find Bandit Keith and get Tea back. From there, we can face Pegasus. Well…After we secure Kaiba and Bakura with their ten star chips," Carrie remarked. "So when we get to where we can see the sun again, you guys head for the castle and I'll meet you there. I've got to follow the Paradox brothers, just in case they fail."

_**Your plan better work and you'd better not get hurt,**_ Yami stated when the Puzzle was around her neck again.

_Oh, you worry too much. I'm sure I'll be too pissed at that bastard when I see him that he won't be able to lay a finger on me,_ Carrie said reassuringly. Her anger was rising back up without anything to distract her, so she was sure that would be the case when she saw Bandit Keith again.

It didn't take long for the Paradox brothers to lead them to sunlight. Pegasus's castle wasn't very far from the exit, either. Carrie watched as the Eliminators ran off in one direction, but didn't follow them right away. She had to make sure Kaiba and Mokuba would be safe with her gone for awhile. She didn't know how long she would be gone, but she hoped it wouldn't be too long. Bad things seemed to happen when she wasn't present, even if her body was there.

"Tristan…Joey. Look after everyone for me. Kaiba…Bakura. Duel and get your star chips. Mokuba…Yugi. Stay safe. I'll be back with Tea," Carrie told them.

"…Be careful, Carrie," Yugi murmured before Carrie took off after those she now commanded. He hoped she wouldn't be hurt during her encounter with Bandit Keith, but the man knew how to get under her skin. He'd hurt her several times in the past, even once when Yami was present…Who was to say he wouldn't get her this time?

Yugi prayed Carrie and Tea would be okay.

* * *

Tea lay on the ground, conscious again, but her hands were bound by rope and she was gagged. Two bald guys had appeared a few moments ago, demanding that Bandit Keith release her or face the consequences, but the blonde thug would have none of their talk. The brothers, as they had appeared to be, put up a fight against him, but the American had knocked them unconscious without receiving any serious injury.

At least he hadn't touched her since kidnapping her. He didn't like her the same way he liked Carrie, if he liked her at all. Tea could proudly say she wasn't jealous of Carrie in that aspect, but she was feeling sorry for the blonde girl. To be wanted by the likes of this creep…No wonder she was so bitter most of the time. The brunette could hardly blame her after seeing what kind of guys were after her. Rapists and murderers and badass thugs…What a crowd. And Yugi, of course. But he was the really good end of the spectrum while Bandit Keith was the really bad end of the spectrum.

There was a knife in the pocket of the jeans Carrie had given to Tea the other day; it seemed the blonde had come prepared for everything. Tea had already used it to cut through most of the restraints on her arms and there were cuts on her arms from where she'd accidentally missed the rope, but she knew that even if she got free of them, she wouldn't stand a chance in a fight against Bandit Keith. He was bigger, stronger, and more experienced in fights than she would ever hope to be. The only person who really stood a chance was Carrie, the girl who had fought this thug every day for the past two years when she lived in NYC. But she didn't want Carrie to show up. That would be giving Bandit Keith exactly what he wanted.

Just then, another person appeared in Tea's line of vision. To her dismay, it was the very blonde girl she didn't want to be there. Her face was hard and her jaw was set, like she was already ready to fight. Her green eyes looked at the unconscious bodies of the dueling brothers that had come before her, and Tea could have sworn she'd seen pity in Carrie's eyes, like she knew them and was sorry what had happened to them. But then her gaze drifted over to Tea, and all other things that might have been on Carrie's mind faded away. The girl rushed over to Tea without a second thought.

_No, Carrie! It's a trap! Don't come over here!_ Tea wanted to screamed, struggling against her restraints as she tried to warn Carrie.

But it was too late.

Bandit Keith walked out from his hiding place, holding a stick he had been carrying for awhile now. He swung it and hit Carrie in the back of the head before she could react, causing her to fall from the blow. Unfortunately, she did not become unconscious as she fell to her knees beside Tea. Bandit Keith dropped his weapon and grabbed Carrie by her hair with one hand. The other removed the Millennium Puzzle. He dragged her a safe distance from Tea and tossed the Puzzle just a couple feet away from the restrained brunette.

Carrie tried to fight him, but every time she moved to hit him, he tightened his grasp on her hair and caused her immense pain. No matter how many times someone had used her hair against her, Carrie could not bear the pain it could inflict. That was her main weak point, and she hated herself for it. So after she realized resistance was futile, she gave up fighting and just sat there on her knees, crying because Bandit Keith had her hair in his hand and she couldn't fight back.

Seeing Carrie so weak made Tea realize she had to do something to help the girl before Bandit Keith had his way with her. But what? She couldn't use the knife on Bandit Keith when she got free. He would just hurt her. And she couldn't give the knife to Carrie to use. Her aim sucked and Bandit Keith could always intercept. So what could she do?

A voice entered her head suddenly. At first, Tea tried to block it out, but that was before she realized it wanted to help Carrie.

_Who...Who are you?_ Tea demanded.

_**I am a friend, a spirit that dwells within the Millennium Puzzle. I want to stop Bandit Keith before he causes Carrie any more pain, but I cannot do that without a body.**_ The voice was masculine and deep, but somehow Tea knew she could trust the voice.

_What do you want me to do?_

_**Escape your restraints. Then grab the Millennium Puzzle. Together, we might be able to save Carrie from whatever Bandit Keith has planned for her.**_

Tea's hands had never worked faster. She sawed through that rope like it was snow and had to force herself to stop before she accidentally cut her hand off. With that accomplished, Tea pulled the gag from her mouth and reached for the Millennium Puzzle, just like the spirit told her to. As she placed the pendant around her neck, she felt the power of ancient magic flow through her. Then she fixed her purple gaze (yeah, I said purple cuz blue + crimson = purple) on Bandit Keith and Carrie.

While Tea had been busy freeing herself, Bandit Keith had managed to get her jacket and shirt off, as he had planned to have his way with her right then and there. But that was all he was going to get off of her.

"Hey! Get your hands off of her!" Tea boomed, only her voice was joined with the deep voice of the spirit. Bandit Keith turned his shaded gaze to her, and Carrie managed to look her way with teary eyes.

Tea tossed the knife in that general direction. Bandit Keith assumed the knife was meant to cut into him and prepared to dodge the attack. But he guessed wrong. The knife's angle was set lower than him. Carrie saw where it was heading and caught it just before it hit the ground. Now she was ready to start fighting again, even if the only thing covering her top half was a bra. She smiled over at Tea/Yami to thank them.

Then she cut herself free from Bandit Keith's grasp.

The knife made her hair become very short, shorter than girls preferred their hair to be. Nothing hung very far from her head anymore, and she knew she would regret that she had cut her hair later. But for now, it kept her safe to not have a weak point. She paid the falling tendrils of blonde hair no heed as she focused her attention back on the fight at hand, and she stabbed the knife into Bandit Keith's shin. He hissed in pain, stumbling back a few steps before pulling the blade out of his leg. This gave Carrie enough time to get onto her feet. She charged at Bandit Keith, who didn't have enough time to react, and kicked him in the chin. He fell backwards and hit his head hard. He became unconscious like the Paradox brothers.

With the threat out of the way, Carrie let herself fall to the ground and cry.

Tea felt the ancient magic leave her body and almost felt sad to see it go. But that was before she saw Carrie crying on the ground. The brunette was no expert, but she was sure Carrie would need the magic more than her. And she would need a top before any guys came around and saw her. Tea grabbed Carrie's discarded shirt, jacket, and backpack full of stuff and then she cautiously approached Carrie.

The brunette had never really been fond of Carrie. The girl had always been smarter, prettier, funnier, stronger, and better than Tea at everything. Everyone liked her, and some, like Tristan and Yugi, liked her more than just friends. But after seeing Carrie risk her innocence and sanity just to save Tea…Well, it changed her whole opinion of the girl. Even if Carrie hadn't saved Tea, she sure as hell tried. That at least counted for something. And Tea had also seen that Carrie wasn't the brave warrior princess she tried to make herself out to be. Even she slipped up and fell sometimes.

"Everything's going to be all right, Carrie," Tea whispered, kneeling down beside the blonde with her things in her arms.

Carrie glanced up at her and seemed to remember that she wasn't alone. Her face flustered and she quickly reached up to wipe her tears away. She looked ashamed to be caught with tears when it was perfectly natural to cry. Then she remembered she was practically topless and graciously took her shirt from Tea's outstretched arms.

"…Thank you…for…saving me from him," Carrie sobbed, slipping her head and arms into her white shirt before moving on to her jacket.

"It wasn't just me, but you're welcome. You didn't have to cut your hair, though. It looked better long," Tea remarked.

"…It was the only way to get him to let go. If I had tried to stab him first, he would have stopped me," Carrie murmured. "My hair grows back fast. I'll be fine with short hair until then. It's not like my hair matters right now, anyway."

"At least let me make it even before we go back to the guys. It's bad enough they're going to gape at it. I don't want them making fun of it after what you just went through," Tea offered. She put the Millennium Puzzle around Carrie's neck when the blonde had pulled both arms through the sleeves of her leather jacket. _Now the healing process will begin,_ she thought.

Carrie noticed the cuts on Tea's arms and frowned. "Did he hurt you?"

"No. I got these freeing myself from the rope he tied my hands with. That knife you had in the jeans' pocket was very helpful today."

"Do you want me to heal those for you?"

"You can heal people?"

"Well, with a little help from someone who's not me, anything's possible."

Tea watched with disbelief as her cuts disappeared after a few minutes of Carrie's offering. The blonde then found a pair of scissors and a brush in her backpack and let Tea make her haircut even. Neither girl had been fond of the other before this, but now the circumstances had brought them closer together.

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. What did you think? Please tell me. I know what happened between Carrie and Bandit Keith was kinda dark and the way she escaped was kinda like a scene from **Naruto** (Sakura escaped the grasp of a girl named Kin by cutting her hair to protect Sasuke by attacking Zaku), but it had to be done or my mind wouldn't let it go. Thank you for reading despite my messed up mind. Have a nice day._


	19. 19 - To Duel or Not to Duel

_A/N: Sorry that I haven't updated in awhile. I've been busy. But anyway, here's the next chapter. After this, we will officially hit the twenty chapter mark, and it will continue to grow until we reach the end of the series. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 19

Carrie and Tea were talking and laughing when Yugi saw them again. They both looked fine at first glance, but then again, it also looked like Tea was with a stranger at first glance. He hadn't recognized Carrie because of her extremely short hair, but then the face registered and he couldn't help but stare. The others reacted the same way and demanded to know why she had cut it.

"…Bandit Keith caught me offguard…Knocked me upside the head with a stick… grabbed my hair…and…hurt me…," Carrie told them, lowering her gaze. "Luckily for me…That was all he did. Tea helped me to get free of him…before he could…do anything else to me."

"How could Tea have saved you? She was the one that was kidnapped, and the whole reason you went after that bastard," Tristan pointed out.

"I forgot that the jeans I gave her had a knife in the pocket. She cut herself free with it, threw me the knife, I cut myself free of Bandit Keith's grasp, I stabbed him, and then I kicked his ass. That's all," Carrie explained, leaving out Yami because most of the people here still believed he wasn't real.

"…Are you both okay?" Yugi asked.

"I'm fine. He didn't do anything to me except knock me out and tie me up. But Carrie…" Tea trailed off. She wasn't sure how Carrie was and didn't want to tell people that their warrior princess had cried.

"…I'll be fine. I've been through…much worse," Carrie murmured. Yugi could tell she was lying, but didn't want to press the subject in front of so many people. She glanced up at the group again and forced a smile onto her face. "So, are we all able to get into the castle now? Did Bakura and Kaiba duel while I was away like I asked, or do we have to go searching for people to duel again?"

"Bakura got his last four star chips just a few minutes ago. But Rich Boy here didn't feel like dueling anyone. He says it's Yugi, you, or nobody," Joey replied.

"Kaiba, why do you want to duel me?" Carrie wanted to know. "You know that you would just waste our time and possibly make it so I have to hunt down five more star chips. Are you really that selfish? Don't you want to get your brother to safety as soon as possible? Testing my skill or getting a rematch with Yugi won't get you anywhere. Can't we just find some duelist for you to duel and get it over with?"

"No. I'm tired of facing amateurs who don't know what they're doing. I want a real challenge. If I wanted to just win, I would have taken the mutt again while you were saving Tea," Kaiba stated. "Now Yugi, draw your deck and let's go. I'm going to take my victory from you that I should have gotten when we first faced each other."

"I don't have to duel you. I could just go into the castle right now without you," Yugi remarked. He didn't really want to face Kaiba again, especially not when his grandfather was in Pegasus's grasp. He needed to get in the castle and face Pegasus as soon as possible so he could save all the trapped souls.

"I won't let you pass until you duel me," Kaiba told him.

"Big Brother, stop it! These people are our friends! You shouldn't duel them for selfish reasons!" Mokuba exclaimed, trying to get Kaiba off Yugi's back.

"They are not my friends, Mokuba!" Kaiba snapped. "Yugi, duel me!"

"Kaiba, leave Yugi alone. You don't just want to duel him for the five star chips…Do you? You want to break him, to make him suffer for defeating you that one time. I've seen you duel. I've seen what you can do to a person. I will not have you do that to Yugi. He's been through enough hell without your help. If you're going to duel anyone, then let it be me," Carrie said.

Yugi glanced over at Carrie, more concerned than surprised by her offer. Her face was expressionless, but he could still see the pain in her eyes. She was still hurting from her encounter with Bandit Keith. If Kaiba did somehow manage to beat her, it would just make it worse. He couldn't let his best friend be crushed by Kaiba. He had to duel the man himself. Carrie and Yugi had both been through hell, but her hell had been a thousand times worse. He couldn't allow it to get any worse, or he wouldn't be able to live with himself.

"No, Carrie. I can't let you duel him. You'll only end up hurting yourself even more. I'll face him, even if it means I have to be broken," Yugi declared. "You're already broken enough. I can't let him break you even more."

Carrie gave him a small smile. "I appreciate you trying to take my place, Yugi, but it's all right. He can't break me anymore. I'm so broken right now, not even Carl or Pegasus could break me into smaller pieces. Kaiba here…He can't do shit to me. I can do this, and even if I lose…Mai owes me five star chips. I'll be fine, Yugi. Just let me protect you from being broken like me, okay?"

Yugi was still very reluctant to let her duel Kaiba, especially since she had just admitted she was in pieces. But there was no arguing with her. She was going to duel Kaiba no matter what he said.

He sighed. "…Just don't…let him get to you. Win quickly, and good luck."

The blonde girl gave him a quick hug. "Thank you." Then she released him and glared at Kaiba. "Show me where you wish to duel. I can kick your ass anywhere."

The young businessman sneered. "I doubt that. Follow me."

He led them to the roof of the castle, which was a dangerous place even just for standing, let alone dueling. Yami warned Carrie that Kaiba might have something up his sleeve for choosing such a location, and she agreed with him. But she wouldn't let him duel for her this time even though she was in pieces. She was going to defeat Kaiba herself and show him what a fool he could be, taking on the people who had protected him and Mokuba ever since they found them on the island. Yami eventually gave in to her wish and just stood at her side where no one could see him.

They used Kaiba's dueling technology from his silver briefcase. He threw her one of the disks with the mechanical arm thing and explained to her how it worked. She put her deck inside the holder on her arm. Two thousand Life Points appeared above that. She drew her five-card hand, as did Kaiba, and prepared to duel. They each tossed five star chips into the center of their makeshift dueling arena, and then it began.

Her first move, she played Gyakutenno Megami and put the other five cards facedown on the slots on the disk. She threw the disk out, which was still connected to her arm by a cable, and the Fairy Monster appeared via hologram. The five cards that were a part of her hand materialized in front of her, also via hologram. Kaiba followed her move by playing Ryu Kishin. She destroyed that Monster with ease, but that was all part of Kaiba's plan.

"I have a really bad feeling about this duel," Tea murmured.

"Good. I thought I was the only one," Tristan muttered.

"Carrie's in no condition to be dueling right now, anyway. Not after what almost happened to her," Bakura remarked. "He's got nerve for challenging her, or maybe he just wants to take her on while she's weak."

"Yeah. We all know he wouldn't be able to beat her if she hadn't almost been raped by Bandit Keith. He's just taking advantage of her emotional state so he can say he beat the niece of Pegasus. That jerk…," Joey agreed.

"…I hope that's not what Big Brother's doing…," Mokuba whispered, mortified.

"Carrie will hold her own. Even if she isn't emotionally there, she won't let Kaiba win without a real fight. She's not one to be easily beaten, no matter what's wrong with her. I have complete faith in her abilities to win this duel. I just hope she comes out of it in one piece," Yugi said.

Several minutes later, it looked as if Carrie would actually win. She had brought Empress Judge's—Gyakutenno had been destroyed earlier—attack up with a couple of Spell Cards, and she had chopped off two of Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon's heads. Only one remained, and if Empress Judge destroyed that head, too, then Kaiba's Life Points would spiral down to zero. She was actually going to win. He had no Traps or Spells facedown. All he had was his Dragon. And she could easily defeat it.

Kaiba seemed to realize this as well. He closed his eyes and took a few steps back towards the edge of the roof. People yelled at him, demanding to know what he was doing, and Mokuba was absolutely petrified. He only stopped when he stood on the very edge of the roof.

"If you destroy my Dragon, the shock waves that result will make me lose my balance. I'll die, you'll win," Kaiba told Carrie.

Carrie was just as mortified by what he was saying as Mokuba. She couldn't believe that he would put his life on the line just to win a duel. Was he just messed up in the head, or could he really not accept defeat? Either way, the only choice Carrie could make was to not attack him, and to delay the duel until he could take out Empress Judge.

**You're weak…You stupid wench, just attack him and get it over with. Winning this duel is more important than his pathetic life,** her evil hissed.

The blonde shook her head. _You've already made me kill people...I will not kill again._

**Those mortals we slew deserved it. And if this foolish mortal is willing to put his life in jeopardy just to win a duel, then it's his own damn fault! Make him suffer for his foolish decision! Make him see how stupid he really is for trifling with you! Attack his Dragon now!**

_I...I can't...And I won't do that to Mokuba!_

Her evil kept harassing her, but she wasn't about to give in. There was nothing she could do to stop Kaiba from getting his way. So she just decided to play a card in her hand to end the duel right then and there.

"…Special Hurricane…," Carrie murmured, playing the card.

"Special Hurricane? What's that do?" Tristan asked.

"It destroys all Special Summoned Monsters on the field," Yugi explained. "Both Empress Judge and Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon were Fusion Summoned, and that is a form of Special Summoning. She's going to take out both of their Monsters that card."

"…She could have just destroyed him with her Monster…But she's not going to do it. She's sparing him…and making herself lose," Tea mumbled. _She's definitely not the monster she looked to be just the other day. Poor Carrie..._, she thought.

Fed up with her decision, Carrie's darkness started trying to take over. Carrie struggled against her evil and almost lost a few times because she was broken and her evil was very strong. Several times, her hair flashed black and her eyes went dark. She held her head and screamed for the evil to leave her alone. Kaiba just watched with a tiny hint of amusement in his cold blue eyes. Yugi just wanted to go over there and punch the brunette in the face, but somehow he managed to stay where he was. Yami helped Carrie push the evil back, and that allowed her to make her last move of the duel.

"…Destroy Empress Judge," Carrie ordered the Magic Card.

Holographic storm clouds appeared over Empress Judge and Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. They swirled around just like a hurricane's clouds would, causing high winds to envelope the makeshift dueling arena. Suddenly, a huge lightning bolt shot out of the eye of the hurricane and struck Empress Judge, destroying her immediately. Another shot out at Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, destroying it. Carrie ended her turn, and then Kaiba used Monster Reborn to bring back Blue Eyes to finish her off. Carrie's Life Points went flying towards zero as the attack hit her body directly. The blonde paid little attention to the whole thing; she collapsed to her knees after throwing the arm mechanism off and held her head in her hands again. The evil was trying to take over again.

Kaiba gathered his star chips and his discarded technology. Carrie's deck was still where she had left it, as were the cards she had played. He removed them as he put his dueling technology back in his suitcase and tossed Carrie's deck at her feet. He did feel a little bad about making her have to face a mental struggle with her supposed evil, but not enough to apologize. With everything as it should have been, he turned to leave.

"How can you just leave her after what you did to her?" Tristan exclaimed, making Kaiba stop in his tracks. "You forced her to lose, and now look at her! You're a sick little bastard who can't handle losing, aren't you? You were willing to break Carrie even after everything she's been through when you could have easily gone after another duelist! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"…I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you. And she didn't have to duel me. It was her decision," Kaiba pointed out

"Yeah, but there wasn't much of a choice, now was there? You were going to break either her or Yugi, and she didn't want him to get hurt cuz that's how she is! You should have known she would have never let you duel him! And I bet you did and that's why you took advantage of her!" Joey shouted.

"Beating her when she's down…That just makes me sick! Get out of here!" Tea commanded, tired of looking at Kaiba's smug face.

"Come on, Mokuba. We have a man to overthrow," Kaiba beckoned, heading for the way off the roof that wouldn't end with his death.

"…No…Seto, you hurt Carrie. I…I can't go with you," Mokuba mumbled as he shook his head.

"I came to this island for your sake, and now you don't want to be in my company? Humph. That's a nice thank you," Kaiba grumbled.

"Mokuba, go with your brother. It would be better for us if you did. The problems it would present between Kaiba and us are too many. Besides, right now, it would be safer for you to go with him," Yugi told him. "If Carrie goes evil again, we wouldn't want you to get hurt."

The dark-haired boy hesitated, but then he walked over to his brother's side. Carrie's hair went black and didn't change back and she got off the ground.

"If I were you guys, I'd leave right now," Bakura advised as the dark-eyed Carrie set her sights on Kaiba.

She screamed his name and pounced in his direction. Tristan and Joey quickly intercepted and held her back long enough for Kaiba and Mokuba to get away. She did everything she possibly could to try and free herself from their grasp, but to no avail. A minute later, the girl became blonde again and posed no threat. Her friends released her and she collapsed onto the ground again.

Yugi came over to her then. He had seen her like this only once before, when Jessica's soul had been taken by Pegasus via Shadow Realm. She had cried then, but she wasn't crying now. With all the pain she had suffered, he wondered if it was possible that she had no more tears left to cry. He kneeled beside her, not afraid of the possibility that her darkness might come out again. He wasn't afraid, nor would he ever be afraid, of her.

"Carrie…," he whispered. "…It's going to be okay. Fight back, let _him_ help you, and then let _me_ help you. Everything will be fine. You've just got to believe that."

The blonde glanced up at him and he was shocked to see she had a small smile on her lips. "…Yugi…I guess I was…wrong about Kaiba…He broke me even more than…I was broken. You know why or how…? It's because of that…lil' stunt he pulled. My darkness came up to the surface, wanting me to kill him…and I…I almost gave in. But I didn't. Now I'm in more pieces than I can count."

"We'll work on putting you back together. But you have to get up," Yugi urged.

Slowly, Carrie got back to her feet. It wasn't that she was incapable of standing anymore. It was just that she felt that she wasn't strong enough for anything. She didn't even bother grabbing her deck off the ground. Yugi scooped it up and offered it to her, but she shook her head.

"…Dueling's her trigger, Yugi. Whenever I duel on my own…and someone really tears me up, _she_ tries to come out," Carrie told him. She laughed a little—it was almost hysterical. "You know what that means, right? That means I can never, never duel again."

"Don't jump to that conclusion just yet. You dueled before without her coming out. When we went off on our own the other day, the first person you dueled on your own …She didn't come out. And before that, you dueled without killing anyone or trying to kill anyone. You can't just say dueling is her trigger from a couple of bad duels. And you can hardly use this duel or the one against Panik as counter-examples. Your life was in jeopardy with Panik and Kaiba put his in danger just so you'd force yourself to lose. You can't give up dueling. There are too many people counting on you," Yugi protested.

"You are a much better duelist than I am, Yugi. You can win back the souls of Jessie, Aly, and Grandpa and get the money for Serenity's surgery without my help," Carrie stated. She took the dueling gauntlet off of her left hand and threw it to the ground.

"But what if Yugi and Joey lose when they get inside the castle? All our struggles would have been for nothing," Tea pointed out, retrieving Carrie's gauntlet with the five empty slots that had been filled not that long ago. "We need you to improve the odds."

"I'd probably end up killing all of my opponents and getting disqualified, anyway," Carrie grumbled.

"You're strong, Carrie. I'm sure you can beat back the evil when she starts urging you to let her take over. You did it today. You can do it again. Fighting evil takes practice. Take it from someone who knows," Bakura put in.

"I'm not dueling, now stop trying to tell me that I should!" Carrie snapped. In quieter tones, she said, "Go on. Go into the castle. Duel. Win. I'll stay out here and wait to see how you guys do."

Seeing that further arguments would be futile, the gang gave up and just headed for the entrance of the castle. Along the way, Yami tried to convince Carrie of what her friends had already tried, but it too proved fruitless. She was dead set on not dueling ever again, and nothing anyone could say would change it. What would they have to do to prove that she was needed, that dueling wasn't evil for her?

They ran into Mai when they finally reached the doors. The blonde woman looked happy to see them, although concern flashed across her expression when she noticed their glum expressions. Her dueling gauntlet was full, and in her hand she held five other star chips. It seemed she hadn't forgotten her promise to Carrie. She was in debt to the girl for risking her life to get her stolen star chips back from Killer. She glanced over Carrie and realized that not only was her hair much shorter, but she was also missing her dueling gauntlet. Her worries that the girl might have been eliminated were wiped away when she saw Tea holding the maroon glove with five star chips in the cuff.

"Hey! I was hoping you guys would get here around the same time I did. It wasn't easy to get enough star chips for me and the debt, but I did it, and I can see you need them. So here. Take them, Carrie," Mai offered, holding the chips out to the other blonde girl.

Carrie didn't look at her hand or take what was in it from her. In fact, she didn't even acknowledge Mai. She just kept her eyes looking at ground level. Acknowledging Mai would mean she would have to take the star chips, and taking the star chips would mean that she would have to duel. She didn't want to duel, so she couldn't accept the star chips, so therefore she couldn't even look at Mai.

Mai got mad at Carrie's lack of response and pulled her hand back. "What is wrong with you? I'm offering you what you need to get into the castle and face that evil uncle of yours, and you won't even look at me or say anything! Am I missing something?"

"You're missing a lot, Mai. Carrie had enough star chips to get into the castle, but then things happened that ended with Tea getting kidnapped by this guy named Bandit Keith. Carrie went after him, almost got…raped…in the process…and then that jerk Seto Kaiba challenged her to a duel and forced her to lose. Now she's refusing to duel ever again," Joey informed her.

"Oh. I see. Perhaps I should have stuck around with you guys after all," Mai said, feeling very sorry for Carrie now that she knew what was wrong with her. "Carrie, doll, listen to me. Dueling isn't bad. And I can prove it. Duel me now for the five star chips I owe you. I won't force you to lose or throw you to any Bandit Keith or have someone kidnap Tea. It will be good honest dueling. Then when you win, we can go and face those who have hurt you together. Okay?"

Carrie still didn't reply. Mai looked ready to yell or give up; Tea wasn't sure which. She glanced at Yugi and noticed that he appeared like he might take Carrie's place in dueling Mai. If Yugi dueled, that wouldn't prove anything to Carrie except that she was right about him, that he could take on people without her help. Someone who hadn't proved their skills in this tournament would have to face Mai to get anything into her thick head. Tristan might have volunteered if his head wasn't as thick as Carrie's, but he wasn't going to do so. That left it to all fall on Tea in order to show where her loyalties lie.

"I'll duel you for Carrie," Tea stated, catching everyone offguard.

Mai snorted. "You? Really, Tea, no offense, but you couldn't even beat Rex with your deck. Going against you would be no challenge at all. Besides, you dueling me won't prove anything to Carrie other than you suck and I rule. I need to duel Carrie, not her loser friend."

"That's what you said about Joey, but look who won your duel against him? Are you afraid that it could happen again?" Tea taunted. "You could be proven wrong again. I could be kickass at this and you would have never known. Just because Pegasus didn't invite me to this tournament doesn't prove anything about my skill."

"That's it, little girl! I'm going to duel you and you're going to pay for reminding me of my horrific defeat!" Mai growled. Lucky for them, a dueling arena thing was just to the right of the doors, set up for any last minute duels for people hoping to earn ten star chips to enter the castle. She stormed over there and went up in the red portal.

"Tea, what are you doing challenging Mai? You know you can't beat her," Tristan remarked.

"Just trust me on this. I know what I'm doing," Tea muttered, handing the gauntlet over to Yugi. "I don't have to beat her. I just need to get through to Carrie."

"And how is dueling Mai going to do that?" Joey asked, confused.

"You'll see, Joey. You'll see," Yugi replied. He kind of had an idea about what Tea was doing, but he didn't want to ruin it for the others who were clueless.

"Whatever she's doing, I just hope it works," Bakura murmured, glancing over at Carrie.

As soon as the duel began, it was obvious who had the better skills. Tea tried her hardest and halfway succeeded in prolonging the duel with cards such as Wobaku, but her deck of Fairies didn't really stand a chance against Mai's Harpies. The blonde woman realized that this duel was a waste of time, but felt like destroying, no, _eliminating_ Tea for doubting her skills and reminding her of her lost duel to Joey. She kept it going for as long as she could without it getting on her conscience.

During the duel, Carrie glanced up from the ground to watch Tea get demolished. She couldn't believe the brunette girl was so foolish as to go against Mai's skills when she wasn't really a duelist at all. Tea was doing this in a feeble attempt to get Carrie's star chips, even when it was obvious that she was going to lose. What was she trying to prove? Why was she being so stupid, so foolish? In the end, everything would be as it was already, only Tea might have a hurt pride. Why waste valuable time for an unfair duel?

Then it hit Carrie.

It wasn't the winning of the duel that mattered to Tea. It was getting a point across. Even a small force can stand up against a larger one. At first, it might seem futile, but if that small force keeps trying, it can put up a front that the larger one can't get around. For Carrie, it would mean to keep dueling and fighting the darkness inside of her no matter how hard it seemed. She was the small force here, but maybe, just maybe, if she kept fighting it back, the larger force, the darkness…It would lose. Was it possible? She didn't know, for she had hardly tried. But she was in control now. How much harder could it be while she was dueling?

_Thank you, Tea,_ Carrie thought with a smile.

Mai drew Harpie's Feather Duster, a Trap Card that could end the whole ridiculous farce right then and there. But now her desire to eliminate Tea was gone. She had seen the real reason for their duel, seen how loyal Tea was to Carrie, and had seen Carrie lift her head and smile. There was no longer a need to keep this duel going or bruise Tea's pride.

"I forfeit the duel. You win, Tea," Mai grumbled.

Tea blinked once, surprised by Mai's sudden statement. "What do you mean? Why are you forfeiting?"

"There's no more need for this duel to continue. Carrie's back," Mai replied.

Tea swung around in the blue portal and saw that Carrie was looking at her with a smile on her face. The blonde teen nodded once to let Tea know that everything was going to be fine with her now, and Tea returned it with a smile of her own. Then she grabbed her deck and lowered the portal thing so she could step down.

Yugi handed Carrie's deck and gauntlet over to their rightful owner, glad that everything had worked out in the end. Mai came over and gave the niece of Pegasus the five star chips she had earned by saving Mai's scrawny ass with the retrieval of her chips. Carrie filled the cuff of her gauntlet for the second time in two days. When that was done, she turned to face the doors of Pegasus's castle, a hard look on her face.

"It'll be hard, but I'm gonna get you, Pegasus. And then…There's going to be hell to pay," Carrie muttered.

* * *

_A/N: I know Carrie kinda took over Yugi's position when Yami almost killed Kaiba just to win the duel, but I couldn't exactly have that scene in the story, what with Yami being with Carrie and him being a nice guy. Personally, I think this chapter sucked, but you have some good chapters, you have some bad chapters. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	20. 20 - Coping with a Bit of Fluff

_A/N: Here's the next chapter for you eager peoples! Hopefully, it won't be as boring as the last one...or as weird. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 20

Kemo was the one that greeted their small entourage after they had walked through the doors. He scowled at them, loathing most of that group with every bone in his body, but it wasn't his job to beat up those who made it into the castle. Gruffly, he ordered them to follow him and led them to the room where Pegasus would greet all finalists. They weren't the first ones to get this far, but he assumed they would be close to the last ones to show up. The sooner this whole tournament thing was over, the better.

He led them into a huge two-story room with a huge dueling arena situated in the center. At the far end of the room sat Pegasus in a golden chair similar to a throne, his golden eye hidden behind a curtain of silver hair. His most loyal guard, Croquet, was to his left, but otherwise Pegasus was unprotected. Four other people were in the room, too: Kaiba and Mokuba were two of those people. Bandit Keith, much to the dislike of the gang, was there, too, along with…

"Mako!" Carrie exclaimed, running towards the blue-haired man. He turned around just in time to get tackled by the blonde girl. He was wearing a shirt and shoes now to be presentable, but she would have recognized his weird hair anywhere.

The tan man chuckled warmly and returned her hug. "Well, there's only one girl I know that can knock the breath out of a man when she hugs him! It's good to see you made it after all, Carrie! And your friends as well! I look forward to dueling you guys, but don't think I'll go as easy on you as I did earlier!"

"I wouldn't doubt that for a second," Carrie said, releasing Mako.

"What did you do with your hair? I'm not exactly an expert when it comes to fashion, but I'd say it looked better when it was longer. Why did you cut it?" Mako asked.

"…Uh, Mako…It's a long story, and we really don't want to tell it in front of all these other people…Let's just say cutting her hair saved her from unspeakable evil and leave it at that," Joey told him hastily when he noticed Carrie's expression darken a bit.

"Oh. Okay then. You will tell me what this unspeakable evil is later," Mako mumbled.

Pegasus stood up from his throne and smiled at the finalists that had arrived so far. He was happy to see that Kaiba had come with his brother despite the danger it presented for the two, and was even more ecstatic to see Yugi and Carrie standing before him. Bandit Keith he could have done without, as well as the other four duelists in his presence, but that would just add to the suspense. Besides, in the end, he knew who would come out on top of this tournament. Maximillion Pegasus never lost and wasn't about to start now.

"Welcome. You have made it to my castle, so therefore you have earned the right to duel me. Unfortunately, only one of the duelists who entered this tournament can do that interesting bit, so you know what you have to do now, right? The eight of you, and the other finalist that hasn't quite made it yet, will duel each other to determine which of you runts will face me. There will be no special treatment, and those who will face each other will be randomly decided by a machine. The semi-finals will not begin until tomorrow morning, so you and your company should take the day to rest up and strategize. I assure you, whoever you are pitted against in the duels will not be easy to beat, for if they had been…They wouldn't be here. Croquet will escort you to your rooms, and food will be brought to you at an appropriate time. I look forward to seeing you duel tomorrow at ten," Pegasus stated.

Then the man in the feminine red suit walked away to go somewhere only he knew. Croquet ordered the group to follow him, but Kaiba slipped away without anyone's noticing. The gang formed a tight circle around Carrie so that Bandit Keith couldn't come anywhere near her as they followed the old guard down the halls. They were grateful to lose him at the first room, which Croquet said was his and gave him a key. Mokuba and Kaiba's room was across from his, Bakura's was beside theirs, Mai's across from his, Joey's beside hers, Tristan's across from his, Tea's beside his, Yugi's across from hers, Mako's beside his, and Carrie's across from his. She was the farthest from Bandit Keith, her worst nightmare, and relatively close to all of her friends. The only problem was that if Pegasus sent his thugs to get Mokuba, she would have a hard time saving him.

The rooms in Pegasus's castle weren't huge in this hall; they were about the size of a hotel room. It was obvious these were meant for occupation during tournaments. Carrie didn't mind that much. She tossed her backpack to the floor and fell onto the bed covered with soft pink sheets, glad to be on something comfy again and not on the ground. She felt as if she could sleep there for two days straight despite its perilous location. But if she did that, she wouldn't be able to duel. Then her whole reason for coming to this God-forsaken island would have been for nothing.

She heard someone knock on the doorframe, for she hadn't closed the door yet, and glanced over to make sure it wasn't Bandit Keith. It wasn't, of course. It was Yugi, coming to check up on her. Mako was lingering in his doorway just across from her room, looking over curiously because he still wanted to know what the unspeakable evil was. Carrie sat up and beckoned both boys over. They came in, Mako closing and locking the door behind him.

"All right. I'm ready to be bugged," Carrie teased as Yugi sat down beside her and Mako leaned against her door. She figured he knew something about her situation with Bandit Keith from the gang's blockade and wanted to make sure no one would get in despite it being locked.

"We're not here to bug you. We're here to make sure you're fine," Yugi said.

"Of course I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?" Carrie asked, though she already knew.

"You know exactly why you wouldn't be fine. You know it better than anyone," Yugi remarked, a little irritated by her attempts of deflecting the subject even though he knew why she was doing it. "Carrie, I'm your best friend. I have only your best interests in mind. Please tell me how you're feeling."

Carrie lost her smile and looked down at her shoes, which were hanging over the side of the bed. "…To be honest, I don't know what I'm feeling…Not really…There's so much going on in my head and heart right now…Can't make any sense of it, Yugi. Guess that's how all girls feel when they've almost been…or have been…you know…"

"Besides disgusted and violated, I suppose you're right about that," Yugi agreed.

"…That creep with the shades did something horrible to you, didn't he?" Mako inquired.

"Yeah…Mako. Well, sort of. He didn't get very far…But he almost did something really, really bad that he's been attempting to do to me for the past two years," Carrie told him. "He's obsessed with me…because I am the niece of his worst enemy…and I am a skilled duelist…and I'm beautiful. He's ten times worse than my abusive father if that's any indication of evil."

Mako's expression, which had been solemn, darkened dramatically with anger. "…That jerk…I should have realized what he was when I saw him smirking at you. If I'd known, I would have beaten his face in the moment he stepped into the castle."

"…How far did he get? Can you talk about it to us? We'll understand if it's too painful for you," Yugi stated.

"Yugi, I've talked about painful stuff before. This is nothing in comparison to most of the crap I've been through. I can recount it without hurting too bad…Even if I can't bring myself to say what it almost was anymore…," Carrie grumbled. "For your benefit, Mako, I'll recount what transpired up to that point that got me stuck with that bastard with the shades…Bandit Keith.

"Joey had defeated one of Bandit Keith's thugs in a duel. Bandit Keith…He's a coward. He never faces his opponents alone and always has a gang of thugs to back him up. Being a sore loser and being an obsessive lunatic, he kidnapped Tea and ran with his thugs. We had been lured into a cave, you see, because there was an arena in there that was suited for the one thug's deck. We didn't reach the exit in time; Bandit Keith had gotten his thugs to trap us in with a boulder before beating them up and stealing their star chips so he could enter the castle.

"We managed to find another way out, though Yugi and Joey had to duel two Eliminators in order to find the exit. Those two Eliminators led me to Tea and Bandit Keith. I went alone so no one else would be in danger…I guess that was…pretty stupid of me. She was lying on the ground…as were the Eliminators…when I got there. The only difference was… She was restrained and gagged and they were just knocked out. When I saw her like that…All the anger I had planned to use on Bandit Keith…It faded away. All that I wanted to do was rescue Tea and get out of there. That was foolish of me…to let my guard down like that with Bandit Keith lurking about…

"He emerged from wherever the hell he had been hiding…I didn't see him. I was right in front of Tea when he…He hit me upside the head with some blunt object. I…I fell like a rock…fell so easily from that blow. Then he grabbed me by my hair…You know that's always been my weak point…removed the Millennium Puzzle from my throat…and pulled me away from Tea. Only a few feet…but enough for a bit of…privacy for what… he planned on doing. I…I tried to fight…I really did…but every time I moved to hit him …every Goddamn time…He yanked my hair so hard…It brought me to tears. I gave up and waited for him to get through with me…which was exactly what he wanted. And to think…I could have saved myself if only he hadn't had such a good grip on my hair…

"…Bandit Keith took off my jacket and my shirt…That was after pulling my backpack off, of course…But that was as far as he got. Tea had broken free of her restraints…I had forgotten that there was a knife in the back pocket…and she tossed that knife to me. I caught it and…got rid of my weakness. Then I stabbed him in the leg and knocked him out after I had managed to stand. But the damage…It was more than just nearly losing my top covering…It was in the violation of my body. Tea might not have seen what he was doing…She was probably too focused on freeing herself and saving me…but he didn't just strip me. He…He touched me with the hand he wasn't holding my hair with…and a couple of times…He bent down and…nuzzled me with his nasty mouth…Not a million showers could rid me of this disgusted feeling. And I feel this way after just an attempt …Imagine how much worse I would be…if he had succeeded.

"My biggest fear…is that he might try again tonight. The only reason I even got away with my innocence was that there was a knife in Tea's pocket. The next time he tries… We might not be as lucky. What if I find myself in a similar situation without anyone else there or any way of escaping? Then what…?"

Carrie had been reduced to tears not for the first time that day. They had come to her beautiful green eyes when she had come to finding Tea, but even when her voice was very choked up, she kept going with her tale, determined to get it out of her system. She turned her face away from Yugi's view after asking that last question, too ashamed by her tears to let him look at her. He always hated to see Carrie, one of the strongest people he knew, cry, and today had been very trying on his heart and her emotions. He would have done anything to take her pain away from her at that moment. If he could have prevented her from almost being raped, even if it meant that he would have been in her place, then he would have done it.

He saw something fall from his face and realized he was crying, too. Carrie had that effect on him. Whatever she felt, he couldn't help but feel it as well. It had been that way ever since the day she had lost her sister's soul to Pegasus's lunacy. He wanted to be her personal shield, protecting her from this cruel world that kept striking at her, and wanted to be her biggest comfort. A shield he was not, and he already knew who her biggest comfort was…and it wasn't him…Not exactly.

Mako, the big, muscular fisherman that wasn't afraid of anything, also had tears in his eyes. He abandoned his post at the door and walked over to the trembling blonde. He embraced her with his huge brown arms. Yugi heard him whisper something in her ear, which must have been funny because it made Carrie smile and laugh a little. Mako smiled, too, and both people turned to Yugi.

"Well? Aren't you going to join us in this group hug?" Mako asked with his warm grin.

His smile was contagious; Yugi caught it almost immediately. The short boy moved in and hugged both people, joining them in their 'group hug.' They were sharing a moment of happiness amidst a journey of anguish.

"My father always used to say when I was a boy that rough waves always come before calm waters. Many rough waves may have knocked you down, Carrie, but calm waters will follow very soon. Look forward to a happy future with a smile, and do not look for those rough waves that have horrible timing. Your friends will always be there to lend you a hand when you get in over your head. And what one creep does shouldn't ruin your whole life, especially if I get my hands on him," Mako told her.

"No matter what happens, we'll always be there for you," Yugi assured her.

"…Thanks, guys. I feel somewhat better now," Carrie said as they released her. She leaped up and pecked each of them on the forehead, causing both boys to blush. Yami didn't raise his voice in protest; he knew she didn't love either of them and wasn't in violation of the rules she had set for their relationship. Then she looked at the clock and was surprised to see it was already six in the evening. "How long have we been here?"

"I think we got into Pegasus's castle at five," Yugi replied.

"Holy Jesus, today has just gone by. Must have been because of all those rough waves that hit me," Carrie murmured. "I hope Pegasus sends dinner soon. I'm starving."

"We should return to our rooms and leave you in peace. I have to prepare for the duels tomorrow, since I might wind up dueling one of you guys. See ya later, alligators!" Mako called, opening the door and leaving.

Yugi was just about to follow his example when Joey came running into the room. His expression was one of an anxious person with news to tell that he wasn't happy to be carrying with him. Carrie knew they had missed something during her sorrowful tale and was eager to hear it, no matter how bad it was. Yugi wanted to hear it as well, and Joey was in a hurry to spit it out.

"Rich Boy just lost his soul to Pegasus!" the blonde boy exclaimed.

"What? How?" Carrie demanded.

"Somehow he forced Pegasus to duel him! I don't know all the details…I came into the duel a little late…But I think the cost was Rich Boy's soul if he lost! Pegasus won, and then he pulled back his hair to reveal his weird gold eye, and the next thing I know, Rich Boy's a zombie like Alyssa was! Pegasus had him taken away by Kemo to go wash dishes or something like that! It was horrifying!" Joey shouted.

"…So…I guess we'd better win if we duel Pegasus, huh, Carrie?" Yugi muttered.

Carrie didn't hear him. She was suddenly overcome with the desire to see Mokuba, to check on him and make sure he was all right. Quickly, she ran past Yugi and Joey and down the hall to Mokuba's room. The door was shut, but even through its expensive material, she could hear the little boy's sobbing. She knocked softly; the door was locked and for good reason. He whimpered for her to go away, but that was before she said who it was. There was a scurrying of feet and a twist at the door as he scrambled to open it for her. Yugi and Joey were watching her, but they kept their distance, understanding that this was something she had to do alone.

Mokuba let her in before running back to his bed. She closed the door and slowly walked over to the dark-haired boy. She remembered the day Jessica had lost her soul because of Pegasus's Millennium Eye and how overcome by emotion she had been. Yugi and Yami had been the only ones there when it happened; but everyone had cared about her sister's stolen soul. The same couldn't exactly be said about Kaiba—the man had made more enemies than friends. Only Mokuba truly cared about Seto Kaiba, which was why he had chosen to cry alone.

Yet he had let Carrie, the girl who openly hated Kaiba, in when she had come. Why was that?

This wasn't a time to ask questions. This was a time for comforting. Carrie came over to his bedside, sat down beside him, and pulled the little boy in her arms like she had when he thought Kaiba had been murdered, when they along with Tristan had hidden in a tree while Yugi went to duel someone. They didn't exchange a word—she just held him while he cried about the loss of his brother.

One of Pegasus's maids came to the door with food for the both of them a few minutes later. Carrie took it graciously and handed one plate of food and a soda to Mokuba. He sucked in his emotions long enough to nourish himself. Carrie did the same. Then they placed their empty plates on the table in the room, tossed their cans into the trash, and talked things over. The blonde didn't promise Mokuba that she could get Kaiba's soul back, but she told him she would try her best, as would the rest of the duelists in the gang. That was what she was fighting for anyway, wasn't it? She was fighting to restore all the souls that Pegasus had stolen in order to get people to participate in his tournament.

When she was sure that Mokuba would be okay that night, she bade him goodnight and left his room. Yami had retreated into the Millennium Puzzle at her request and asked for the Spellcaster, Emissary of the Oasis, to protect Mokuba with her spells. Then she walked towards her room, expecting for the events of the night to come to a grinding halt.

If only.

Bakura stopped her as she passed his room, and she popped around the doorjamb to hear what he had to say. The British man was holding a piece of paper in his hands and he showed her it when he came over to her side.

"Pegasus has already decided who will duel who tomorrow. He sent the list to everyone so they will know their opponent, because apparently the last finalist showed up sometime while we were busy. But I thought I'd give you a heads-up before you saw it in your room," Bakura told her. "Tomorrow at ten, you and some guy named Luke Kaleb will duel. At twelve, I will face Mako Tsunami. At two, Yugi will face Mai Valentine. And at four, Joey will duel Bandit Keith Howard. But in order to qualify for the duel, each person must present one of their invitation cards. Yugi gave Joey the one with the treasure on the front, but I suspect foul play might present itself tonight."

"All right, Bakura. Thank you for sharing this with me. I would have preferred to cream BKH myself, but Joey will be sure to kick his ass. Goodnight, and good luck tomorrow," Carrie said, waving casually as she headed to her room again.

Once the door was closed and locked, Carrie kicked off her shoes…and that bed didn't know what hit it.

Carrie was greeted by Yami's warm embrace when she slipped into the Millennium Puzzle. She couldn't help but feel like she was being spoiled by everyone over a few bad mishaps in a row, but she wasn't going to complain. She wasn't a fan of attention, but she didn't like to be alone in pain anymore, either. Attention was nice, especially when it came from the right people.

"…I'm sorry I couldn't save you from him, Carrie," Yami apologized for the millionth time, holding her against him. Her back was against his front.

"Yami, it wasn't your fault. He disarmed me, and therefore disarmed you. You did what you could to save me by taking over Tea. True, it means I'll have some explaining to do later where she's concerned, but it worked out fine in the end. Stop dwelling on it," Carrie ordered.

"But it didn't turn out fine in the end. You're hurt, mortified, violated, disgusted, and so many other things. It shouldn't have gotten as far as it did," Yami protested.

"No one can escape all pain. No one can protect everyone from pain. 'Tis better to accept and forget than to deny and remember. So let's accept that it happened and we can't change it and let it fade into the depths of our minds. That should be easy for you, the man who can't even remember his name," Carrie teased.

"…Fine. I'll let it go. But Bandit Keith needs to pay for his obsession," Yami grumbled.

"Yeah, I know. We'll find a way to make him pay, but not now. His obsession does remind me of a song, however. Care to hear it?"

"As long as it's nothing dark, sure."

"This is a few verses of Mariah Carey's song Obsessed. You've probably never heard of her, but here it goes. If I butcher it, at least you won't know, right?

"All up in the blogs, saying we met at the bar…When I don't even know who you are. Saying we up in your house, saying I'm up in your car. But you in LA, and I'm out at Jermaine's. I'm up in the A, you're so so lame and no one here even mentions your name. It must be the weed. It must be the E, cuz you be popping, heard you get it popping, oh. Why you obsessed with me? Boy, I wanna know. Lying that you're sexing me when everybody knows. It's clear that you're upset with me, oh-oh-oh. Finally found a girl that you could couldn't impress. Last man on the earth, still couldn't get this. You're delusional, you're delusional. Boy, you're losing your mind. It's confusing you, you're confused, you know. Why you wasting your time? Got all fired up with your Napoleon complex, seeing right through you like you're bathing in Windex. Oh-oh-oh. Boy, why you so obsessed with me?

"You on your job, you hating hard. Ain't gonna feed you, I'm a let you starve. Gasping for air, I'm ventilation. You out of breath, hope you ain't waiting. Telling the world how much you miss me, but we never were, so why you tripping? You a mom and pop, I'm a corporation. I'm a press conference, and you a conversation. Why you so obsessed with me? Boy, I wanna know. Lying that you're sexing me when everybody knows. It's clear that you're upset with me, oh-oh-oh. Finally found a girl that you couldn't impress. Last man on the earth, still couldn't get this. You're delusional, you're delusional. Boy, you're losing your mind. It's confusing you, you're confused, you know. Why you wasting your time? …Skip a few lines…Boy, why you so obsessed with me?"

It was a good song that definitely fit Bandit Keith. He was probably smoking weed or swallowing ecstasy, and he was very much delusional. Yami was starting to wonder if Mariah Carey hadn't written this song based on that blonde jerk instead of someone else. Carrie seemed to read his mind, for she laughed in his arms. Then she turned around and kissed him. Despite everything bad she had experienced with guys, she still trusted him with all her heart.

That was what relationships were for, right?

Trust and love.

They conquered all things.

* * *

_A/N: The end of chapter 20! We have officially passed the twenty chapter mark. This story can only grow, but for better or for worse? (O.o) What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. I hope you liked the fact that I let Mako and Bakura make it to the finals. You just don't see enough of either of them in the show! ^.^!_


	21. 21 - Finals Underway

_A/N: I apologize for the long delay. I took a break from typing for awhile cuz I went a little brain-dead from lack of ideas. Anyways, here's another chapter. Enjoy, and read on._

* * *

Chapter 21

Morning welcomed Carrie when she finally managed to open her eyes. Sleep had been good the previous night despite what had almost happened, and she felt well-rested and prepared for anything. Breakfast was waiting—it had been brought to her while she was in Yami's arms, deep in a dream that was reality. She grabbed it from the tray and glanced at the clock. It was eight in the morning, with two hours until her duel with Luke Kaleb. That was plenty of time.

Carrie ate her breakfast quickly and grabbed a change of clothes. She knew the others would probably want the showers, too, after spending so much time in the forests of Duelist Kingdom, but she was hoping they had all made it there already. She opened her door and glanced around. All the doors were closed, but there was plenty of noise throughout the hall. She had no doubt that mostly everyone was awake. The only person she hoped was still asleep was Bandit Keith…and maybe Luke, since she didn't know him and he could be anybody.

She knocked on Mako's door. He opened it a few seconds later, clad only in his blue shorts at the moment. His hair was wet, proving he had been to the bathroom recently. When he saw who had knocked, his warm smile appeared and she couldn't help but return it. He welcomed her inside, but she declined.

"…I was hoping you could guard the door while I was in the shower. Bandit Keith's not above lock-picking," Carrie said.

Being the great guy he was, he agreed to do so. Carrie thanked him. Then she ran towards Yugi's room. When he answered, she just asked him to hold onto the Puzzle for her for a few minutes and, knowing that he would, she thrust it at him. The boy just blinked, wondering what had just happened. He had just woken up a few minutes ago, so he wasn't completely aware of everything.

When Carrie was safe and secure within the somewhat large bathroom Pegasus provided for his guests, she finally dropped her guard. Bandit Keith couldn't get her in there with Mako guarding it. Pegasus couldn't do anything to her or the Puzzle while she was in there or while Yugi had the Puzzle. Everything was just fine…For now. She would have to duel soon, and a lot rested on that duel. A relaxing shower might help to loosen her up and relief her worries before the biggest duel she had ever been in took place. She would need it for sure.

The blonde stripped and climbed into the shower stall that was overly huge, turning on the scolding water without really caring about the temperature. The water made her skin red and if she wasn't lost in thought, she might have winced. Her brain overtook her feelings and she made the water a bit cooler so she wouldn't burn herself. Absentmindedly, she went to brush her wet hair from her shoulders, but her hand only touched skin. Then she remembered her hair was short, and with that came the memories of yesterday…The painful memories she'd hoped not to go through again.

All the scrubbing in the world couldn't wipe away the vulgar feeling Bandit Keith had left her with. All the shampooing in the world couldn't make her hair grow out to its original length. She knew she would just have to accept these things for now. The hair could always come back…But the vulgar feeling might linger. Eventually it would fade, but until it did, it would be a scar on her, one that nothing could cover up. She would just have to grin and bear it until it faded into nonexistence.

The warm water helped to relax her, just as she had hoped. Not so much tension, but still enough that she couldn't be caught offguard by anything or anyone. She turned off the water and walked out of the shower, wrapping a fluffy white towel around herself. Her blonde hair used to drip a lot, but now a lot less water fell from the top of her head. She couldn't even look in the mirror to see what she had lost. She just dressed as fast as was possible for her so she wouldn't be near the reflective surface, brushed her teeth, and ran a brush through her short hair. Then she was gone with her dirty laundry, which a maid took from her when she saw Carrie.

Mako barely had time to move out of the way before Carrie opened the door. He chuckled at her because of her moving so quickly. If anyone got in her way, they would probably think they had been hit by a truck. She might have been just a girl, but she carried a wind around her that no one else could ever hope to have. Mako liked her for that and her unique behavior despite the hell she'd lived through. Yugi met her in the hall near her room, holding the Millennium Puzzle in his hands for her to take.

"Thank you," Carrie murmured, slipping the pendant around her neck. "How long do I have until I face the stranger?"

"You have a little less than an hour until you face Luke. Nothing to worry about there, because we all know you're going to win," Yugi replied.

"So much confidence in me, eh? Well, let's just hope that confidence isn't ill-placed. Just cuz we don't know who this Luke guy is doesn't mean he sucks. He could be some major kickass duelist and I will be completely at his mercy out there. You know how embarrassing that would be? 'The niece of Maximillion Pegasus is undermined in dueling by a nobody,' the tabloids will read. I would never be able to show my face again," Carrie remarked.

"Oh, come now, Carrie. Luke doesn't stand a chance against you," Mako stated, joining them where they were standing.

"You're just saying that because you're my friend. We know nothing about Luke and what his dueling skills are like. Saying that he sucks would have been like Yugi assuming you sucked when you dueled him. It's not right to be prejudice, especially when so much is on the line," Carrie pointed out.

"Yeah, I know what you're saying," Mako muttered, thinking of his father that he hoped to find on the sea. "…What do you duel for?"

"I duel to get Grandpa back," Yugi told him. "And to help free all the souls Pegasus has taken for no reason other than for sport."

"…I duel for Jessie, Aly, Grandpa, and Kaiba…Mokuba, Serenity, Joey, Mako…and anyone else needing help or affected by Pegasus's insanity. I am his niece, the only one that is still in commission, and therefore I must correct the evil he has committed. That is my mission, and no one will stop me from accomplishing it," Carrie claimed. "Mako, if I win this tournament, I promise to give you some of the prize money so you can search for your father. Three million dollars is the prize, right? Well, one million will go to you, another to Joey so he can pay for his sister's eye surgery, and the rest will be spent for something else I haven't decided yet. But it will not be selfish, I promise. The selfish are people like Pegasus and Kaiba who are cold and manipulative. I will never be like them if I can help it."

"…Thank you, Carrie. I make the same pledge for the prize money, for a friend of yours is a friend of mine, and if his sister is in need, then the only logical thing to do is help out," Mako said.

"The same is for me, too," Yugi put in.

"Well, then. I guess you're all going to be let down…cuz _I_ am going to win."

The group turned around to see who had dared to interrupt their conversation. A man with red hair that reached his shoulders and hard brown eyes was glaring at them. He was wearing a white tunic-like shirt under a black duster with black pants and shiny black shoes. It was obvious this man made money. He was taller than most, though Mako was near his height, making him slightly imposing. He wore no dueling gauntlet, but then again everyone had removed theirs upon entering the castle. Was this Carrie's opponent?

"Hello, children. I am Luke Kaleb, CEO of Kaleb Incorporated and a _professional_ duelist. I am here to win this thing and make business with Industrial Illusions by defeating Pegasus. You will be no match for me when we face on the field. Trust me," the man boasted, his voice husky but too young to belong to someone who was above their early twenties, for there was very little business-tone in it.

"Great. Another CEO from another major business," Yugi grumbled.

"Yeah. I think this is supposed to be a business conference instead of a dueling tournament. This guy is represents the third business that has come to this place," Carrie whispered to her short friend. Luckily, Luke didn't hear.

"You must be Carrie West, Pegasus's less famous niece. I've heard rumors of your skill, but since you are nothing more than a girl, they must be highly exaggerated. I hope you look forward to defeat, because that is the only thing you are going to find when you face me today," Luke stated.

Carrie got offended and slightly mad. "Excuse me? I'll have you know that I'm sixteen and nearly an adult. Besides, you haven't got much room to talk about being young. You're what? Twenty-three? You're not much past adulthood yourself. And yet you're talking down to us? What a stuck-up jerk. You're just as bad as Kaiba."

"For your information, Carrie, I am twenty-four. And calling me a jerk isn't very mature and isn't helping to make me think of you as a woman. Hopefully, your cards speak better than you do, or else this duel is going to be very boring. When you lose, the world might give a touching moment of silence to remember the 'skills' you had, but I really doubt it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a duel to get to because unlike you _children_, I have no time for fun and games," Luke gruffly remarked, pushing past them.

"I'd like to give him a 'touching' moment," Mako growled as he glared after the red-haired man.

"You and me both, buddy," Carrie said. "Well, if he's going that way, I should be going, too. I'll just get my deck and invitation card, and then we can go.

"We'll be there to cheer you on," Yugi promised.

"Yeah, but I don't think they'll let Mako into the arena. What's the saying…No shoes, no shirt, no service?" Carrie teased.

Mako got the point and returned to his room to make himself appropriate. Carrie ran into her room and grabbed her deck and money invitation card from the dresser before joining her friends in the hall. The only one who didn't show himself was Joey, but Tristan explained that Joey's card was missing and the blonde boy was looking for it. Bandit Keith didn't show, but the gang confirmed that he had already left to watch the duel. With nothing else holding them back, they headed for the dueling arena.

* * *

Pegasus was seated on his throne with Croquet at his side. At the entry point were two guards who would check the duelists for their invitation cards. Bandit Keith was sitting on a couch on the second floor of the room, propping his feet up and making himself comfortable. Luke was already waiting in the red portal, obviously impatient to begin this duel. His deck was set and the clock was ticking.

_You're a fool, Kaleb. You will never defeat my little Care-Bear. She was born to duel. No one can undermine her, especially not some foolish _child _such as yourself,_ Pegasus thought with a smirk. _Prepare for hell._

At exactly nine fifty-five, Carrie and her friends entered the arena. The others emerged on the top floor while Carrie walked out towards the guards. She flashed them her card and walked right towards the blue portal, her never-failing deck in hand. Her face was hard, ready for anything. It wasn't so much Luke she was prepared for. She was prepared for her darkness's attempts to take over, for she knew that as soon as she started dueling, a fight bigger than the entire tournament would transpire inside of her. Yami would help, of course, but she would have to fight it back on her own for the most part.

She set her deck down. The large white numbers on either side of her and Luke stated they each had two thousand Life Points. They drew their hands, and there was nothing left to do but duel.

Carrie's hand consisted of Amazon Archer, Dark Elf, Keldo, Silver Bow and Arrow, and Shield Crush. It was her move first, so she drew her card which was Neo the Magic Swordsman. She played Keldo and equipped Silver Bow and Arrow to the Fairy-Type Monster, raising her Attack Points from 1200 to 1500. Then she laid facedown her other Magic Card and ended her turn.

Immediately after that, the darkness began to rise. Carrie felt the darkness try to take over and Yami fighting it off. The pressure and pain it brought to her made her hold her head in her free hand, though it did little good. Her hair shifted colors a little, but it remained blonde for the most part. A few streaks of black could be found here and there, but she managed to maintain control, and for that she was proud.

Luke did put up a front, though it was somewhat amateur compared to other people Carrie had dueled. Perhaps it seemed harder to take him down because of her internal conflict. But she managed to inflict some major damage when she sacrificed Keldo and Dark Elf in order for Amazon Archer to cause Luke 1200 Points of direct damage. She followed this up with an attack from Neo the Magic Swordsman, who destroyed one of the Monsters on Luke's side of the field. His Life Points zoomed down to zero.

"All right! Carrie won!" Tristan cheered.

"Yeah, that loser never stood a chance!" Mokuba exclaimed.

"You're right, of course…But I have to admit, Luke is kinda cute," Mai said.

"I guess he is…If you look at him the right way," Tea murmured, though she really didn't see what Mai did.

"He has a really cute butt," Mai told her.

"Way to go, Carrie!" Yugi shouted.

"You sure showed him!" Mako yelled.

Bakura, the quiet one of the group, just smiled and was glad for her victory.

Luke was obviously a sore loser, as he looked completely and utterly pissed about his loss to Carrie. His hands were clenched into fists and his jaw was set. He was bound to unleash his anger onto someone. At first, the blonde thought it would be her he struck out at and she feared for his safety, knowing her darkness would feed off his rage and try to come out to take his life. But then he spun around and pointed an accusing finger at the man on the throne…Pegasus.

The red-haired businessman, who had acted like he was more mature than everyone else, began to yell at the top of his lungs, his anger directed right at Pegasus. Many profanities and rude comments escaped his mouth, most of which Carrie didn't care to listen to. Mako had covered Mokuba's ears as soon as Luke began to scream, so he still had somewhat virgin ears. Pegasus looked slightly amused by Luke's vulgar ranting. Carrie assumed he wasn't really paying attention to the man's words, either. The funny thing about it was that his sudden anger outburst woke Bandit Keith from his nap and made him fall off the couch.

"…Okay…Cuteness gone…," Mai muttered, sweat-dropping.

"…Finished?" Pegasus asked when Luke stopped talking.

Luke took a huge breath like he might start up again. Luckily, one of Pegasus's thugs came up and covered his mouth before Luke could yell again. The thug dragged him away to rid the innocent people of his presence.

"And just so you know, Industrial Illusions will never be interested in doing business with Kaleb Incorporated," Pegasus added before Luke was gone from sight.

It was now ten forty-five, with over an hour until Mako and Bakura's duel. They were allowed to leave the arena so long as they were back in time for that duel, for any duelist that showed up late for their battles was disqualified. Tristan decided to go help Joey look, Tea and Mai were going to do something girly in Mai's room, and Yugi and Bakura wanted to think about their duels. That left Carrie with Mako and Mokuba to wander the halls in boredom.

Mako picked Mokuba up suddenly and put the kid on his shoulders. The dark-haired boy was startled at first, but then he didn't mind. He was still upset from the loss of Kaiba's soul, but he was good at covering it up so Carrie wouldn't be so worried about him. Mako told him some things that made the boy burst into laughter, and a warm smile broke out on both their faces. Carrie couldn't help but smile as she watched them.

_If only they were brothers instead of Kaiba...,_ Carrie thought. _Mako is good with kids, so I know he'll make a great father someday. Whatever girl gets him will be a lucky one._

_**The same could be said for whatever guy is lucky enough to get you,**_Yami put in.

_You silly spirit! You've already got me, and no one else will ever steal me away from you._

_**Then I suppose that makes me a lucky man.**_

_Or a cursed one, since I have so many problems that you're bound to get caught up in._

_**Well, no one's perfect, right?**_

"Mako, how are you going to use your deck if there aren't any fields in a building?" Carrie asked suddenly. Two of her friends would be dueling each other in an hour, and though she would have liked for Bakura to win, she knew Mako had more experience and more heart.

"Within buildings, all Monsters can be played normally," Mako replied, ducking down so Mokuba wouldn't hit his head as they walked beneath a doorway. "My sea creatures will be unaffected by the lack of water. It will be as if they have lungs and can breathe oxygen. So you mustn't worry, Carrie. I will win against Bakura today and help you achieve the goal you have set out to do, such as I have a goal to accomplish. Though I understand he is another friend of yours, I must beat him. Surely you understand."

Carrie nodded once. "I do. Eventually, we will all have to go against our friends. If I make it to the duel before the one with Pegasus, I might have to duel Yugi…Not that I don't think you can make it that far. But before that duel, I might have to go against you or Joey or Bakura, and I won't like that much. I'll just have to grin and bear it."

"Well, if the occasion does arrive that we must face each other, I will be glad to have such a worthy opponent," Mako stated, flashing his wonderful smile.

"Thank you, Mako. I could say the same about you, but then I would just be copying what you just said."

"…How do you think Big Brother is right now…with his soul trapped in a card like that?" Mokuba inquired out of the blue, resting his chin on top of Mako's head.

"…I don't know…How do you think he is?" Carrie wanted to know.

"…I think he feels trapped and alone, but that he finds that as nothing new. If he is still the Big Brother I know and love, he is probably still more worried about my safety than his own despite the fact that Pegasus could do whatever he wants with Seto. He's staying strong for me, just like he always does…Except for when Yugi beat him in that duel, of course. But Big Brother won't just sit there in a card waiting for fate. He'll be trying anything to get out to protect me," Mokuba said.

"…I believe that's a pretty good assumption of how Rich Boy's doing," Carrie told Mokuba with a smile.

The trio continued to walk through the castle, talking about whatever popped into their heads. Mokuba felt happy and safe in their company on the shoulders of Mako, more so than he had felt with even Kaiba. He couldn't help but think of Mako as like a father and Carrie as like a mother, though they were both too young to hold the positions. They were being like parents, and to little old him, they were just perfect. Better than his adoptive parents, comparable to his real parents who had died when Mokuba and Seto were young. He couldn't help but smile while he was with these two people.

"You would make a good couple," Mokuba remarked, catching both people offguard.

Yami was immediately set off by his comment, harmless as it was. Carrie had to act fast if she didn't want an earful from her dead boyfriend.

"…Mokuba, we're just friends. Nothing more. Okay? We're best friends, like me and Yugi, and that'll never become something stronger," Carrie stated.

"Yes, I agree. Though Carrie is a very beautiful girl, I do not feel anything as strong as love for her. Okay, little buddy? No coupling here between me and her," Mako agreed.

"Oh. Sorry. It's just that if you two were to ever become more than friends, it would be a good couple. You would also be good parents. I'm already thinking of you that way despite your ages," Mokuba admitted.

"I wasn't planning on having kids," Carrie said quickly when she noticed Yami's expression that was directed at Mako. _You get jealous way too easily, you know._

"I'm flattered by your comment, Mokuba. But I haven't yet met a girl who I would like to settle down with to be a father. Carrie and I might seem like parents to you, and we shall let you continue to see us in that light, but we are also your friends. You must never forget that, okay?" Mako told him.

"Okay," Mokuba murmured. He yawned and stretched on Mako's shoulders.

"Uh-oh. Sounds like someone didn't get a lot of sleep last night," Mako assumed.

"I was up thinking about Seto most of the night."

"We'd better get you back to your room so you can make up for that. Your 'mother' and I wouldn't want you falling asleep while I was dueling, young man. Besides, your brother is getting a lot of sleep. Why shouldn't you? That way, when you both wake up, you can have all the time in the world together. I bet you'll both leave us in two days' time. Then your 'mother' and I will be all alone. If that's the way you'll want it, then we'll just turn your rooms into a gym and a storage area," Mako teased.

Mokuba laughed. "You're funny, Mako."

"And you're tired, 'son'. So let's get you back to your room."

The group made their way back to the hall they were staying in. Mako opened Mokuba's door and ducked to avoid hitting the kid's head on the doorway. He had fallen asleep on the way back, so Mako carefully removed him from his shoulders and laid the boy in his bed, pulling the sheets over him just in case it became cool. Carrie watched with a small smile. _Yup. He'll be a great father someday._

"Now I think it's time we returned to the arena. Bakura and I face off in a few minutes," Mako remarked when the door closed behind him.

"I'll be rooting for you," Carrie said. "But I'll also be rooting for Bakura."

"You double-crosser," Mako joked.

Carrie shrugged. "I just want to be on the winning side. Nothing personal."

They headed into the arena on two separate floors. Bakura was already in the red portal, and the gang was already on the second floor when they came about. Joey still wasn't there, so he must have still been looking for his card. Mako showed his and walked towards the blue portal, ready to duel. Life Points flashed two thousand and the battle began with no one cheering for anyone, since both were friends of the gang.

It was a long and gruesome duel, longer than Carrie's, but the victor was whom Carrie had suspected. Mako, who had only 300 Life Points at the duel's end, delivered the finishing blow to Bakura's Life Points, therefore eliminating Bakura from the tournament and making himself one step closer to facing Pegasus. Bakura accepted his defeat with a smile, no complaints for him. Mako turned his face towards the gang and smiled himself, glad he had won but also a little unnerved. He knew he would have to face one of them and their skills were great…and they were his friends.

How was he to overcome that?

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	22. 22 - Tristan's Time to Shine

_A/N: Okay...Obviously the last chapter wasn't a very liked one. Well, hopefully, this one will be better. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 22

Carrie glared at Bandit Keith for his last snide, very uncalled for comment. He had claimed that he could beat Mako and that Mako and Bakura hadn't deserved to make it to the finals, and he said it just as the gang was about to leave to congratulate their friends for a great duel. She couldn't believe he would say something like that in front of her, especially when they were on such bad terms. Luckily, Mako and Bakura hadn't made it up to them yet. She would hate to have seen how they would have reacted to his comment. Seeing that would have pissed her off more than she already was.

"Well, aren't you one to talk? You cheated your way in here by stealing from your thugs, not by dueling your way fair and square. And you tried to prevent my friends from getting here by trapping them in a cave and kidnapping Tea in hopes that you might do bad to Carrie. And yet you're standing here claiming that you are better than those boys who just dueled? You really are a piece of work, aren't you? A real nutcase." Mai said.

"I don't need any lip from you, bitch. You've got no skill, either, and you've got no right talking about cheating. You've pulled some tricks that were outside of the rules yourself," Bandit Keith shot back.

"Hey! Hasn't anyone taught you that it isn't nice to call a woman that word? Mai doesn't need your foul mouth spewing insults at her!" Carrie growled.

"Sweetheart, do us all a favor and shut the hell up. You know you don't stand a chance against me anymore. You weren't dueling at your best against that jackass Kaleb, and I overpowered you in a physical encounter the last time we fought. I've outranked you at last and it's only a matter of time until you're mine," Bandit Keith stated.

Carrie cringed as he reminded her of that horrible day that was just yesterday. Sadly, he was right. She hadn't been dueling at her best against Luke Kaleb. But that wasn't because she was skill-less—it was because she had been struggling to keep control of her body so she wouldn't kill Luke. Her anger came to a boil, but she wasn't able to jump in with a snappy comment before her friends said things to protect her.

"You know damn well you caught her offguard and cheated in that fight! You kidnapped Tea, for Kami's sake! To claim you have outranked her is pure bullshit, and you know that or you wouldn't be trembling right now! You're afraid she's going to lose it and kick your ass again! So why don't _you_ do us all a favor and shut the hell up?" Tristan exclaimed, completely and utterly mad at Bandit Keith's claims of being better than Carrie. No one was better than Carrie…Not after all the crap she'd been through.

"That sounds like a good suggestion to me. Just looking at him makes me sick. And he wouldn't stand a chance against Carrie now. Hell, he wouldn't even stand a chance against me," Tea remarked.

Bandit Keith sneered. "You? You're just a stupid little dancer. I took you down easy. But if you want to get a beating, I'll be happy to oblige."

"No one is going to be fighting anyone," Yugi put in authoritatively. "It's not worth the trouble, and we all know he's just bluffing. So why don't we just leave him in his fantasies and stay out of trouble? I want you all to be there when it's time for my duel, and I would hate it if Pegasus had you thrown off the island for fighting."

"He wouldn't throw me off," Carrie muttered, crossing her arms.

"We still don't want to risk it," Yugi told her.

Tea sighed. "Fine. Let's go."

The gang turned to leave when Tea heard Bandit Keith mutter a word that was rude and directed at her. She couldn't stop herself from turning around and kicking Bandit Keith in the groin so hard it knocked him over the railing of the balcony. He recovered before he could fall or receive a serious injury, but just barely. He was left to dangle on the lower part of the railing, facing one of his worst fears…of heights.

Mako and Bakura joined them when they reached their hallway again. An hour, give or take, was what they had until Mai and Yugi were supposed to duel. Mokuba was still asleep in his room—Carrie made sure Pegasus hadn't gotten to him while they were gone and that his soul was still where it belonged. Then she came out and hugged the two people that had just dueled to congratulate them for their efforts, smiling brightly despite all her pain because she was happy to be with friends.

Tristan sighed and looked away from the scene. He couldn't see why Carrie could like Mako, who she had just met during this tournament, and not him, the guy she had known almost as long as she had known Joey and Yugi. He knew she didn't love Mako, but she never hugged Tristan like she did that fisherman. The only other person she hugged like that was Yugi. What was it about Tristan that kept Carrie away from him? Was it because he wasn't a duelist, or because he had nothing really at stake in this tournament? There had to be some reason why Carrie didn't pay any attention to him.

He slipped away from the group when a small argument broke out between Mai and Tea, knowing that no one would notice his absence because he wasn't an important person in this whole thing. The brunette would have gone into Joey's room, but he heard the blonde complaining about how he couldn't find his entry card and there was no way he could try helping Joey find it again. That thing had been swiped, obviously, but his friend refused to believe that. So Tristan went into his room, believing he would be left alone in his thoughts like he usually was at times like this.

As soon as Joey and Yugi had introduced her to the gang, Tristan had known she was something special. She was the only girl he knew that could beat him in a fight, and the only girl who had been through hell and could still manage to smile. Her smile was beautiful when she let it show—Tristan tried everything he could to make her smile because he liked it so much. It was true that he told his friends that he wanted to ask her out. Hell, he had been true to his word. She had turned him down, but it was fine. He could stand rejection as long as he remained friends with Carrie.

But her choosing to appreciate other new friends more than him…He couldn't stand.

She had been more caring towards Tristan before she met Mako. When they first met and she hugged Mako, Tristan had to admit he had been a bit jealous. Carrie had never hugged him, but he convinced himself it was just because she felt sorry for the man. Then they had met again in the castle and she had hugged him many times since. She had become better friends with Joey, Yugi, Tea, Bakura, Mako, Mokuba, and even Mai and Kaiba during this whole tournament thing. Tristan was just a shadow following them on their journey.

Their last real friendly encounter had been when she was hiding in a tree with Tristan and Mokuba in case Pegasus sent his thugs to retrieve the boy while Yugi dueled 'Kaiba'. He remembered how caring she had been to Mokuba when he thought his brother had been killed, and how he had tried to lighten the mood for everyone. That had been when he asked her out, and she had denied him the opportunity. He had been crushed but blew it off by trying to guess who she liked. He had almost fallen out of the tree because of his suggestions, but it had gotten Carrie and Mokuba to laugh and smile. They had had good times before this tournament had gotten really serious.

He missed the Carrie he had…fallen in love with. The one who was serious but knew how to be funny and smile. The one who understood him as well as Joey did. The one who could pin him to the ground and not be ashamed that she was doing so in a skirt. The one with the beautiful green eyes and long blonde hair that hung in her face while she had him pinned. The one who cared about everyone and had no blood on her hands. The one that had no evil and could duel without an internal struggle. The one with anger issues that weren't life-threatening. The one who had hardly ever cried except when other people were in some sort of pain. The one who was so generous and that had nothing to lose coming into the tournament.

_Where have you gone, Carrie? Did I lose you when Bandit Keith got you yesterday...or was it long before then? Perhaps it was right after we came to Duelist Kingdom when we first encountered real danger. Or it could have been before then. I wouldn't know. I was too busy being a cheerleader,_ Tristan thought bitterly. _That's all I've really been since we've gotten here...A cheerleader. All I'm lacking is the short skirt and the pom-poms. Tea was one, too, but then she saved you from Keith and that made her a better person than me...A stronger person than me. I'm the only one you hardly pay attention to anymore. I'm just a shadow._

_You and Yugi have always been close...Inseparable, even. As soon as you met, there was a connection that none of us could touch. We teasingly called it love, and who knows? That might be true. Your bond has only grown stronger this entire tournament, and there's no way you guys will ever separate. He's the reason you dueled Kaiba after the incident with Keith...You didn't want Kaiba to break him, so you let yourself get broken instead. You'd do anything to keep Yugi safe...and he would do anything to keep you safe._

_Joey was the first friend you made when you came here from New York. There's nothing more special than the bond you share with your first friend. Though you aren't as close to him as you are to Yugi, your loyalty to him is unquestionable. You've protected him from his opponents' insults, and even from my teasing. And when we all made him mad that one time right before our encounter with Bandit Keith...You were the one that calmed him enough to bring him back to us. You care about him a great deal, too._

_Tea didn't like you very much when you first met because of how much you cared about Yugi. Anyone can see how jealous she is of how close you and Yugi are. But her outlook on you has changed. I cannot say why exactly, but whatever you two went through with that bastard Keith...It has brought you closer together. Perhaps it was because she helped you to escape his grasp and she saw that you aren't the warrior you try to be, that underneath your toughness is a girl just like her. Whatever the reason, she matters to you now more than ever before._

_Mokuba was never a target of your hate, but Kaiba was. You, just like the rest of the gang, hated Seto Kaiba with a passion. Your hatred might have been before ours, but it was just as strong. Then you find out that Pegasus wants to keep Mokuba as his manipulative pawn and kill Kaiba so he can take control of his company, and you are willing to do anything to protect Kaiba. Mokuba is understandable, but I'm having a hard time seeing what was so special about the spoiled rich kid. You risked your life for them despite how that guy treats you...how he broke you…And yet still want to protect Mokuba and save that jerk. What's with that?_

_Mai came off as a total bitch when you first came to know her. She talked down to you and Joey and pulled tricks to ensure victory. It's true that she changed after her loss to Joey, but she still didn't deserve the great lengths you went to help her. When she was attacked by Killer and her star chips were stolen, you hunted him down to get them back. You killed him...but not without receiving a fair amount of physical damage. How you managed to wake up that night and not bear any marks from the confrontation is amazing. But you risked your life to help her...And you two have become good friends._

_You're keeping a close eye on Bakura because of his Millennium Ring, and that is probably because you fear that that nightmare we had about there being an evil spirit inside of him is true. You aren't as close to him as the others, but you guys have a bond above all other bonds. You both have been taken over by evil, whether it was in a dream or in reality, and therefore you connect. It's only a matter of time until you become as close to him as you have with the others._

_And then there's Mako. The man with no family and who wants to search for his father. You connected with him because of his motives for dueling. You guys are almost as close as you and Yugi. You've gone off with him alone...Well, next to alone. Yugi and Mokuba have been present. But whatever you told Yugi, Mako heard, too. So this means you trust Mako more than most of your other friends. He probably trusts you with a lot of things, too. You guys are too close for your own good._

_And that worries me. Where do I stand in the ranks of friendship now? I think I rank at the bottom, which is probably true.. I haven't done anything to help you really. All I've done is follow orders, like protect the Kaibas or cover you when you're fighting. We haven't gotten any closer during this whole tournament. Hell, complete strangers have become better friends with you than I have. What is that saying about me? How much do I really mean to you, Carrie? Would you risk your life for me, or do anything to keep me safe, or trust me with secrets that you wouldn't trust any of your other friends with? Or am I just your backup for when you fall short of everyone else's expectations? Carrie, what am I, Tristan Taylor, to you?_

He heard someone opening his door, but didn't turn around to see who it was. He assumed it was the maid with lunch and really didn't care about her. He didn't feel hungry, anyway, which was surprising for him. Tristan was usually hungry enough to eat a whole buffet.

"What are you doing in here when all your friends are out there?"

Tristan got off his bed and turned to see Mai standing in his room. She had closed the door behind herself to give them a bit of privacy, and in her hands she held the trays of food that the maids usually came by to deliver. She looked at him intently with her violet eyes, apparently expecting an answer.

"…I needed some time alone. That's all," Tristan muttered, moving over to the couch that was right in front of a table. He took his tray of food off of Mai's hands as he went.

"I may not know you very well, Tristan, but even I can see there's something wrong with you. I'm willing to listen if you want to talk," Mai offered, joining him on the couch.

"…You wouldn't want to hear about my problems," Tristan said.

"If I didn't want to hear them, I wouldn't be here," Mai remarked. "…And I have a feeling that whatever your problems are, they involve Carrie. Is it because you've been out of the picture ever since this tournament began?"

"How did you guess?" Tristan asked.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to notice the way you look at her," Mai replied. "She's made a lot of friends and developed some strong bonds, especially with Mako. Not only that, but the friends she had coming to the island have become even better friends with her. Am I right?"

Tristan sighed. "…You're right…Except not all of her original friends have become better friends of hers. She has hardly noticed me since we've come here. I'm just her backup if things go wrong and she can't handle it. Until that happens…I'm just a shadow following the gang, accomplishing nothing important and watching my friends become the best of the best."

"…I'm sure Carrie doesn't see you that way. She's just been through a lot, and you're not the kind of guy who likes to be the center of attention. You're the kind of guy who observes and jumps in when opportunity presents itself. She'll notice you again soon. You just need to be patient and wait for her to come around," Mai told him.

"I've been waiting this whole tournament," Tristan grumbled.

"Tournaments are known for putting stress on friendships. They aren't the easiest things in the world to come through with everything remaining the way it was before. I can point out reasons why your friends have stuck out to Carrie and you haven't so you'll see why she's noticed them, for I know a lot about what you guys have done on this island, if that'll help make things clearer to you."

"Go ahead. Tell me what made everyone else stand out."

"Okay, Mr. Attitude. First off, Yugi has won every duel even when it looked like he was doomed to lose. He's a major person and Carrie couldn't help but take notice of him. Joey, as much as it pains me to admit this, has come a long way in this entire thing, becoming stronger with every duel he enters and wins. Tea was just a girl that was all talk no action, but then she came through for Carrie when she needed her most. Mako has a similar goal as the rest of you…You know, with the searching for his father. Mokuba and Kaiba needed protection from her maniac uncle, so she couldn't help but give that to them and grow closer to them. Bakura has some sort of connection to her…I think it might have to do with those golden pendants they wear around their necks. And me and Carrie have spoken before about things that she couldn't have talked to with her other friends, which is why we're close.

"We've all done something to catch Carrie's eye. But you've just sat in the shadows hoping she would come around. You've got to step up and show Carrie that you can be there for her, that you deserve her friendship. She's got heart enough for everyone, and you've already got a spot there. All you need to do is expand that spot by getting her attention again. After that, lover boy, it's a piece of cake."

"…How am I supposed to do that?"

"Well, first…You're going to have to emerge from the shadows you've been hiding in. Do something drastic like Tea did, only not under the same circumstances. If you're asking for something specific to do, I'm the wrong girl to be asking. But a little word to the wise…Don't you be trying to win her heart. She's already got it set on someone else and trying to change its direction would only ruin your friendship."

"…Yeah…I know that. She either likes Yugi or Mako, and there's no use trying to beat them out of her love. All I can do is be the best friend I can be."

"Now that's the spirit, Tristan. So…Are you ready to come out of your room and be around her even though she might possibly be hugging the hot fisherman who usually goes around without a shirt on?"

Tristan smirked at Mai's attempts to make him jealous. "Yeah. I think I'm ready."

The duo emerged from their rooms to find the gang in a tough spot. Bandit Keith had somehow gotten out of his dangling position in the dueling arena and now had Carrie backed into a corner. She was ready to fight him, but that blonde thug always came armed. He had a knife at her throat while the rest of the gang looked on helplessly. Mako and Joey, who had emerged sometime during Tristan's talk with Mai, were moving strategically with a plan to save her while Yugi and Tea distracted him with insults and comments. Mai looked a bit taken aback by the sight. Tristan was just mad.

_This is your chance to be the hero,_ Tristan thought, preparing himself to do something he never would have done before. _This is your chance to risk your life for her, your chance to get her to see how much she means to you. Look for an opening, then run to her rescue._

When he found an opening, he bolted towards Bandit Keith and Carrie. Everyone was surprised by his sudden appearance, but he paid them no attention. All he could see was Carrie and Bandit Keith, and that was all he needed to see. Mai's words of wisdom rang through his head as he jumped into action.

"_You've got to step up and show Carrie that you can be there for her, that you deserve her friendship."_

He knocked Carrie away from Bandit Keith and ducked to avoid the knife the man was trying to cut him with. Tristan grabbed that armed arm and punched Keith in the face with his free hand, knocking his sunglasses from his face at the same time.

"_Do something drastic like Tea did, only not under the same circumstances."_

Bandit Keith kneed him in the gut, making Tristan double over from the pain. The man landed a couple more blows, though he never could cut Tristan because that arm was still disabled. The brunette elbowed Bandit Keith very hard in the chest, but the man then kicked him in the arm that was restraining him. Tristan was forced to let go, leaving him wide open for a knife assault. Bandit Keith swung the blade.

"_You're the kind of guy who observes and jumps in when opportunity presents itself."_

Tristan grabbed his right arm, which had received the cut from Bandit Keith's knife. Blood began to come to the surface through his white shirt—he had taken his jacket off while in his room—staining it crimson. But Tristan didn't have time to think about his injury. He had to take out Bandit Keith. He kicked the knife out of Bandit Keith's hand and used his good arm to hit the man right under his chin. The knife clattered on the ground a couple feet away from the battle, of no use to the blonde anymore as he suffered the effects of Tristan's rage.

"_She's got heart enough for everyone, and you've already got a spot there. All you need to do is expand that spot by getting her attention again."_

All it took was one more kick and Bandit Keith was on his ass. That was when Pegasus's guards finally decided to show up. They grabbed the blonde thug and took him away to face their master, bringing his weapon with them. Tristan caught his breath, clutching his bleeding arm as he did so, too disoriented to think about anything at that moment.

"Tristan, are you okay?" Carrie asked, running over to his side with concern in her eyes.

"…Yeah…I'm fine…It was just a scratch," Tristan lied.

"No you're not! You got your arm cut by that bastard! We've got to get you some medical help before that gets infected or something," Carrie stated.

Mai smiled. _Tristan, I think you just got Carrie's attention. What you did was stupid and dangerous...but it worked. Nice going, lover boy._

Tristan noticed Mai's expression as he tried to convince Carrie he was fine and smiled himself. He had done something life-threatening, got his arm severely hurt, and it had all been worth it. Carrie was all over him, like he had always wanted. Sure, it wasn't the way he had really wanted her to be, but friend love was better than no love. So he would just have to accept this…and agree to her demands before she threw him over her shoulder and took him to a hospital like she was threatening to do.

* * *

Not so long afterwards, Tristan stood on the second floor of the dueling arena with his friends as Yugi and Mai prepared to duel. As it turned out, Pegasus had his own personal doctor living in the castle with his own personal medical supplies. Tristan had been treated and it was discovered that more damage was done than he had thought. The bone had been hit and a small fracture had resulted from the impact. So the doctor ordered Tristan to keep his arm in a sling, disinfected the cut, and bandaged him up just in time for the tall brunette to watch his friends duel.

He wished both Mai and Yugi luck, but he knew that Yugi would win without a doubt. Yugi had to in order to save Grandpa—that was the whole reason they had even come to this tournament. Mai was a nice woman and all, but she just couldn't win against Yugi.

Carrie stood beside him the whole time they watched their friends duel. This was something he wasn't used to, but he didn't mind it at all. She was grateful for him saving her from Bandit Keith, and he knew their friendship would become better because of his life-risking rescue. His love for her would also grow, but he would keep that to himself for both of their sakes.

Bandit Keith had been severely punished for what he had done to Pegasus's niece, but had not been eliminated from the tournament. He had just been searched for weapons, had his fancy room taken from him, and had to stay in a cell until it was his turn to duel against Joey. Tristan thought he had gotten off easy for holding Carrie at knifepoint, but he couldn't complain about it to Pegasus. That man might take his soul if he did.

Mai pulled out some great cards and played honorably. She almost beat Yugi, too. But as always, he managed to come out on top. He defeated her Harpie's Pet Dragon with Black Luster Soldier, which did it for her. She had no Monster strong enough to take out Yugi's Monster, so she forfeited in order to save herself from watching the Harpies be destroyed. She was now eliminated from the tournament. Only one more duel was left for that day, and that would take place in less than an hour.

"That duel was too close," Carrie stated.

"Yeah. It's a shame that Mai didn't get any farther in this tournament," Tristan agreed.

"She was a great duelist. Made us female duelists look tough," Carrie concurred.

"Yup. Well…I'd better go check on Joey and see if he's found his card. It's almost time for him to duel, and we don't want him losing to Bandit Keith before he even plays his first card," Tristan remarked, turning to leave.

"Let me come with you," Carrie said.

"…What about the others?" Tristan asked.

"Oh, don't you worry about us. We were going to have ourselves a look around the place, anyway. You and Carrie have fun helping Joey look for that card, okay? We'll see you soon," Mako told him as the rest of the group walked away.

When they came to Joey's room, he was absolutely ecstatic. Mai had come to his rescue and given him her entry card, for it no longer was any use to her. He swore Bandit Keith had something to do with the disappearance of the card Yugi had given him, which could be the only truth because no one else would have stolen it.

Carrie slipped away to let Tristan and Joey talk about guy stuff, knowing that Joey would probably chew her taller friend out for pulling a stunt like the one he pulled. She knew Tristan had done so because of his feelings for her and perhaps because of her not noticing him as much, and even though his motives weren't as good as they could have been, she was glad he had done so. She only regretted that he had been injured during the fight. Yami couldn't have jumped in to take Tristan's place because he was holding back the evil that wanted to take over and eliminate Bandit Keith, or else none of that would have happened. But it was pointless to wonder about that now that the situation had been resolved by Tristan. She could only move forward.

She found Mai with a bag over her shoulder right outside of her room. The blonde woman looked like she might hit the road right then and there. Carrie was reluctant to see her go. She hated to admit it, but having Mai around was great. The woman was just like every other member of the gang, and for her to leave would be a terrible loss.

"Leaving so soon?" Carrie inquired, startling Mai.

"Yeah. I don't see the point in sticking around when I can't participate any longer. Besides, I've got to get back to my job if I don't want to be evicted. My landlord's already getting on me for paying last month's rent late. I wouldn't be surprised if he threw me out while I was gone," Mai replied.

"What do you mean?" Carrie wanted to know.

"Well, I have two jobs and a crappy apartment I can barely afford. One of my jobs is working at a fast-food restaurant and the other is at a casino. Both pay next to nothing and help me get by even less. I guess you could say I've fallen on some rough times lately. I was counting on this tournament to pay off my debts and perhaps get a better place to live. But that was before I encountered the three best duelists in the world and got eliminated. Well, it's not your fault and I shouldn't burden you with my troubles. I guess I'll be seeing you, Carrie. Good luck tomorrow," Mai said, turning to leave.

"…Wait, Mai." The blonde woman stopped and looked over her shoulder at Carrie. "I live with Jessica and that's it. Kaiba got us a house that is way too big for just two people, and well…If you really need a place to stay, you can come live with us when this tournament's over. Would you be interested in living with two teenagers in a house with two stories and enough space for Harpie's Pet Dragon to come in and still have room to breathe?"

Mai smiled. "It sounds…doable. I would be forever grateful for such a generous gesture."

"Then I guess you'll have to stick around a little longer."

"I guess I could deal with that."

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. Yeah, this was kinda a Tristan chapter since I've been neglecting him a bit. Not a lot of action, but oh well. That's what happens with filler chapters. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	23. 23 - Contemplation

_A/N: Thanks to those of you that reviewed. Here's another chapter. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 23

The next duel was one of the closest Carrie had ever watched. Bandit Keith hadn't been the Intercontinental Champion of dueling for nothing. But he was outmatched by Joey at almost every turn. Even with a little rule-bending, the thug lost to Joey. Grandpa had trained him well, turning him from the most pathetic duelist into one of the greatest. She was even beginning to wonder if she could beat him if they matched up for a duel.

Bandit Keith was so enraged by his loss to Joey—he hadn't even expected to have to duel the little twerp. He tried to claim that Joey had cheated because the entry card he used wasn't his, but that got thrown right back at him. Pegasus had two of his men take Bandit Keith away from his sight, but the thug would not have it. He fought his way free and ran at Pegasus, only stopping when he stood beside the man. Croquet did not raise a finger to aid his master despite the danger presented by the situation. Everyone else watched to see what would happen between these two evil men.

"…Well, aren't you the foolish one? You cheat your way into my castle, try to rape my niece more than once, hold her at knifepoint, hurt her friends, cheat in the semi-finals, and yet you still think you can make demands," Pegasus said without opening his eyes.

"Enough talk! Hand over the prize money right now!" Bandit Keith demanded. "Or else!"

"Or else what? You were disarmed earlier after holding my niece captive," Pegasus pointed out.

"I could kill you without a weapon if I wanted to! So you'd better not test me!" Bandit Keith growled.

"All right. Just give me a moment to overcome this trauma of you attacking me so violently like this," Pegasus taunted, obviously being sarcastic.

"Fine, wise guy! You've got until the count of three!"

"All right. One two three." As soon as he said three, Pegasus pushed down on a button on the floor with his shoe. A trapdoor opened underneath Bandit Keith, causing him to disappear from sight. Throughout the castle, his screams could be heard as the trapdoor ejected him from the castle to the ocean. He hit the waters in a non-fatal way, unfortunately. At least he would no longer be a nuisance to anyone.

"Phew! For a minute there, I thought Pegasus was a goner," Carrie murmured.

"No way. Pegasus knows what everyone is going to do before they do it. He probably saw that Bandit Keith was going to attack him and let it happen so he could get rid of him in a more flashy way. At least that bastard won't be a big threat to you anymore," Tristan remarked.

"And you won't be so stupid as to jump in his way again," Tea teased. "Think with the head with the brain next time instead of the one with testosterone."

"Hey! I was thinking with my brain! I thought Carrie, my _friend_, needed saving, so I saved her! It wasn't because of my feelings, Tea! So shut up!" Tristan exclaimed, glaring at the brunette girl.

"Oh, calm down, Tristan. She was just teasing," Carrie said with a smile.

_**Pegasus knows a little too much about what has happened to you, don't you think?**_

_It doesn't surprise me. He has cameras everywhere. He's just too lazy to get off his butt to do something about what he sees. Rich people are like that. Rich evil people are worse than that._

"Now that we have eliminated the weakest links from the tournament, we shall decide who duels who tomorrow for the chance to face Maximillion Pegasus," Croquet announced, drawing their attention back to him and his master. A holographic computer screen popped out of the dueling arena with pictures of each of the remaining duelists. It randomly put them on a bracket to show the matches for tomorrow. "The first duel will be Carrie West versus Mako Tsunami. The second duel will be Yugi Muto versus Joey Wheeler. The victors of these duels will go against each other immediately after the matches. Then that victor will be King or Queen of Games, will win the prize money, and will get to compete in a duel against Master Pegasus. You are dismissed to rest up for tomorrow's matches."

_Damn...Why did it have to put me against Mako? Stupid machines...Always conspiring against me, _Carrie thought bitterly.

_**You were going to have to duel against your friends eventually. The rules won't let more than one person face Pegasus,**_ Yami reminded her.

_Yeah, but I was hoping to go against Joey. He's not as good a friend to me as Yugi and Mako. And he's not...No wait. I take it back. He is as good a duelist as them._

_**And when you beat Joey, you still would have to go against Yugi or Mako. There's no getting out of it. No one said this tournament was going to be easy, you know.**_

_(Sigh.) I know. I just don't like the idea of eliminating my good friends who all have a real reason for being here. It feels like I'm crushing their dreams. I mean, I know we're all fighting for the same thing in the end, but it all feels wrong. Pitting friends against friends...And there's no telling what my evil might do during those duels. And all of this might put a strain on our relationship._

_**We've been through worse together. I won't ever leave you …I wouldn't even if it were possible. No duel is going to separate us.**_

_I wouldn't get too cocky if I were you. Anything could happen when we face Pegasus in the Shadow Realm. And I do mean anything._

"Well, it looks like we're going into battle on opposite sides, Carrie," Mako said, coming over to her side and taking her away from Yami. "I look forward to our match tomorrow. Just don't go easy on me cuz that would just insult me."

Carrie smiled. "I wasn't planning on insulting you. I never allow anyone to walk all over me in a duel, not even Kaiba when I lost that duel to him. We're pitted against each other, there's no getting out of it, so let's just make the most of it and test our skills against the other. Tomorrow, the best duelist will emerge victorious…if even just for a little while. No matter who it is, I just hope our friendship will remain intact."

"No duel could damage our bond," Mako stated. "Good luck tomorrow."

"Same to you."

"Thanks. Now if you'll excuse me, I must prepare for the most difficult duel I will ever enter. See you guys later."

"You've got a tough match ahead of you tomorrow," Tristan remarked, magically at her side after the fisherman had left. He put a friendly arm around Carrie's shoulder—she assumed both arms might have been on her had the other not been injured. She smiled up at him before returning her gaze to where it had been.

"Yeah…At least my match won't be as huge as Yugi and Joey's. Those two are closer than brothers, and already they have to face one another," Carrie pointed out.

"This tournament isn't gonna get any easier. If you win against Mako and Yugi wins against Joey, then you'll have to face each other. Imagine how difficult that'll be for both of you. I mean, you guys are inseparable. You are always acting with his best interest in mind, and he's always worrying his spiky head off about you. The trust you guys have can't be compared to anything. Any problems or secrets either of you have are shared with each other, and if we ever find out it's a miracle. Two friends like that becoming rivals…That's hard to imagine. But I bet it'll be hard on the both of you," Tristan told her knowingly as he looked down at her.

"Let's not think about that until we cross that bridge," Carrie murmured.

"I'm sorry if I've upset you," Tristan apologized.

"No, no. You didn't upset me, really. I just would rather not think about taking down my friends in a duel right now. All those sad thoughts can strike me down at ten tomorrow and leave me alone for today. You're great, Tristan. Never think otherwise," Carrie ordered teasingly.

"Hey, you guys! Pegasus has dinner set up in this big fancy dining room! Hurry up or you're not gonna get any!" Joey exclaimed from the hall not too far from them.

Tristan almost took off after him, but then he remembered Carrie and stayed put. She laughed at his attempts to ignore his unnaturally large hunger as she brushed his arm off of her. He really was a great guy who loved her despite her lack of feelings for him. If running at a man with a knife and not running towards food didn't prove it, nothing ever would. She couldn't have better friends.

"Go ahead. You know you want to," she urged.

"Well, since you're giving me permission…" Tristan didn't finish his sentence, for he took off after his other blonde best friend in order to get food before Joey devoured it all.

Carrie giggled again and walked after him, in no particular hurry to join her friends. Pegasus watched her, as he hadn't moved from his throne, and he wondered at her happiness. After everything she had been through during the tournament and even before it, she should have been bitter and depressed. What kept her smiling and what caused her to have a slight bounce in her step? He couldn't decide between Yugi and the spirit within the Puzzle, for both held a special place in her heart. Well, it wasn't so important for him to find out. Tomorrow, he might have to destroy her in the Shadow Realm, and then there would be no more happiness for her. In fact, Carrie Alyson West would be no more if they had to duel. The Shadow Realm would devour her completely.

With a small grim smile, the silver-haired man stood and headed to his private quarters.

* * *

Yugi had never seen Joey and Tristan react so violently over food before and was glad that Tea and Mai were there to keep the boys under control. Joey had been stuffing himself like crazy until Tristan appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the blonde around the throat with his good arm. They had started fighting for their right to pig out—Yugi had to avoid being trampled more than once because of their behavior. But then Mai and Tea jumped in, grabbing a boy by the ear and pulling them apart away from the food. The woman had lectured them for their rudeness; this was time-consuming enough for everyone else to get something on their plates. Then they were allowed at the food again, but they didn't stuff themselves as before because of Mai's glare.

Carrie had arrived sometime during the chaos, but though she ate, there wasn't that much on her plate. Yugi knew she was a light eater, but she had never starved herself like this. He wasn't the first person to notice or take action. Mai's violet eyes caught everything.

"You need to get some meat on those bones! You'd better get some more on your plate right now, or I'm going to take that platter of food…" At this point, she pointed at said fancy platter of food. "…and shove it down your throat!" Mai threatened. "And Joseph! Put that down! You've had enough to feed all the homeless in the world!"

"Yeah, well…Maybe I eat more than all the homeless in the world!" Joey countered.

Mai and Joey began a heated argument over his eating habits. Carrie took advantage of that and slipped away from the table. No one else noticed, not even Mako and Tristan, but Yugi did. He was very concerned about her, so he followed. He left just in time—Mai had grabbed Joey's head and dunked him face first into a hot bowl of soup.

The blonde girl walked through the halls in silence without being aware of her short follower. Just like Pegasus, it amazed Yugi that she could still walk with her head held high and a slight bounce in her step. If any other person had been through the hell she had endured, they would have crumbled. What kept her going? What made her stronger than everyone else when it came to all those perilous situations? Perhaps it was her love for Yami, or perhaps it was her huge heart that sealed away her pain so she could help others with their problems. Perhaps it was just who she was and there was no reason for her strength other than that. Who knew; who would ever know?

She came to the room she was staying in and opened the door. It remained open even when she was inside. Yugi wasn't sure if this meant she knew he was there or that she felt she was safe now that Bandit Keith was gone. He knew it would be rude to enter without permission, but she had done it often enough to him. She could forgive him this once for not knocking. He walked in after her—she was standing outside now. The room she had been given had a balcony on the side, which was where she was. She leaned against the railing and looked out at the setting sun, ignorant of the slightly chilled wind that was caressing her bare arms.

He walked silently onto the balcony and stood beside her. No words passed through his lips; they just stood in silence. Another day was ending, leaving him full of questions about what tomorrow would bring. Would his quest to save Grandpa continue, or would Joey or Carrie or even Mako put a stop to it by beating him in a duel? Would he get to face Pegasus? Would Pegasus release all the stolen souls when he was defeated? What would happen when Pegasus dueled the victor? Would the duel be in the Shadow Realm again? Would everything be the way it should have been come the end of tomorrow? So many questions…and no answers as of yet.

"…I don't feel good," Carrie murmured suddenly, gaining Yugi's attention. "That's why I didn't eat very much. My nerves are getting to me…Butterflies in the stomach and whatnot. Just didn't feel like admitting that to everyone at dinner…That's why I left."

"I know what you mean," Yugi said. "With so much at stake during tomorrow's duels, it wouldn't surprise me if everyone's in your place."

"Grandpa, Kaiba, Jessie, and Alyssa's souls. Serenity's vision. Mako's father. Their fates all rest on our shoulders. We're all fighting for the same things, but it's all going to be on who favors what cause more. Me and you…We fight for almost the same thing. You just favor Grandpa and I favor Jessie. Joey is fighting for his sister, of course. And Mako fights for the chance of finding his father. Three people's dreams are going to come crashing down before the duel with Pegasus. What fun," Carrie muttered.

"Whoever faces Pegasus is going to have a tough time beating him," Yugi put in.

"He cheats with that Millennium Eye, reading people's minds so he knows what card they're going to play. If Yami and I can find a way to counter that, I'm sure we could take him down. 'Course, if you manage to get to the ultimate battle, then you and Yami could figure it out in my place. It wouldn't be cheating to use another person…And even if it was, it would just be countering what Pegasus is doing."

"…It's probably going to come down to you and me, you know."

"What? Do you have so little faith in the abilities of Joey and Mako to beat us?"

"It's not that I don't think they could beat us if they tried. It's just that we've got more experience than Joey and more on the line than Mako. He may be a good friend of yours, but I know you're not going to let up on him just because of your bond. Joey and I are very close, but I can promise you that we're not going to go easy on each other. I expect the same when you and I face off."

"…Hearing you say that almost makes me want to lose to Mako."

"Why's that?"

"…I never thought I would have to duel my best friend. Yugi, I don't want to sound conceited. I really don't. But…I am the niece of Maximillion Pegasus, creator of Duel Monsters whose sister is my mother. He gave me cards that could wipe out most of the cards in your deck. The deck I've been using isn't made of the most powerful cards I've got. My real deck would be unstoppable. And I don't want to test your skills against mine. I was bred to duel, to take out opponents in the blink of an eye. And…I don't want to do that to you."

"If your deck's as good as you claim, then that should be more of a reason to defeat Mako."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because then if you manage to beat me, you'll have a fighting chance against Pegasus. Your deck might be the only one that could rival his own. There's only one way to find out. And that's for you to beat your opponents."

"…It'll be very difficult, but you're right. Tomorrow…The best duelist will win this tournament. And that duelist will stop Pegasus's reign of torment on the good people in this world."

* * *

A few hours later, Tristan gathered Bakura and Tea in the dueling arena. Since so many of his friends were to duel the next day, he wanted to make sure there was no possible way for Pegasus to cheat his way into another victory like he had done with Seto Kaiba. They left the others alone—Mokuba was too young to be up so late, Mai was angry at Joey and would have taken her anger out on them, and the others had to rest up for their duels. So the trio checked everywhere for any camera or something that could have tipped off their host as to what Kaiba's cards had been.

They spotted a hole above the high doorway that let in the moonlight. It was in just the right place for someone to see the cards in a duelist's hand. Despite his injured arm, Tristan climbed up to look through the hole to see what was behind it. In the distance was a tower that was at just the right height for someone to hide in it and spy. Tristan found it suspicious and told his friends they ought to check it out.

So there they were, scaling the roof of the castle and climbing up a rope to the top of the tower. Tea and Bakura were completely frightened, and they weren't even injured. What awaited them when they got inside was something they would never have forgotten…if someone didn't make them forget.

* * *

Carrie returned to her room after tucking in Mokuba, ready to call it a night so she could spend time with her beloved. She had to admit, sleeping with the Puzzle on wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world to do, but being in Yami's arms made it worth the discomfort. Besides, he would help her to forget about tomorrow until tomorrow actually came around.

She pulled her deck out of her pocket and placed it on the dresser beside the other deck in her possession. That deck belonged to a boy that hadn't gotten the chance to participate because of little Mokuba. She still remembered what he looked like and planned on returning his property once this tournament came to a close. The two star chips she had stolen from Killer's body sat on top of the deck; they, too, would be given to the kid.

The blonde saw something else on the dresser out of the corner of her eye. To her surprise, it was the Blue Eyes White Dragon card…One of the three left in existence, no thanks to Kaiba. She had no idea how it had ended up in her room. Pegasus now had Kaiba's deck in his possession, and he would never give Carrie a card that might help her win against her adversaries and possibly him. So how…?

Her question was answered by writing on the dresser. The writing was done in the dust that had collected on the wood, yet it looked like handwriting…Kaiba's handwriting.

"**Take care of Mokuba for me...and beat the man responsible for...everything...to release us from this torment."** That was what the dust said.

"_...I think he feels trapped and alone, but that he finds that as nothing new. If he is still the Big Brother I know and love, he is probably still more worried about my safety than his own despite the fact that Pegasus could do whatever he wants with Seto. He's staying strong for me, just like he always does...But Big Brother won't just sit there in a card waiting for fate. He'll be trying anything to get out to protect me."_

_I guess Mokuba was right, _Carrie thought as she placed Blue Eyes in her deck. _Kaiba didn't just wait for fate to run its course. He did whatever he could to ensure Mokuba's safety and his freedom. I just hope his faith in me wasn't ill-placed._

_**He's faced your skills and would have lost that duel had you not been forced to lose. He knows you can defeat Pegasus. Why else would he give you one of his most valuable cards? And I personally don't think his faith is ill-placed,**_ Yami told her.

_Of course you would say that. You're my boyfriend. You have to say things like that._

_**I was saying these things before we were in a relationship.**_

_So what? That just meant you were a very good friend. Let me just put it this way. Friends and boyfriends are supposed to compliment their friend or girlfriend cuz that's the way this world works. Okay?_

She kicked off her shoes and sat on her bed, tired but not up to sleeping as of yet. The clock read nine thirty-five. If she had been in Domino City, she would have just gotten home from Kaiba's corporation and be heading to bed. But this was different. Her anxiety was keeping her awake. Even her desire to spend time with Yami in the Puzzle couldn't get her to lay down and close her eyes. Tomorrow would be upon her shortly, and arriving tired to a duel could be the difference between victory and defeat. For a few minutes, she just stared at the ceiling in the dark, listening to Yami as he planned for tomorrow. He wouldn't be dueling—Carrie was doing the rest of this tournament all on her own—but he could come in handy when it came to Mako's moves. Of course, he was already thinking ahead and plotting about her possible duels with Yugi and Pegasus. He didn't know every card in her deck as she had made additions earlier that day when he wasn't paying attention, but he was a quick learner. Tomorrow, he would come in handy even if the cards weren't in his hand.

"…Will you help Yugi as well? I mean, if he needs it during his duel with Joey?" Carrie asked suddenly, catching Yami offguard.

"If that is what you want me to do, then I will," Yami replied.

"…If I have to duel him, I probably will hand the Puzzle over to someone else in order to be fair. Yugi and I have both used you…and the only other person who has is Tea. It wouldn't be fair for me to have you at my disposal when Yugi will be out there alone. Would you be fine if I handed you over to Tea during that duel?" Carrie inquired.

"Yes," Yami told her hesitantly. "I understand why you would want to do so, even if being separated from you would be difficult."

"Thank you for understanding, then. You're a great guy, even if you are dead," Carrie said with a smile in his direction.

Yami went to speak again, but then he noticed her eyes were closed and her breathing was lighter than before. He smiled before retreating into the Millennium Puzzle where she was waiting for him. The night was spent with her in his arms, an occasional kiss, and light conversation. Carrie's heart was ablaze the whole time.

The next day began uneventfully up to the start of Carrie and Mako's duel. Tristan, Tea, and Bakura seemed a little different than before, but she passed it off as them all having 'bad dreams' and hoped it was nothing serious. Everyone else was normal and ready for this tournament to be over with. They all wanted to get out of this God-forsaken castle with the crazy man that just happened to be Carrie's uncle.

At ten on the dot, Carrie stood on the blue side of the dueling arena directly across from Mako. Their friends were on the second floor as always, watching them. Pegasus and Croquet were in their usual spots as well. Everyone was waiting.

"Let's duel," Mako said, "and may the best duelist win."

Carrie smiled. "Let's duel."

They drew their hands and began the very difficult battle they had been forced to enter. The evil was always trying to take over now, but with Yami's assistance she was able to keep it at bay. Mako was far from a pushover with his sea creature Monsters, but like Yugi had predicted, Carrie managed to come out on top. It might have been because she had more heart or perhaps because she had a better deck. There was no telling what the real reason for her victory was. But she won, Mako lost, and he was still a good sport about it.

Shortly thereafter, Yugi and Joey were in the same position. Carrie had lent him the Millennium Puzzle, but she knew for a fact that Yugi had dueled the whole time without letting Yami take over, for his eyes remained violet. The duel was close to the very end; Joey had really improved since coming to Duelist Kingdom. But in the end, Yugi emerged victorious if somewhat a little teary-eyed. Their friendship was untouched by this whole battle—they were still closer than brothers despite the stress present throughout this whole tournament.

Now Carrie would have to face Yugi…Her best friend. He still had Exodia, thanks to her, and that card set was next to unstoppable. Her deck was strong, but her heart was weaker. How could she defeat her best friend in battle to take down Pegasus?

How could she?

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. Sorry I took so long to update. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. Also, should Carrie or Yugi duel against Pegasus?_


	24. 24 - Go Down, Pegasus!

_A/N: Sorry I take so long to update. I have other stories, homework, and high school to deal with, so sometimes it's hard to get back to this wonderful story. Here's the next chapter. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 24

Carrie took the red side as her own for this duel, feeling that it was only right for someone as kind as Yugi to use the blue side. Neither one of them wore the Millennium Puzzle around their necks; beforehand, Carrie had handed it over to Tea for safekeeping. She had been reluctant to let go of Yami, if even for just a little while, but she knew it wouldn't be fair to Yugi if she had an ancient spirit on her side and he didn't. Her deck was set, ready to be played to its fullest. She had added more powerful cards to it in order to prove she hadn't lied about her resources. If Yugi managed to last ten minutes against her deck, it would be a miracle.

_This whole scenario reminds me of Frontline by Pillar, _Carrie thought as she waited for Croquet to start the duel. The words popped into her head, and if she hadn't been in such a serious situation, she might have sung them. But she was and therefore she didn't. The only person that heard the lyrics was her…And perhaps that jerk Pegasus who could read minds, but he hardly mattered.

_It's not like I'm walking alone into the valley of the shadow of death. Stand beside one another, cuz it ain't over yet. I'd be willing to bet that if we don't back down, you and I will be the ones holding the crown in the end. When it's over, we can say well done. But not yet cuz it's only begun. So pick up, and follow me. We're the only ones to fight this thing until we've won. We drive on and don't look back. It doesn't mean we can't learn from our past. All the things that we might have done wrong...We could've been doing this all along. Everybody with your fists raised high, let me hear your battle cry tonight! Stand beside or step aside. We're on the frontline. And we'll be carrying on until the day it doesn't matter anymore. Step aside, you forgot what this is for. We fight to live, we live to fight...And tonight you'll hear my battle cry. We live our lives on the frontlines. We're not afraid of the fast times. These days have opened up my eyes, and now I see where the threat lies._

Tea, Joey, Tristan, and Bakura were the only ones up on the second floor of the room. The other three—Mai, Mako, and Mokuba—hadn't appeared for a reason only Carrie knew and she wasn't willing to think lest her uncle tap into her mind. She tried to block out thoughts of her friends and focus on the duel, remembering how she had been in all of her previous tournaments.

"May the best duelist win," Yugi said from his side of the arena, smiling.

Carrie did not reply—she just nodded her head once in acknowledgement of his words. Her face was expressionless and her eyes were hard. Yugi had never really seen Carrie become like this and couldn't help but be a little shocked by her new attitude. Perhaps this was how she was coping with having to duel him, her best friend. Or perhaps this was how she coped with the finals of dueling tournaments. He had no way of knowing for sure which was true, if they both were not so.

Croquet commanded them to start. Two thousand Life Points appeared on either side of the two duelists as they held their five-card hand. Carrie went first and drew her card.

"…I play Obnoxious Celtic Guard in Attack Mode," Carrie murmured, placing the card onto the field. A Warrior Monster that looked exactly like Celtic Guardian appeared in the arena. "…I lay two cards facedown. Your turn."

_Obnoxious Celtic Guard? I've never heard of that Monster, _Yugi thought, looking at the Monster that his friend had played as he drew his card. _The attack and defense is just the same as the regular Celtic Guardian...But I'm sure it must have some special effect to it. Still, I should be able to take it out with Summoned Skull. Just as long as I play it safe with her facedown cards, that is._

"I play Summoned Skull in Attack Mode, and follow that by laying a card facedown," Yugi declared. The muscle-and-bone Fiend appeared on the field, facing the elf Warrior head-on. Yugi then ordered the Monster to attack.

Carrie made no move to flip her facedown cards over. Eleven hundred of her Life Points disappeared, bringing her total down to nine hundred. Yugi found it odd that she didn't even flinch over the loss of such a large amount of Life Points. Was she even trying to beat him? Where were her amazing cards she had told him about? Did she want him to win and that was why she was going so easy on him?

Then he saw it.

The smoke cleared to reveal her Monster was still on the field. Her Life Points had taken the damage as usual, but Obnoxious Celtic Guard was still ready to fight. That must have been the difference between him and Celtic Guardian.

"…I end my turn."

Carrie drew a card from her deck before making her next move. "…I activate one of my facedowns…Dian Keto the Cure Master…to return a thousand of my Life Points back where they belong. You still have a slim lead. I play Chaos Command Magician and equip Book of Secret Arts to him, bringing his Attack from 2400 to 2700. Attack, Chaos."

The magician in dark green-blue armor did as he was told. Yugi quickly flipped over his facedown Trap, Mirror Force, to save Summoned Skull and destroy Carrie's cards. But then she turned over her other card, and it was a Trap that destroyed Mirror Force and negated its effect. Summoned Skull ended up being sent to the Graveyard by Chaos Command Magician's attack, only the process of destroying it had cost both players valuable cards that could have been of use later. Yugi's Life Points were down to eighteen hundred while Carrie had nineteen hundred.

"I lay down one more card and end my turn."

Yugi then drew a card. He didn't understand why Carrie had not told her other Monster, the Obnoxious Celtic Guard, to attack after she had eliminated Summoned Skull and left him without a defense. Perhaps she wanted this duel to drag on. Then again, maybe not. He could see her fighting the evil inside of her, though she hid her struggle extremely well, and knew it was harder to do now that she didn't have Yami to help her. How much of a distraction could such a mental battle be during such a prestigious duel? It would have been better had she kept the Millennium Puzzle for her sake, but she would have seen it as an unfair advantage. Would she be able to keep in control this whole duel, or would she be taken over? There was no telling what would happen.

"I play Gaia the Fierce Knight in Attack Mode. And, just to make it so your Chaos Magician doesn't have more attack power, I'll activate the Spellbinding Circle. Your Monster loses 700 Attack Points and cannot attack this turn. Now Gaia, attack her magician and send him off the field."

The knight on the back of a purple horse charged at the magician who was restrained by a magical ring. Carrie quickly turned over her Trap Card, Remove Negate Attack, to save her Monster. Gaia's charge was fruitless—Yugi laid down a card, turned his Monster into Defense Mode, and ended his turn.

Carrie sacrificed Obnoxious Celtic Guard to summon the Beast-Warrior Monster by the name of Beast King Barbaros. It had 3000 attack and 1200 defense with the effect that if a Monster was used as a Tribute to bring it onto the field, every card in Yugi's control would be destroyed. The freaky-looking card took out Gaia with its effect, leaving Yugi wide open for an attack. But she chose not to attack and instead set another card down. Then she activated the Spell Card Remove Trap to get rid of Spellbinding Circle and ended her turn.

On Yugi's next turn, he drew the left leg of Exodia. Exodia had been the only way he had defeated Kaiba in their duel that felt like it had been fought so long ago. With the front that Carrie was putting up, he might need the rare cards to beat her…_if_ he was going to beat her. Hardly any of the Monsters in his deck could take out her Beast King. But he wasn't going to give up. Until he could draw all five pieces of Exodia, he would have to place defensively. He played Mystical Elf in Defense Mode and ended his turn.

Carrie picked up the top card from her deck and was satisfied with the card she had gotten. She laid down White Magician Pikeru, a Spellcaster with 1200 attack and 0 defense and an effect. For every Monster on her side of the Field, her Life Points would increase by four hundred. She now had thirty-one hundred while Yugi was still at eighteen hundred. Chaos Command Magician took out Mystical Elf and her turn was ended when she could have ended the duel right then and there.

"You're going easy on me," Yugi accused, irritated by her missed opportunities. "You could have finished this duel right then, but you didn't. Why didn't you attack? Why are you holding back?"

At first, she was too deep into her dueling attitude and to reply, not to mention her distracting struggle against her dark side. But she eventually did give him an answer because she knew he wouldn't continue the duel until she spoke. "…I'm not going easy on you. I'm just not going to destroy you so early in our duel. I am sorry if you think I am going easy on you, but that's not really what I'm doing. I just want to see…if you could possibly come back from such a beating…like you usually do."

_A duelist showing mercy when victory was just within her grasp...That __**is**__ something new,_ Pegasus thought with a smirk. _My little Care-Bear is nothing like her mother was...or how her mother trained her to be. Sure, she may not speak much like she did in her other tournaments, but everything else about her dueling has changed since she's made friends. They have been good for her. Imagine how crushed she'll be when they're taken from her._ With that evil thought, he chuckled evilly to himself.

* * *

Mako rowed the oars of the boat he had stolen, paying no attention to anyone else. He was just focused on getting himself, Mai, and Mokuba away from Duelist Kingdom as his blonde friend had requested that he do. He recalled her confrontation of him and the adult female not too long ago.

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_Carrie walked over to Mako and Mai after Yugi and Joey's duel had concluded. She asked them to come with her in order to be out of earshot of the others. Right away, the fisherman knew whatever she was about to tell them was serious. If it hadn't been, she wouldn't have cared if her other friends had overheard. What she was about to tell them was very important and concerned their safety._

"_I want you two to take Mokuba and get off the island," Carrie said once they were safely away from the others._

"_Why?" Mai asked, not seeing the reason for her request._

"_How?" Mako inquired. He could see no possible escape routes that Pegasus's guards didn't have access to._

"_Pegasus wants Mokuba to use as a tool for taking over Kaiba Corp. and Kaiba is kinda too soulless to take care of his little brother right now. Pegasus will do anything to emerge from this tournament victorious. Who knows? He might end up doing something to you guys in order to get at me and Yugi," Carrie replied. "I would be telling the others that they should go with you, but they would never abandon us—they're too stubborn and arguing with them would be pointless. And to answer how you will escape...There is a portage unguarded near the east coast of this island. Alyssa used to use it to sneak away from Pegasus when he grew overly weird and helicopters were not an option. You guys should be able to sneak away there without any trouble."_

"_We don't want to abandon you, either. Right now, you need us more than ever. There's so much on the line for everyone...In order to pull through all of this, you're going to need all the support you can get," Mai remarked._

"_I don't want more on the line than there already is. If I can eliminate options for his Millennium Eye, then there's less of a chance of him stealing other souls from me," Carrie told her._

"_Will you be fine if we do as you ask?" Mako wanted to know._

"_...Yes. No matter what happens in the battle against Pegasus, I will be content knowing that I helped to prevent him from stealing three souls, even if my own is lost," Carrie stated. "...Once you get back to the mainland, find the game shop in Domino City. That's where Yugi's grandfather works. With any luck, he'll be back on the job soon and we'll be returning to you within a day. But if you don't hear from any of us in at least two days, expect the worst and leave town with Mokuba. Here's my savings account information in case things go awry and you need money to run. I pray it won't come to this."_

"_Mako, are you actually going to let her send us away?" Mai demanded as the blue-haired fisherman pocketed the slip of paper with Carrie's savings account information on it. She was very opposed to the idea._

"_...What else can we do? Mokuba is in trouble. If there's a possibility that we can keep him out of the hands of an evil man, then we must act upon it. And we can't do that if we stay here where Pegasus can take our souls away at any given moment. We must do what we can for our friends, Mai, as the adults in this situation. Who knows? We might turn out to be heroes by choosing to follow this request," Mako said._

_Mai sighed. "Fine. We'll go and keep Mokuba safe." A pause. "...Good luck, Carrie. I hope this won't be the last time we see each other."_

"_As do I, Mai."_

_Carrie woke Mokuba up and told him what was going to happen. Then she hugged her friends and wished them a safe journey. There was sorrow in her eyes as she whispered goodbye, and Mako thought she might have cried if she didn't have to duel against Yugi in five minutes. He gave her one more glance over his shoulder before walking out of the castle, hoping beyond hope that Carrie would win this whole thing so they wouldn't be separated for the rest of time._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

They had found the portage without encountering any of the men in black suits. A small boat was already in the water, ready to leave the accursed island. That was the boat the three of them were in now. The castle was just a dot on the horizon now, and Duelist Kingdom was becoming nothing more than an island in the distance. Mokuba was sitting quietly beside Mai, looking at the ocean water with sad eyes. His knees were pulled up to his chest, and it wasn't just because it made more room. The boy was sad and concerned for his friends that had stayed behind…and his brother who had lost his soul because he was stupid enough to duel Pegasus as soon as he had come into the castle.

Mai had her legs folded in what looked like a very uncomfortable position, an elbow resting on one side of the boat as she gazed into the distance. She hadn't spoken a word since they had left Carrie, and Mako could tell she was just as worried about the others as Mokuba and himself. The blonde woman never turned her head towards either of her traveling companions, but even without seeing her head-on Mako could see the fear of her expression. She hid it well. Perhaps past experiences had made her such an expert of masking fear.

Mako himself was too worried to really think. The only thing that kept him from going insane was his job, which was to row the boat in order to get them away from Pegasus. He couldn't tell what his expression was or what they might see in his eyes, but he knew he wasn't as good as hiding fear or pain as Mai. He was afraid for all of those still on the island, and he was pained by the idea that none of them might be able to escape Pegasus's evil, that they would all become like Kaiba and never live their lives again. Most of all, he was concerned for Carrie. After all the hell she had been through lately, she didn't need Pegasus taking away her already shattered soul.

_Carrie...You'd better win this, and come back in one piece, _Mako thought.

* * *

The duel was nearly at an end now. Yugi had been playing defensive for the most part, delaying Carrie's attack and using Magic and Trap Cards to keep her from decimating his Life Points. Neither of them had lost any Life Points because of his defense and inability to attack her much stronger Monsters. Carrie managed to gain some only through the use of White Magician Pikeru, but she was still reachable. His last move had been playing Swords of Revealing Light, which bought him three turns to draw the pieces of Exodia. This was the last turn he had before she was able to attack again, and he had all the pieces save the left arm. He hoped the heart of the cards would pull through for him and he would draw that card this time around. If he didn't, Carrie was going to win this duel. It really didn't matter who won since they were fighting for the same thing, but Yugi had to admit, it would be great if he was the one who was the hero of this whole ordeal.

He glanced at the new card in his hand and smiled. Carrie took that as a very bad sign.

"This duel's over, Carrie," Yugi said. "This has been a very difficult battle, but it's going to end right now. And don't worry. I'll beat Pegasus and win back all of the stolen souls."

"…You have the pieces of Exodia," Carrie assumed.

Yugi nodded and showed her the five cards to prove it. "With its unstoppable attack power, not even your Beast King could stand against Exodia. You will lose the moment I summon him and he attacks. Like I said, this duel is over."

_That's what you think,_ Carrie thought without letting her face tell her thoughts.

The large ancient deity appeared on the field, chains on its arms and legs. Yugi ordered for the Monster to attack. If the attack succeeded, all of her Monsters would be destroyed like when he had used Exodia on Kaiba and she would take damage equal to their total attack points. But she knew it wouldn't; her facedown Trap would end this duel…but Yugi wouldn't emerge the victor.

His attack was repelled right back at Exodia, destroying the deity and taking out all of Yugi's Life Points. At first, everyone was surprised by this. How had that happened? To them, it appeared as if Yugi should have won. But then the spiky-haired boy glanced at the dueling screen and saw what had caused him to lose. Carrie had played her own Mirror Force card to save herself and win the duel. He should have expected for her to have a plan for taking out Exodia. She had, after all, saved it when Weevil had tossed the cards overboard and knew he would use it if need be.

"You're right. The duel is over. It just didn't have the outcome you were expecting," Carrie remarked with a smile. "You dueled well, Yugi. I am sorry the tournament came down to this. I hope you will forgive me for ending your perfect winning streak."

"There was never a need for forgiveness. Only one of us could emerge victorious from this thing, and it's perfectly fine that it's you. You have the greatest chance of defeating Pegasus—you proved that today. Now get ready. You're about to face him," Yugi told her with a grim smile.

Their attention was taken away from one another when they heard applause. Pegasus had stood and was clapping mockingly over her victory. Carrie would have given almost anything to hit him right then and there, but that would have to wait for later when she couldn't be disqualified for attacking her host. One glance at Yugi and she could tell he was thinking along the same lines.

"Congratulations, my little Care-Bear! You've managed to win another tournament! I am so proud of you!" Pegasus exclaimed kinda creepily. "As the winner, you win the three million dollar prize money and a chance to face me for the first time. What an exciting match that'll be, right?"

"No match is exciting when you know one participant always cheats," Carrie muttered. "Just put the money in my savings account and get your deck ready."

"Is that all that you have to say to your uncle?" Pegasus asked, pouting a little.

"Actually, no. I want your word that if I win, you will return everyone's soul and will leave Kaiba Corporation alone," Carrie said.

"All right. I agree. But if I win, your soul is going to join the others in my collection and I gain possession of your Millennium Puzzle," Pegasus countered. "And before you can go thinking you have bargaining power here, I'm going to take two more souls. Consider it …motivation…so that you present a bigger challenge than you did against Yugi-boy."

Carrie looked at him with wide eyes, not believing that he would be so heartless as to do something like that. She had managed to send away three potential victims, but five still remained: Yugi, Tristan, Tea, Joey, and Bakura. Whose souls would he take? Who else would she have to fight for? Whose fates would now rest on her already burdened shoulders when she dueled her uncle?

"…Pegasus…," Tristan put in, gaining the silver-haired man's attention. "…If you're going to take anyone's souls…then take mine. Leave the others alone."

"Hmm…Tempting offer, but I think I'll choose who I take. And I'll take _their_ souls instead. But thank you for being so generous," Pegasus told him.

His Millennium Eye glowed for a second, and Carrie quickly looked at her friends to see whose souls he had stolen. Yugi was still standing and didn't look zombie-like, so she turned her gaze up to the people on the second floor. Tristan and Bakura were fine…But the same could not be said for Joey and Tea. Their bodies had collapsed onto the floor, with their blank eyes still open as they looked at nothing in particular. Tea and Joey weren't Carrie's closest friends, but to see them like that was not easy for her. It reminded her of when Jessica had lost her soul…and what Alyssa had looked like before Carrie had handed her over to Kemo. This in turn made her very angry.

Before Pegasus could order any of his thugs to take her friends away to do dishes, a dark-haired Carrie turned her dark gaze on him. An evil and suffocating aura surrounded her, ensuring that no one would speak against her at the moment.

"No one is to touch them!" she screamed, her voice so loud that all of Pegasus's wine glasses broke regardless that they were many halls away from her. "If any of your slaves lay even ONE finger on either of those two, so help me Anubis I will send you to the Shadow Realm for all eternity! These mortals have done nothing to deserve such torment on your part, you poser of evil! They are not yours to command, and therefore you have no control over what befalls them!"

Pegasus was taken aback by the evil of his niece that he almost dropped the cards now holding Tea and Joey's spirits. He hadn't really known how potent it was until that moment when he was in her presence, and now he was afraid to do anything that might set her off. Even with the powers of his Millennium Eye, he doubted he could go against this ancient evil that dwelled inside of Carrie.

Dark-haired Carrie made a giant leap straight up to the second floor of the room, landing gracefully on the railing above her fallen friends. Tristan and Bakura wisely backed away from her as she analyzed the bodies. She sensed something different about Bakura… Something that was familiar and dark, but she didn't have time to worry about him. She had to get these mortals away from Pegasus. She had to keep them safe. So she took the Puzzle back from Tea, lifted both of them up and rested one on each shoulder without staggering despite the fact they were both somewhat over a hundred pounds.

"I will return, and when I do, you'll regret the day you ever messed with the mortal souls affiliated with my host!" Carrie boomed before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

She laid both soulless people in their respective rooms, locking the doors to each. Then she used her dark powers to manipulate Monsters in her deck. If anyone came to take Tea away, they would be met with an unfortunate end by Insect Princess. If they went for Joey, their end would be given by Desert Twister. Once she was sure they were safe, she returned to the dueling arena where Pegasus was waiting for her on the red side of the dueling technology. By that time, she had reverted back to her normal self.

_Yami, you know the plan, right?_

_**Yes. He won't be able to read our minds to get the upper-hand.**_

_Just in case we fail, I...want you to know I love you, and I won't allow you to be used by Pegasus. Before he steals my soul...I'll smash the Puzzle so he can never solve it again._

_**I appreciate your devotion to my safety, but we're going to win this.**_

Carrie didn't respond to that in any way. Her remaining friends were on the bottom floor by then, awaiting her return. She hugged each of them in turn without explaining why and knew they would understand why. This was her way of saying goodbye without actually letting the words pass through her lips…in case she didn't make it out of this duel intact. She told them that if things looked hopeless, they should run and find a way out of the castle. They didn't respond to that, and she could see in their eyes that they wouldn't abandon her even if she lost. She sighed, knowing that would be the end of them all if they remained so stubborn.

They wished her good luck and she walked over to her side of the dueling arena. Croquet still stood at the side of his master's throne though the feminine man was no longer seated there, ready to call the duel.

"This duel will decide who the world champion is, and who will earn the title of King or Queen of Games," the older man announced. "The duel of Master Maximillion Pegasus and Carrie West may begin now."

Two thousand Life Points for each of them, and five cards in their hands. The challenger was given the privilege of going first. Carrie drew and silently played Gyakutenno Megami on the field, equipping the Silver Bow and Arrow to increase the Fairy's attack from 1800 to 2100. Then she played a card facedown and ended her turn.

_Hmm...Let's see what my niece is hiding from me, _Pegasus thought, using his Eye to tap into her mind. Boy, was he surprised to find that even _she_ didn't know what she had played. "What trickery is this?"

"It's no trickery at all," Carrie told him, only her voice was deeper and her eyes were crimson. "I really have no idea what card she played facedown because I am not her. Two different minds inhabit this body, or have you forgotten that already?"

"No, I didn't forget that, spirit!" Pegasus snapped. "I just didn't expect you to do the Mind Shuffle so early!"

"What? Are you afraid that your skills have dwindled over time and you cannot duel us without using your Millennium Eye?" Yami taunted.

"Fool! I am the creator of this game! I can beat you without reading your minds!" Pegasus claimed.

"Then prove it. It's your move."

Their duel continued on, and Pegasus did prove he could duel somewhat without using his Millennium Eye. His skills were put to the test with Carrie and Yami switching places every so often, but it wasn't easy on his opponents, either. Not knowing what the other had played made dueling a bit harder. But at least they had the advantage. They could use their Millennium Item to its full potential while Pegasus could not.

A point in time came when Pegasus had Toon World on the field with Toon Mermaid and Manga Ryu-Ran and Carrie and Yami were without a Monster to protect themselves. Carrie was in control of her body at the time, and she had just drawn a card that could help with their precarious situation.

"…I play Blue Eyes White Dragon in Attack Mode," she said, placing the card that Kaiba had mystically sent to her on the field. Pegasus looked taken aback by the white Dragon's sudden appearance in his niece's deck, but that look was nothing compared to his look of astonishment when she played her next card. "And to add to this toon-torment, I think I'll also play Toon World. May Rich Boy forgive me for turning his favorite card into a stupid cartoon dragon…"

"How did you get my rare card?" Pegasus demanded.

"Don't you remember? You wanted me to have cards no one else did, so you made an extra copy and gave it to me after I won the Intercontinental Championship two years ago," Carrie reminded him. "Until today, I never used it. You, unfortunately, can't say the same. Using Toon World on Blue Eyes was part of the reason you defeated Rich Boy, right? Now this combo is going to be used to defeat you. And while I'm thinking about it, I'm going to equip Metalmorph to Blue Eyes Toon Dragon to give him a 300 attack and defense boost. Now Blue Eyes, attack his weird-looking Dragon."

The tiny comical Blue Eyes snickered evilly before launching an attack at Manga Ryu-Ran. The other Toon was destroyed with a single silly slash of shiny claws. Blue Eyes then did a funny dance over his victory that took nine hundred Life Points away from Pegasus, and that actually made Carrie crack a smile. Pegasus was, needless to say, angry that Carrie had used his own favorite card against him.

"I lay a card facedown and end my turn," Carrie stated. "Yami, you can come out now."

"Not so fast, Care-Bear! I have a little surprise for you."

Carrie stayed out a moment longer to see what he was talking about. His Millennium Eye glowed, and suddenly she saw darkness surrounding the arena. She recognized this from the battle against him in the video tape. He was taking them to the Shadow Realm, where she would be blocked off from her friends and would have to face Pegasus without any external help. She waved a short goodbye before she could no longer see her friends. Blue Eyes stopped his dance and screamed like a girl when he saw where they were going. Apparently, he wasn't a fan of the Shadow Realm.

"So…Your surprise was sending us to the Shadow Realm. Tell me something I didn't know you'd pull," Carrie grumbled. "I've been here before, remember?"

"Ah, but that time was different. When we battled in the video tape, that was just a small, weak part of the Shadow Realm. This time, we're actually in the Shadow Realm, and you're dueling instead of the spirit. You're not as strong in here as you are in the real world. Here, your strength will be sapped because you are unused to such a place. Soon your soul will be too weak to shift back and forth with his. Then what will you do?" Pegasus asked.

"…I'll end this duel…before then," Carrie gasped, feeling weak already.

Blue Eyes flew over to her and hid behind her back like a scared little dragon. Pegasus laughed because of that and made a remark about how was she to do that with such a fearful Monster. She just glared at him while whispering reassuring words to the hologram Dragon she had summoned.

_**Let me take over now, Carrie.**_

Yami came out to help Carrie reserve her strength for when it was needed. When Blue Eyes realized this switch, he jerked away and made funny faces to show his disgust about touching a guy.

"Make your move, Pegasus."

Pegasus really didn't make a big move—all he did was lay a facedown and end his turn. Yami drew and found in his hand a somewhat powerful Monster, though he worried what it would look like after the effects of Toon World went into play. He laid down the Monster and hoped things wouldn't get too crazy on the field.

"I summon Hyozanryu."

A diamond-white dragon appeared on the field. Toon World sucked her in to change the somewhat normal Monster into something else. When she came back out, she looked a lot like Blue Eyes, only her claws and underbelly were gold and she had toon-like long lashes. Blue Eyes' jaw dropped and his eyes popped out of their sockets upon seeing her. She flitted her eyelashes a few times and blushed under his gaze.

"You're turning my Toon World into a nightmare!" Pegasus exclaimed upon witnessing the scene.

"Don't blame me. You're the one who made the card turn Monsters into such things," Yami remarked. Carrie then took over, claiming to have a move. She felt the effects of the Shadow Realm, but she managed to ignore them. "I play the Magic Card, Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy your Toon World. The only Monster you have between the pages is Toon Mermaid, and once the book is destroyed, she will return to being just Red Archery Girl with nothing to defend her. Say goodbye to seven hundred more Life Points and start worrying about the remaining three hundred."

Hyozanryu laughed girlishly before flying straight at the unprotected mermaid. She hit the Water creature right under the chin with her fist, sending the mermaid flying into the air where she broke into a million pieces with the clam shell she used for protection. Then Hyozanryu stuck her tongue out at Pegasus.

"…And just for a quicker defeat on your part…I'll get Blue Eyes to attack you directly."

Blue Eyes, silver metallic claws gleaming in the light, flew right towards Pegasus. He had a maniac look in his blue eyes, like he wanted to tear the rich man apart. But suddenly, he was frozen in place by some force that only Pegasus knew. Hyozanryu worried about her fellow Toon and flew over to check on him. She poked him with a gentle claw, but he couldn't react to her touch.

A freaky-looking Monster with the same eye that was on the Millennium Puzzle appeared on the field; it was the facedown Pegasus had played last turn. Around the area where the eye was were three spikes and the body was hard to describe by its weirdness (it's the Monster Pegasus used to stop Yugi's attack with Curse of Dragon before summoning Relinquished…I forgot its name even though I saw the episode last Saturday). Somehow it had stopped Blue Eyes' attack.

"At a loss, are we? That Monster I created just for this duel, you know. Its mesmerizing eye paralyzes any Monster that declares an attack on it," Pegasus told her. "I believe your turn is over now, dearest niece, so I'll go ahead and draw my next card. You should really switch places with the spirit…Or else your soul might not last much longer." A moment of silence passed in which he drew his card and Yami took over. "Ah! What luck! Now I can truly make this duel come to an end! Behold, the Black Illusion Ritual! Now I will sacrifice my one Monster on the field to bring forth a Monster with true power known only by the name of Relinquished!"

The weird Monster disappeared, releasing Blue Eyes from its magic. Toon World pulled both Dragons inside of it before anything could happen to them. In place of his other Duel Monster appeared a gruesome creature bearing the same eye as its predecessor. It was kinda skeletal, but then again not. (Author really can't describe this card very well…) It had zero attack and zero defense, but if it needed a ritual to summon it, it must have a powerful effect. They shouldn't take it lightly despite how easy it looked to beat.

"Now before I put Relinquished into action, that bothersome sham of a Toon World is going to have to go away. So I play my own Mystical Space Typhoon to get rid of that thing you used against me," Pegasus said.

Hyozanryu and Blue Eyes' safety was taken from them in an instant, but even without being Toons the Dragons were pretty strong. What was Relinquished going to do that might make things different? What could that Monster do that would end the duel with Pegasus as the victor?

The eye of Relinquished began to glow suddenly, pulsing with a dark light. The fleshy part of its gut—if it could be called fleshy and a gut—began to convulse grossly. Blue Eyes was being pulled in while Hyozanryu remained still on the field, though her crystal-blue eyes were watching her fellow Dragon with a hint of sadness. Had they still been Toons, this might have been a bit comical. But they weren't and it wasn't. Suddenly, Blue Eyes was sucked into Relinquished, disappearing through the opening in the gut that was somewhat fleshy. There was no obvious sign as to where he had gone, if he wasn't destroyed by that little stunt.

Two white bony wing-like pieces of Relinquished pulled up over his torso—if it truly was a torso—as protection against any attacks Yami and Carrie planned to launch. Then, on the right side of the white bony pieces, Blue Eyes appeared, roaring out in frustration for being used in such a manner. Relinquished now had a defense, but it wasn't exactly one that would be good to destroy. Even if they managed to destroy Relinquished, Yami and Carrie would take the damage to their Life Points and Pegasus would remained untouched by the loss. After all, Relinquished was in Defense Mode and had zero everything, which was to Pegasus's advantage.

"Well, that wraps up my turn. It's yours now, spirit, but I would attack wisely. If you try to attack my Monster, you'll just end up hurting yourselves," Pegasus taunted.

Yami drew his card and it turned out to be Penumbral Soldier Lady, a blonde woman with silver armor bearing golden crescents and an attack of 2100 and defense of 1400. To her he equipped Lightning Blade and Malevolent Nuzzler, which increased her attack to 3500. He was going to have to attack and destroy Blue Eyes—there was no getting around that in any way. But as long as he had a way of destroying Relinquished, it would be a necessary loss. He ordered the Warrior to attack.

Blue Eyes roared in fury, but it was quieter than it usually was. Perhaps the Monster understood why he was being attacked by Monsters that were his allies. Perhaps he knew his destruction would be for the greater good if only they could destroy the Monster without an attack or defense. So he fell silent by the time that the blonde Warrior stabbed her lightning sword into his chest and he broke into a million pieces without a snarl in complaint. His destruction resulted Carrie and Yami's Life Points dropping to seven hundred, but they still held a small lead over Pegasus, who had three hundred.

"Now Hyozanryu, finish him off."

The diamond-white Dragon growled and flew straight at the Fiend with an intent to avenge her fallen comrade. But just as it had happened with Blue Eyes, her attack was stopped by a force only Pegasus was aware of. He had played Waboku to put an end to her attack by reducing her strength to zero for that turn. Yami was unable to do anything else that turn with the rest of his hand containing only useless Continuous Traps, so he let Pegasus make his move, knowing that Penumbral Soldier Lady was doomed to be used against him like Blue Eyes had been, only more effectively.

That was the only thing Pegasus did other than drawing a card before ending his turn.

_Yami, let me take over._

_**No. You are weakened by being in the Shadow Realm. I can take him now. If I can just draw the right cards, this duel will be over.**_

_But he'll anticipate your every move if you don't let me switch places with you. Already I can sense him pressing our minds to see what you're going to draw. And I have a plan._

_**You can tell me that plan.**_

_Sure, sure...If I want Pegasus to find out, that's a sure way to win this duel._

_**(Sigh.) Fine. But only for a minute. Then I'm taking over again.**_

_A minute is plenty of time._

They switched places again, but this time Carrie was weaker than ever. She struggled to even draw one card from the deck. She immediately put it into play.

"I…use Card Destruction…which means both of our hands…are sent to the Graveyard and we must draw new hands with the same number of cards that were discarded," Carrie gasped. She gladly put her useless hand into the Graveyard and drew a new set of cards. She laid down a facedown card and switched Hyozanryu into Defense Mode.

_I sense that Carrie's soul is almost in ribbons...It wouldn't hurt to speed up the process. Well, at least it wouldn't hurt me, _Pegasus thought with a sneer. "Relinquished! Use the powers of the Penumbral Soldier Lady to destroy her Dragon!"

Against her will, the blonde soldier raised her Lightning Blade, which charged up an attack and shot it at Hyozanryu. The Dragon was destroyed in an instant, but there was no damage as far as Life Points were concerned. However…

_**Carrie, switch with me now! **_Yami urged, but the blonde did not respond.

That last attack had torn her soul to ribbons. There was nothing left of Carrie anymore. Her body collapsed without her soul to keep it up, laying on top of the dueling board on which it fell. Her beautiful green eyes closed for what could possibly be forever and she didn't respond to Yami's pleas because she no longer could.

The only remnants of her were the following:

_Take what you need cuz I can't hold my breath. Say what you feel cuz I've got nothing left. I made a promise to myself last night. I'm gonna keep it if it's wrong or right. And if I lose it all, there'll be nothing left to lose and I would take the fall cuz knowing you are out there breathing...It's so wonderful. It's a chance I'd take even if I break and I lose it all ...If I lose it all...It wouldn't matter, anyway. Don't change a thing, perfect as you are. Time has a way, time is all I've got. If my heart should shatter watching you, that'd be one less thing I'd have to prove. And if I lose it all, there'll be nothing left to lose and I would take the fall, cuz knowing you are out there breathing...It's so wonderful. It's a chance I'd take even if I break and I lose it all...If I lose it all... Heaven will be waiting when I fall into your open arms. I believe you'll find me there. You'll find me there. And if I lose it all, there'll be nothing left to lose and I would take the fall, cuz knowing you are out there breathing...It's so wonderful. It's a chance I'd take even if I break and I lose it all...If I lose it all...It wouldn't matter, anyway. _(Lose It All by Backstreet Boys)

_...I love you, Yami...Goodbye_

Yami didn't try to fight the tears that fell from his eyes as he held the empty soul that was Carrie within her mind. There was still a duel to fight, regardless, that would decide so many fates. He didn't feel up for continuing this duel, but he knew that Carrie would have wanted him to go on and save her friends. He forced himself to take over her body, hoping that the last card she had played would help them win in the end. That card would be the only one that Pegasus did not know—nothing could stop the man from reading Yami's mind now.

Pegasus chuckled. "Don't worry, spirit. When this duel's over, you will be joining my niece in the Shadow Realm, and then there will be no need for tears. Now…Let us play."

* * *

Yugi felt a pang in his chest, and it nearly knocked the breath out of him. He, Tristan, and Bakura had come down to where Carrie had been dueling after an 'indoor thunderstorm' had taken in the entire dueling arena several minutes ago. It was obviously meant to block them from Carrie, for Tristan had tried to rush in to save her shortly after the Shadow Realm had engulfed her and that had failed. He had been feeling pain earlier, but that had been nothing compared to what he felt now. And from the look on Tristan's face, he could see the brunette had felt the same thing.

"…Something bad just happened to Carrie," Tristan stated.

"Yeah…I can't sense her anymore," Yugi said. "A moment ago, it was like she was standing right beside us. But just now…It felt as if my heart had been ripped out. It's like…she's gone."

"I didn't feel anything," Bakura put in.

"It's probably because you're not as close to her as we are. Just take our word for it," Tristan told the white-haired Brit. "If that's true…If Carrie's really…gone…Doesn't that mean the other spirit's mind can be read by Pegasus's Millennium Eye?"

Yugi nodded. "And with that advantage, he might just win this thing. We have no idea what has transpired ever since the Shadow Realm consumed them. But with Pegasus, any duel played with his Eye can only mean victory in his favor."

"Shouldn't we try to do something…to ensure that he can't read the spirit's moves?" Tristan asked.

"What do you suggest we do?" Bakura wanted to know.

"…Grandpa told me something about the Puzzle…sometime before my duel against Pegasus," Yugi began. "He said the Millennium Puzzle was about unity, and that was why its powers could only be unlocked when someone as strong as the spirit within wore it around their necks…Or something to that effect. The spirit and the person wearing it, in this case Carrie, were working together to keep Pegasus from knowing what their cards were, using unity to their advantage. That power has been cut off now. Well, perhaps if we focus on the Puzzle and blocking out Pegasus's Eye, we might be able to stop him."

"Oh _great_. More mystical crap that may not work," Tristan muttered.

"Just try it. We've got nothing better to do, and there's no point in just standing around worrying about things we cannot change," Yugi growled.

The three teenage boys joined hands and focused like the spiky-haired boy had instructed. They had a little extra help from the Millennium Ring, for Thief Bakura, who had managed to escape the Graveyard somehow, didn't want Pegasus gaining another Millennium Item that was, in his mind, rightfully his. He powered the magic of his own Item into their unified minds to strengthen their connection.

* * *

For two turns, Pegasus had been able to read Yami's cards. But then what remained of Carrie's friends managed to block him out with the power of unity, putting an end to that once again. Even so, Pegasus had the upper hand. Unless Yami could draw a good card, he was doomed. His opponent had played the Monster by the name of Jigen Bakudan, which was like a bomb. It was set to go off next turn, destroying Relinquished and Penumbral Soldier Lady. It would have no effect on Pegasus's Life Points, but Yami's would be decimated.

He had always been a big believer in the heart of the cards, but now he hoped more than ever that they would come through for him. His fingers grasped the top card on the deck, and he moved it to where he could see what fate had dealt him. Finally, he caught a lucky break.

"I play the Magic Card, Mystic Box," Yami declared, laying the card on the field.

A long and narrow box that was usually used on magicians covered Penumbral Soldier Lady. A similar one covered Jigen Bakudan. Swords that appeared out of nowhere flew at the box that had the Warrior in it, giving the effect that Yami had just destroyed his own Monster. But when the doors opened, Penumbral Soldier Lady was unharmed and on the right side of the field while the bomb Monster had been destroyed before it could blow up and harm the protagonist.

Yami then played the card Carrie had left on the field before her soul was destroyed. It was Shield Crush, which would eliminate Relinquished for good because the Monster was in Defense Mode. Pegasus swore as Yami destroyed his most powerful creature, but he still had three hundred Life Points. Yami knew Penumbral Soldier Lady could finish him easily…

A crimson dragon card caught Yami's eye. He couldn't recall seeing this Monster in his hand before, but he recognized the Monster from his encounter with Carrie's evil. This Monster would give a suitable defeat to a man so evil.

"I summon Uria, Lord of Searing Flames, in Attack Mode," Yami said.

The large crimson dragon appeared on the field, nearing taking up all the room available, but luckily he was in the air or else Penumbral Soldier Lady would have had nowhere to stand. There was only one crimson dragon larger, but Yami could not recall the name at the moment.

_Uria? I never made a card by that name,_ Pegasus thought. _Where did my niece come across that one?_

"This card is not one of your creations. This Dragon has been dwelling within Carrie for many lives now," Yami told him as if he had read Pegasus's mind for a change. "He gains a thousand attack for every Continuous Trap in the Graveyard. Before you destroyed your niece, she discarded four with Card Destruction. You're smart. You can figure out how strong Uria is. He can do more than win this duel for me. Now attack!"

The ancient Dragon roared much like Blue Eyes had earlier, only his was much louder. A powerful fireball emerged from his mouth and hit Pegasus directly, and had Life Points been able to reach negatives, he would have had negative thirty-seven hundred.

All the holograms faded away, leaving only the humans in their wake. Yami, who was still silently crying over the loss of Carrie, turned his angry gaze upon Pegasus. There was only one thing to do to him that wouldn't have made Carrie mad at him, and that was to Mind Crush the man. Which he did. Pegasus was already reeling from his first loss in years—the Mind Crush made it that much worse.

"You will keep your word now, Pegasus," Yami stated authoritatively. "Return all of the souls you have taken and leave the Kaibas and their business alone like you promised Carrie you would. And return us to the real world."

Without a word, Pegasus did what he was ordered to do. All the soul cards in his possession became empty as the souls of Alyssa, Grandpa, Jessica, Joey, Kaiba, and Tea were returned to their bodies. The darkness that had consumed them faded away to reveal the fancy room within the castle where they had been before. Croquet read the numbers on the technology and announced that Carrie West was the Queen of Games. Yugi, Tristan, and Bakura were standing behind Yami, and though he was glad to see them, he just walked right past them.

Things would never be the same…without Carrie.

* * *

_A/N: The end to the longest chapter of this story thus far. And if the dueling part was boring to you...Well, at least you can see why I usually don't type out the duels. Pretty much all of the cards Carrie and Yami used are cards I own. And I do realize that Uria is a Monster in **Yu-Gi-Oh GX**, but it's been my card forever and I've always wanted for Carrie to use it. In a way, she did. I'm sorry if it seemed like Carrie filled in for Yugi and the trio filled in for Tristan, Tea, and Joey. I just didn't know what else to do. Well, this was the best I could do. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	25. 25 - Woman's Worth

_A/N: Thanks for reviewing, everyone. Here's another chapter for your enjoyment. The first part of this chapter is just a bunch of scenes that happened after the last one that will just fill a gap. You'll know when we're getting back into a story. This is just going to be a bit weird. I hope you will bear with me. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 25

After the defeat of Pegasus, a lot of crap had happened. It hadn't even taken twenty-four hours for all of this to go down. In short, someone had stolen Pegasus's Millennium Eye when the rich man had gone up to his tower to think things over after his loss, Bakura had disappeared, and Yami had a visitor while he was still in pieces over Carrie's shattered soul. That visitor had been a man by the name of Shadi and he carried his own Millennium Item, the Millennium Key. Apparently, he had suspected Yami of stealing the Eye from Pegasus until the Key had granted him access to the spirit's mind. When Shadi had seen that he was innocent, the Egyptian left him in his grief. Where Pegasus and Bakura were concerned, it was an undisputed fact that he must have stolen the Eye and left to avoid getting caught.

It didn't help that Carrie's evil was trying to get out all the time, either. She wasn't as bad as she had been when Carrie was around; in fact, she seemed very concerned for Yami and kept asking if the 'blonde weakling' was going to come back anytime soon. Her concern probably came from the fact that she had feelings for the spirit, and it seemed she had some attachment to Carrie despite all the friction between the two.

He ignored her as he removed her protective spells from Tea and Joey's doorways. The two now had their souls back and were rising as if they had only been in slumber. It could have been the case, considering how quickly their souls had been taken and how quickly they had returned. Somewhere else in the castle, Alyssa and Kaiba were returning to normal, though in what places they would be in was anyone's guess. And even further away, back in Domino City's hospital, Jessica and Grandpa were opening their eyes again and probably wondering what the hell had happened to them. Everything would soon be just as if Pegasus hadn't meddled in their lives …

Except Carrie was gone.

Even after twenty-four hours, he couldn't feel her soul. It was as if she really had been lost in the Shadow Realm, like Pegasus had sent her away forever. Yami had known this before, but he hadn't the heart to face the truth then. Now there was nothing to stop it from coming down full force onto him. It didn't help that everyone was calling him by her name, though he couldn't blame them because most didn't know all the secrets about the Millennium Puzzle. But every time her name escaped their lips, his heart felt as if a knife was being thrust into it. It was a pain he couldn't escape as long as everyone thought Carrie was alive.

Yami sat alone in the room that had been given to Carrie when she had reached the castle with the others, looking down at the hands that weren't his and wishing his tears would go away. They were going to leave the island tomorrow and return to Domino City. There, he would have to live with Mai and Jessica…and just thinking about living with Carrie's little sister hurt a lot. That girl would not know that her sister was gone and would go on calling Yami by that name. She would think that he was the brave woman who risked everything to save her and the others when in reality he was the man that just helped her win. She was gone because of her willingness to give up everything to save everyone else. He was just filling her shoes without the others knowing. How could he live such a lie? How could he mess with people's lives like that?

His thoughts were turning to really depressing options, but he pushed those aside. Committing suicide was a crime against the gods. And besides, Carrie would have wanted him to go on without her. If she knew that he was even thinking of killing himself, she would have beaten him senseless.

"…Can I come in?"

Yami glanced up at the door, which was being held partially open by Yugi. By the tone of his voice and the way he didn't address him by name, the spirit assumed he knew that Carrie was not in control of her own body. He didn't speak—he just gave a small nod and resumed looking down at the ground. He heard the door close and the sound of someone walking towards him.

"Carrie's gone…Isn't she?" Yugi asked as he sat down on the bed beside him.

"…The Shadow Realm was too much for her soul. Pegasus…He attacked a Monster while she was out and…She was extremely weak. Her soul was torn to ribbons, and I haven't felt her since. She's dead in everything but body," Yami whispered.

The boy didn't say anything for some time; Yami could only imagine what pain he was going through. Carrie had been best friends with Yugi, and now she was gone. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the boy was crying just like he was. Only silence transpired between the two of them. It seemed there were no words to express their pain.

"You're…You're going to have to be Carrie from now on then," Yugi said when he could speak again. "I know it's going to be hard…because you two were lovers and all…But everyone else believes Carrie succeeded and came out of it alive. You're going to have to live her life…from now on. And it's not just for us. You're going to have to be Carrie…for her sister's sake. That girl has nothing else in this world…and now that Carrie's gone…She has even less. Can you do this, Yami?"

"…I have to…I have no choice," was Yami's reply.

"We'll help you the best we can. I'll even let the others know what happened so they won't call you by her name anymore. Anyone you know can know the truth except Jessica…because she'll be absolutely heartbroken and we can't hurt her like that," Yugi continued. "Just…Just don't be in a hurry to join her in death."

"I won't, Yugi. She wouldn't have wanted that."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Later that same night, Yami found himself in the dark realms of Carrie's mind because of his grief and his desire to not be alone anymore. Absentmindedly, he walked towards the place where he had encountered the girl's evil and the crimson dragon by the name of Uria. This area seemed brighter than usual, which was weird considering that the host of the mind and body was now gone. The dark woman suspended in air was looking at him, her dark eyes opened this time unlike when he last visited. Uria was also looking at him with some interest in his fiery eyes.

He came closer than he had ever thought he would come to Carrie's evil, standing just below where she floated. It wasn't because he wanted to die—he had given Yugi and the others his word that he would not consider such a drastic action. No. It was because her face was so much like Carrie's. It made sense because she _was_ Carrie in a way that he didn't want to think about. Her eyes were different, but that was all that separated her from being the one girl he hadn't wanted to lose in five thousand years. She just looked down at him with a hint of amusement and surprise while Uria just stared without an emotion at the Pharaoh.

"…In the duel, you were in my hand," Yami said suddenly, turning his crimson gaze onto the dragon. "Why did you do so?"

Uria shifted uneasily. **"It is true that you could have won without summoning me. But the girl who was the reason I am here was taken from us both when Pegasus pulled that little stunt of his by having Penumbral Soldier Lady attack Hyozanryu when her soul was on the brink of destruction. I wanted to hurt him in some way for hurting her, just like you did."**

"…How do you know what I wanted to do to Pegasus?"

"**You played me, didn't you?"**

To this, Yami gave no response. The evil cocked her head to the side as she looked upon him, obviously curious about their conversation.

"Is my pathetic mortal host going to return or not?" she demanded.

"No," Yami replied.

"**Yes,"** Uria stated at the same time, causing Yami to glance at him.

"My Pharaoh says one thing, and my captor says another. I know not who to believe," the evil muttered.

"Why do you say she will return? I cannot feel her soul," Yami pointed out.

"**If Carrie were truly gone for good, I would have disappeared into darkness like I have every other time Iris's reincarnations have died. I would have been left waiting for the next one to be born so this evil would not be a huge menace. Her soul is next to dead right now, hence why you cannot feel her. But slowly she is recovering and will return to normal in time. Carrie is not gone. She is merely resting. That is why it is so bright in an area of complete darkness."**

No words could explain the happiness that surged within Yami upon hearing those words.

"**But heed my words, Pharaoh. Carrie will not be strong enough to control her body for some time. Normally, two things can happen to a person's soul in the Shadow Realm. Either they withstand the pressures and destructive powers of the dark realms or their soul is decimated completely. Most souls that escape the Shadow Realm are slightly torn, for no mortal can go into the Realm and return without sustaining some damage. A slightly torn soul usually returns to normal within a day. Even one as damaged as Carrie's would recover in about the same time. But for some reason, that is not the case with her. It might be because of her evil, or because of who she was in her past lives. The reason might even be because of us being present in her body. There is no telling. She will heal in time, but it might take as long as a month for her to become strong enough to be herself."**

"As long as she is alive, I don't care if she takes a millennia," Yami remarked.

"Oh, bull! You want my mortal host to be back now so you can kiss her and carry on! I bet she doesn't even know that you were in love with Iris!" the evil growled with a roll of her eyes.

"**Silence, dark one. Your opinion is not welcome."**

"Even if it is not welcome, I will give it. You have no control over me, dragon. You are nothing but a manifestation of power from the Shadow Realm that was forced to suppress me ever since I became whole five thousand years ago," the evil muttered. "My Pharaoh, I hope you like being in a female's body for a month. A special gift is in store for you, one that no male would ever understand."

"**I said be quiet!" **The crimson dragon tightened his grip around thin air, and it had an effect on the evil woman. She looked as if she was being straggled even though Uria wasn't really touching her. Uria seemed to hear something that was beyond Yami's mindset, and then he looked down at the former Pharaoh. **"Carrie wants to speak with you, Pharaoh. She is weak, but still she wishes to convey a message. I suppose you will want to listen. All must be still and quiet for you to hear what she says, for her weakness makes her next to silent."**

Yami didn't reply—it was common knowledge that he would want to hear Carrie, so he didn't need to speak. Uria tightened his coils one last time to ensure that the evil wouldn't disturb Carrie's message. Then there was nothing but silence for a few minutes. Quietly, like a light breeze, came the voice of Carrie's mind from wherever she was then.

_Hey, Spiky...I guess you pulled through after all. I don't have...a lot of energy right now, but I trust you will live my life well...while I recover...without being a total pervert. Yeah, I know you're in control of my body...and you'll have to use the restroom and keep me clean for me. There's going to be instances when you're...going to have to violate my previously set rules...Just don't abuse them too much. Keep my grades up in school... Don't get me fired from work...Use technology and ask for help...And remember to give that kid back his deck and those two star chips for me...will you? Thanks. I love you, Yami...and I hope to see you soon. Good luck being me for however long I'm out..._

_Being a girl is nothing compared to being a boy. Take my word for it._

And then everything was silent again. Yami glanced up at Uria, who was loosening his grip on the evil because it was no longer necessary to constrict her so badly.

"Keep me updated on her condition…I have to return to the real world," he said.

"**As you wish, Pharaoh. Good luck out there."**

"Don't get killed. If that happens, all three of us are screwed," the evil stated.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

And so began Yami's life as a female. It was not easy, but at least when he made mistakes, there was always someone to correct them since all of his friends knew the truth of his identity and that Carrie would be back soon. One could say that after all of this, he came to respect all the females in the world. It took a lot of strength to walk around with such weight on one's chest and not topple over.

Mai, since she was living with him and Jessica, took charge of teaching him all of the basics. She explained everything starting with the bathroom. There weren't any chamber pots to do one's business in during this time, and females sat on the white throne made of porcelain when they had to relief themselves. The fan, the flushing mechanism, toilet paper, and the plunger came in handy when it came to that throne and its contents. After finishing the business on the throne, there was the sink to tend to in order to cleanse the hands. One knob let out hot water, and the other cold. One would have to find a good mixture for the two, use the colored liquid called soap, and wash their hands for about ten seconds. The shower worked kinda the same way, only the water came out over one's head, soap was in a bar form, and the colored liquid was shampoo. When it came to the shower, Mai warned him that if he took longer than ten minutes in there, she would assume he was being nasty with her friend's body and come in there and beat him with a bat without hesitation.

Then she taught him to write. He knew how to speak English pretty well for someone who was a dead Egyptian, and all of Domino City spoke the same language. But he wrote in his native tongue while the people in this area wrote in Japanese or English. Mai had to teach him all the basics characters and letters and numbers so he could pass for Carrie, and there were still times when she'd have to help him with his homework. For all his luck, he could read the language but not write it. What a pain that was.

Fashion was something she wasn't going to leave up to him to learn. An outfit was always waiting for him on the dresser when he woke in the morning, and when he came home from school there was something there for Carrie's job at Kaiba Corp. Even on weekends, Mai took it into her own hands to make sure Yami didn't make Carrie look horrible, of which he neither minded nor cared.

Acting like Carrie took effort on everyone's part. At home and in front of Jessica, it was quite simple. He had learned well from observing Carrie's interactions before the whole Duelist Kingdom Tournament thing had taken place. All he did was speak higher than usual to match the real Carrie's tone and the rest was easy. At school, it was a different story. Yugi had to tell him everything about how she acted there with help from Tea, Tristan, and Joey. At work, Alyssa was his greatest ally. She came to his aid whenever he was at a loss for what to do. She even provided him with contacts that made his eyes look more like Carrie's.

Within a matter of days, he had Carrie down. He could be Carrie without anyone suspecting him of being otherwise. Even her friends slipped sometimes when they were alone; apparently he was that good at being her.

But all the preparation in the world couldn't prepare him for that one day during that month of being Carrie.

Jessica had luckily not been home that particular day at that particular time. It was just Mai and Yami, who had excused himself to go to the bathroom. The next thing he knew, he saw blood and freaked out. Mai heard him scream and came up to see what was wrong, expecting the worst.

"She's bleeding. Something must have hurt her," Yami claimed, out of the bathroom but still very worried.

"Where's she bleeding?" Mai asked.

Yami shifted uncomfortably. "…I'd rather not say."

At this, Mai just laughed. Yami didn't see the humor of this at all.

"She's not hurt. That's just her period. All women go through that once a month unless they get pregnant. It's nothing to worry about," Mai told him.

"All women go through that every month? Ra, I feel sorry for them," Yami muttered. "Will this period end soon?"

"Not for a few days, I'm afraid. But you're going to have to wear a pad until it is done to avoid soiling any of her other clothes. Change your bottoms and bring down what you're wearing now so I can stop the stain from setting," Mai ordered.

"…Yes. And what is this pad?"

And that was when Mai had to explain the basics of a period to Yami. The next four days of his life were pure agony. He suffered from very painful spasms in his abdomen, which Mai called cramps, for which he had to take painkillers to ease, and he had a bad craving for chocolate. His mood swings were outrageous—Joey had muttered something about PMS after Yami had yelled at him one day. He felt sorry for the women in the world once his time was done. He had only gone through one period in his life. They had one every freaking month.

Females were much stronger than males. There was no debating it.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

During the whole time of him filling in for Carrie, he managed to do everything she had asked of him. Her grades managed to stay around a B, which he considered to be good enough. She kept her job because he avoided Kaiba as much as he could—that was what Alyssa told him to do. He used the technology at work after Alyssa had shown him how it all worked and didn't screw up those marvels of engineering. He had even found the boy Mokuba had stolen from and returned his deck to him, along with the two star chips.

If he had to, he might have managed to have been a girl for a few more months. But he was glad when Carrie began to become strong enough to take control of her own body again. He had lost his balance far too many times for his liking, got beaten up too many times by Mai for being a little too slow in the shower in her opinion, and had suffered more than enough pain for one lifetime. If he could return to just being a spirit that felt hardly any physical hindrances…It would be too soon.

He had come to Carrie a few times when she was strong enough to listen to his stories, and she found his trials of being a woman rather humorous. He laughed when she laughed—usually when he repeated to her things that had seemed horrible to him, they sounded rather silly then, anyway. Uria and the evil inside Carrie thought this was funny, too—the crimson dragon made Carrie's whole mind rattle every time Yami told his stories. He had seen her coming back together a little more with every visit, and soon he would see her whole again.

The day finally arrived one Friday night. She emerged from the dark recesses of her mind and appeared inside of the Millennium Puzzle while Yami was asleep. She found where his bed was in the labyrinth of the pendant, though it did take some time and she became lost a few times along the way. He didn't hear her as he was too absorbed in the dreams he was having. With a smile, she pounced on him, startling him awake. At first he was alarmed and thought that some evil creature was trying to kill him. He wasn't too far off…In some ways, Carrie could be very evil, but she would never try to kill him.

"Did you miss me, Spiky?" Carrie asked, straddling him while he remained lying down.

"You know the answer to that question just as well as I do," Yami told her, smiling.

"…I'll take your avoidance of an answer as a yes," Carrie said. "Did you enjoy being me while I was bored out of my mind inside of my mind?"

"In a word…No. And I do not think I need to explain why," Yami muttered.

"Nope. I understand perfectly why it sucks to be a girl. And now I've experienced a month of the boringness you were forced to endure for five thousand years. How you didn't end up going crazy is beyond me. You must have the mental strength of a warrior," Carrie remarked.

"And you and all women must have the endurance and physical strength of a warrior," Yami countered.

"Yes. That we do. Men wouldn't last a month with our bodies. Well, all men besides you. Somehow you managed to survive."

"Never put me through that misery again."

"I'll try not to."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Carrie leaned down and kissed Yami without changing her position. Her lips were just as soft and gentle as he remembered. His arms were free, and before Carrie could attempt to stop him, he pulled her down flat on top of him. She was a little shocked by his sudden action, but she just laughed before kissing him again, only this time more passionately until they were engaged in a full-blown make-out session on his bed in the Millennium Puzzle.

It was so good to have Carrie back again.

* * *

_A/N: This was a weird chapter, I know. I expect to either get no reviews or get a few flames. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	26. 26 - Return to the Norm

_A/N: I'll admit, I was surprised to see no flames and good reviews for the last chapter. Thank you for liking even my weirdest chapters. For a little while, I'll be doing some filler chapters to bridge the gap between Duelist Kingdom and Battle City in my own way. Please don't hate them and hold on until I can get to Kaiba's stupid tournament with the Marik problem. Thank you. ^. ^ Also, if you ever get tired of this story, you can always read **Forgotten Shadow**. It's a story based on Carrie as she would be if the events of **Yu-Gi-Oh **played out next to normally. Just throwing that out there..._

* * *

Chapter 26

Carrie got up early the next morning, excited to return to the normal life she had missed out on for the past month. Her clock said it was seven—the sun wasn't even rising yet. She had almost lost track of time, but then she realized it was already November. Duelist Kingdom had finished at the end of September, and Yami had been her ever since. Now the days were shorter than the nights. The sun wouldn't be up until around eight.

Mai was in her room and inside of her closet. Carrie remembered Yami telling her that the blonde woman always picked out the clothes for her because she didn't trust Yami to have a fashion sense.

"You don't need to do that anymore, Mai," she said, getting out of her bed.

"Yes I do, Yami. You're a guy. You have no idea what looks good with what," Mai countered without turning around. "And stop trying to sound like Carrie around me. I told you before…As long as Jessie isn't around, you can talk normally."

"Mai, I'm not Yami. I'm Carrie. I came back," Carrie told her.

"Sure you did, sure you did," Mai muttered sarcastically.

"What color eyes do I have?" Carrie asked; that was the only surefire way to prove it.

"Crimson…Unless you already put those contacts in," Mai replied.

Carrie growled. Mai wasn't going to believe she was herself no matter what, it seemed. Trying to convince her was starting to become annoying.

"All right…If you won't believe in appearances, I'll tell you something that only Carrie would know because she wasn't wearing the Puzzle at the time. You had a friend you liked a lot when you were fourteen. He dated you just because you had a large bust, and when you found that out, you dumped his ass real quick," Carrie recalled. Mai had told her this when she had wandered away from the group without the Puzzle and Mai had followed despite Carrie's obvious dislike of her. (Chapter 10.)

Hearing that, Mai turned away from her clothes-searching to stare at the girl. Her purple eyes were full of surprise.

"…You're right. Carrie wasn't wearing the Puzzle when I told her that story. There is no way that anyone but her would know," Mai murmured. "You are back, aren't you?"

"Yup. I pulled myself together last night. Now you don't have to beat me up just because I take a long time in the shower, cuz I'm not a guy in a chick's body. And I can pick out my own clothes and take care of everything else without you showing me how," Carrie told her. "…Thank you for helping him while I was gone. And also for taking care of Mokuba with Mako when I asked you to."

Mai smiled and hugged her. "It was no big deal. Yami was a nice man and Mako and Mokuba weren't too much trouble. Just don't scare us like that again."

"I won't as long as I can help it. I promise," Carrie said.

"Well, I'll leave you to getting dressed. But I'm taking _him _with me. He's seen quite enough of you lately," Mai remarked, pulling the Puzzle off of Carrie's neck. "I'll see you downstairs soon."

Carrie got dressed quickly—she just threw on a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt—and ran downstairs. She had never been in such a hurry to go on with her tedious life before. Spending a month in darkness with nothing to do could really make one appreciate life more than ever before. She wanted to see Jessica again, but the dark-haired girl was nowhere to be found in her room or downstairs. She couldn't help but frown when she couldn't find her sister. Jessica was the whole reason she had even dueled Pegasus… besides Grandpa, of course. Where was she?

Mai had fixed breakfast for her even though she knew Carrie hated for people to do that or any kind gesture for her. Chocolate chip pancakes…Those were something Carrie couldn't get enough of and somehow Mai had figured that out. She thanked the blonde woman for her generosity and ate the little delicious pieces of heaven of which she hadn't tasted in what seemed like forever.

"Where's Jessie?" Carrie asked once her plate was clean for the second time.

"Oh, she had a sleepover at a friend's house. She won't be back until tomorrow night," Mai replied. She saw Carrie's frown and couldn't help but feel sympathetic. "I know you miss her, hon, but I'm sure you can make it through one more day without seeing her."

Carrie sighed. "Yeah. I guess."

"You can go see the gang now that you're you again. They've been missing you just as much as I have, if not more. Though…You might want to kick Tristan. He tried to get Yami to tell him what was under the cloth, if you get my drift."

"I think that he deserves a little more than a kick for that. But you're right; it wouldn't hurt to go see the gang. They're probably wondering if I'll ever come back. Do I have the day off today, or am I going to have to slave over paperwork and take a million phone calls for Rich Boy before I can see my friends?"

"Are you kidding? After you worked so hard to save Kaiba and Mokuba, he's allowed you to have the weekends off without taking a single dollar away from your paycheck. If anything, I think you're making more for less work. Personally though, I think Mokuba is pulling Kaiba's strings. That boy idolizes you. But that's just me."

"I'll be sure to give him a call in return for such kindness." Something suddenly came to Carrie. "Oh! What about the prize money? What did you guys do with it?"

"A million of it went to Serenity's eye surgery. A million went to Mako so he could buy a reliable boat to search for his father. Half of the rest went to an organization to stop abuse and other forms of violence. And the government took about a quarter of a million away in taxes, so you have about a quarter of a million left that you haven't spent. Or rather, you _had_ that much. I tapped into your savings and spent a little of it to get me some things and make your house a little more to my liking. You still have a lot of it left, though. It's not like I drained your account. I would never do that, not after you risked your life to help me in Duelist Kingdom."

"Thank you, Mai. I was worried that maybe you guys had waited until I was back to put the money where it belonged."

"We would never have waited for you. Where money's concerned, it's better to get it out of the way before it makes you want to buy something useless but expensive."

"Well, I'd better go meet the others to let them know that I'm myself again and make Tristan pay for asking Yami about what I look like undressed."

"Let me take you. It's faster than walking, even if the game shop isn't that far away."

"We have a car now?"

"Yeah, hon. I bought one with some of your money. Did you honestly think we could walk everywhere? No way. Now get your Puzzle and shoes and let's hit the road. And you might want to grab a jacket. It's chilly out there."

"You're one to talk. It's pretty much winter and you're still wearing a sleeveless top?"

"It goes with my jeans. Nothing else would. Otherwise, I clearly wouldn't be wearing it."

Carrie just laughed as she slipped the Puzzle back around her neck. She pulled on her sneakers, grabbed her black leather jacket, and walked out of the house with Mai. The woman locked the door while Carrie went to admire the car that her friend had bought, which was sitting in the driveway. It should have been stolen by then, but it wasn't.

It was a flashy red convertible. A brand new flashy red convertible.

"And how much did this cost?" Carrie inquired, sweat-dropping.

"Only about sixty-five thousand. That's not much at all," Mai claimed.

"Maybe if you're rich it's not," Carrie murmured, her sweat-drop bigger now.

"Just get in so we can go."

* * *

Everyone was doing what they normally did on a Saturday. Tristan and Joey were fighting each other in a video game. Tea was studying for a big biology test at the table in the living room, trying to ignore their loud shouting by listening to her I-Pod at a loud volume. Yugi was helping Grandpa run the store, which had become busier than usual because of his taking part in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament and being the runner-up. Some people came for cards, but mostly there were fan girls wanting his autograph…and sometimes more than that. Guys came looking for Carrie, but Yami would hide her from their view because he didn't like the way they looked at him in her body. Today it seemed that only duelists were coming.

Yugi had just finished helping a customer when he saw Mai's car pull up. That meant that Yami was coming to fill Carrie's role. He had to admit, the ancient spirit had been good at being his girlfriend while she recovered from the Shadow Realm. Yami even had him slipping sometimes. But everything would definitely be better once she was back. Then everything wouldn't be so weird and Tristan would stop with his perverted questions at last.

The blonde girl opened the door—the bell above alerted everyone that someone had entered the store. Some of the people recognized the Queen of Games immediately and their attention was diverted from their original reason for being in the game shop in the first place. A handful of those people came up to her asking for an autograph. She smiled and took whatever they were holding out for her to sign her name. Yugi found this odd. Yami never signed autographs because he thought Carrie would never do that. Something was up.

He waited until the store was empty, which it did ten minutes after Carrie came in. Her green eyes were on him, like she was expecting him to say something. Before she had been destroyed in the Shadow Realm by her uncle, the color of her eyes would have been answer enough to who was in control of her body. But sometimes Yami would put in contacts that would change the color of his crimson eyes to look more like Carrie, which made it that much harder to tell the difference. Yugi thought it might still be Yami in control of the body. But then the girl did something he wasn't expecting. She ran over to him and hugged him so tightly he could hardly breathe. It was kinda uncomfortable because of the Puzzle, but there was only one person that could hug him like that.

"Carrie, you're back!" Yugi shouted, smiling.

"Yup! That's right! I'm back!" Carrie exclaimed excitedly. "Did ya miss me?"

"Of course I missed you! I had to deal with Yami for a month, and let me tell you, it was no picnic. He's nothing like you. He can be really annoying sometimes, especially when he's down in the dumps for one reason or another. He pestered me quite a bit, too. I don't particularly like him for that," Yugi told her.

"I'm sorry for your pain," Carrie apologized though she didn't look sorry at all.

"Well, well. Look who's finally recovered," Grandpa said suddenly from behind the counter, drawing their attention. "It's good to see you again. It has been a long time."

"So it has. Too long if you ask me. I'm glad to see you have recovered fairly well yourself," Carrie remarked, coming over and hugging him, too.

Grandpa chuckled warmly. "Well, I'm getting along as well as a man my age can. With a little bit of luck, I'll have about twenty more years of good health left. That's only if no one else tries anything funny…Like stealing my soul or kidnapping me or taking out my back or whatever you young people do to innocent old men nowadays."

"No one's going to harm you anymore. You're going to live forever," Carrie stated.

"Oh, don't I wish!" Grandpa chuckled again. "Well, I'm sure you didn't come here to be with an old man. Your other friends are back there completing the usual weekend routine. With any luck, you might be able to pull the two buffoons off the video games so they stop running up my electric. If I get one more of those bills saying I owe five hundred dollars, I swear I'm going to have to hurt them."

"I'll try my best, Grandpa. Even if it means I have to kick them around a bit."

Carrie and Yugi left the main part of the shop, the sound of Grandpa's good-natured laugh the last thing they heard before leaving. Tea was too busy studying and Joey and Tristan were too into their video game competition to notice their entering into the living room. She had tough decision ahead of her: would she startle Tea, mess up Joey's chances of winning, or attack Tristan?

She chose Tristan because of what he had done while she was recovering.

Yugi sat down on the couch, seemingly watching Joey and Tristan. But he was really more interested in what Carrie was going to do. She walked behind Tristan, who didn't hear her approaching footsteps over Joey's battle cries. Without warning, she kicked him as hard as she could in his back, causing the tall brunette to fall forward and experience a lot of pain. Joey didn't notice that his friend had been knocked down—he just took advantage of the sudden lack of offense and won the game. He was too busy cheering about his first victory on that game to notice the other blonde in the room, but he was the only one who didn't notice her. Tea pulled out her headphones upon seeing Tristan collapse and glanced up at Carrie. Tristan sat up despite the pain and glared at the blonde girl in anger. She seemed unfazed by their stares.

"What the hell is your problem, Yami? Why'd you just kick me?" Tristan demanded.

Carrie didn't reply—she just smiled.

"Tristan, don't you see? Yami would never kick someone unless they pissed him off. That isn't Yami. That's Carrie! She's back!" Tea claimed.

"Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner," Carrie said.

Tristan blinked. "Carrie? She's back? And she kicked me? Oh shit…She must know about the questions I asked Yami. Damn…I'm in so much trouble."

"Damn right you are. You never ask what a girl looks like undressed. It's just plain wrong. So now you're going to have to accept your punishment like a good little boy and remember to never ask those kinds of questions again unless you want to lose the right to be called a man," Carrie told him bluntly.

Then she lunged at him, beating the crap out of him with just the slightest hint of mercy so she wouldn't break anything important. Tea and Yugi watched this with a sweat-drop.

_Well, we did warn him, _Tea thought.

_I hope I never make her that mad,_ Yugi thought.

She stood up a minute later, done hurting her tall friend because he didn't deserve too much hurt over a couple of misspoken words in some bad questions. He was bruised all over and had a black eye, but nothing was broken save his pride. He was lucky compared to other people that had been in a similar situation; she let him off easy this once. Her anger finally faded and she helped him back to his feet. Carrie hugged him, too, because he was a great guy when he wasn't being perverted.

"C'mon, Tristan! Let's play another round!" Joey shouted. He saw the brunette hugging Carrie and gave him a weird glance. "Hey, why are you hugging Yami? That guy's a total freak and he's kinda creepy…"

"He is not!" Carrie snapped, glaring at him.

"That's not Yami. It's Carrie. We established that a while ago," Tea muttered.

"Oh. Welcome back, Carrie!" Joey exclaimed with a huge goofy grin.

"Grandpa told me to get you guys off the game system because he's tired of paying for you guys wasting electricity. So I suggest you turn off the game right now before I have to make you match Tristan's present appearance."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me, Joey. I dare you."

The blonde boy went to start another game, challenging Carrie openly without any sign of fear. His finger was just above the button when Carrie grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. The controller dropped to the floor as Joey cried uncle. Tristan took it into his own hands to make sure the console was turned off, even if the game was still inside, for the safety of his best friend. Once there was nothing on the screen, Carrie let her blonde friend go. He fell to the ground on his face, muttering something about how the forces of the universe were working against him just because he had finally defeated the rigged game.

Carrie plopped down on the couch beside Yugi and Tea, a huge smile on her face that they weren't used to seeing. Yami had been so serious the whole time he was in control of her, and even before then, she had never smiled so brightly. Perhaps time away from them had been good for her. Joey and Tristan sat on the arms of the couch—they were just close enough to contribute to the conversation but far enough away to avoid being hurt by Carrie again.

"So what have you guys been up to while I was incapacitated?" Carrie asked.

"Well…Let me think…Oh yeah! Yugi had to duel this little girl who thought that Grandpa stole her grandfather's Blue Eyes. He let her win to teach her about the heart of the cards …And get this. Their duel was exactly the same as the one Grandpa and the other old dude had many years back when they were trapped in an Egyptian tomb!" Joey stated excitedly.

"She wasn't just a little girl. She was a genius. Her name was Rebecca Hawkins, and her grandfather was Arthur Hawkins," Yugi put in.

"She was a little rude brat until Arthur showed up. Then she was somewhat tolerable," Tea said. "Yugi gave her the card Ties of Friendship after their duel. I don't see why. I guess he wanted to be her friend or something."

"Awww…Yugi was being sweet on a girl. Are you finally going to get a girlfriend?" Carrie teased, ruffling his hair playfully.

Yugi blushed. "She's like four years younger than me! I was only being nice because she seemed like a kind girl and our grandfathers were friends! It was nothing more than an act of kindness!"

"If you say so."

"We saved Kaiba from impending doom inside of a virtual adventure world that he had created but the Big Five executives that worked under him messed with," Tristan recalled. "The Big Five had been in league with Pegasus in hopes of taking over Kaiba Corporation, and when he had failed to take Kaiba out of the picture during Duelist Kingdom, they took matters into their own hands. He went into one of the pods, the one that was supposedly ready to go, and then he was trapped there in the virtual world. Mokuba managed to escape their grasp and came to us for help. He brought us to Kaiba's secret lab where prototypes of the same world were, and Yugi, Joey, Yami, and Mokuba went in. We all would have gone, but there weren't enough prototypes. Tea and I were left to protect you guys so the thugs the Big Five had wouldn't pull the plug on you and you wouldn't be trapped in that world forever."

"Mai was there, too. She was part of the reason we made it out of there," Joey stated.

"Was your arm healed by then?" Carrie inquired, looking at Tristan.

"Yeah. It was still kinda sore and all, but it functioned well enough for me to break Kemo's nose," Tristan replied. "That jerk went from working for Pegasus to working for the Big Five like that. I guess he was fired after he failed to do what your uncle wanted him to do."

"How did your sister's eye surgery go?" Carrie wanted to know, looking at Joey this time.

"Well, she hasn't had it yet. They have her on this waiting list because there are a lot of people like her out there who want to have the operation. But she'll be having it soon, thanks to you giving up the money for her. I just hope she'll get in before the damage to her vision becomes irreversible," Joey said.

"Anything else?"

"…Yami and Joey dueled this guy named Duke Devlin. He was a total ladies' man who had some stupid grudge against you because he claimed that you defeating Pegasus ruined his chances of getting a patent on Dungeon Dueling or something. It's where you use dice to duel. Joey faced him first, in a normal duel actually, before we knew all the crap Duke was filled with. He lost because he got cocky and messed up and then he had to wear a dog suit. Then Yami kicked Duke's ass at his own dice-dueling game, Pegasus sent Duke an e-mail, and whatever was stuck up Duke's ass fell out. He isn't so annoying, but I still don't like him," Tea told her.

"The way you've described him…I don't blame you," Carrie concurred. "How are your dance lessons going, by the way?"

"They're fantastic! We're doing auditions for _The Nutcracker _performance, and I think I might get the leading role!" Tea exclaimed, excited.

"That's great. I can't wait to see you out there." A pause, and then, "Is there anything else that I missed?"

"Nope. I think that pretty much covers it," Tristan replied. "See? You didn't miss much at all. I bet being alone in your mind was much more exciting than our lives."

"Are you kidding me? I couldn't do anything while I was recovering. The only company I had was my evil, this dragon I don't know the name of, and occasionally Yami. I was bored out of my mind inside of my mind. And you guys got to save Kaiba in a virtual world. That would have been awesome to do…being a virtual world, I mean. Saving Rich Boy is a huge pain that I had to go through once. I never want to do it again."

"…So…What are we going to do now?" Joey asked. "We can't play video games, we can't stay outside that long…What is there to do on a chilly day in the middle of fall?"

"I hear there's a new exhibit opening at the museum. I think it has something to do with ancient Egypt. Supposedly, they're going to bring some mummies in that might have had some connection to a pharaoh with no name. Some lady from Egypt is supposed to be coming to work there, too. Sounds like it's worth investigating," Tea suggested.

"It might help us discover who exactly Yami is, but he's gone this long without finding out his past. I think he can wait a few months longer," Joey said. "Besides, museums are so boring. Everything there is dead and has no effect on life today. There's no point in going to look at what once existed and what no longer exists."

"We could go to that one club downtown," Tristan put in.

"That club is for people over the age of twenty-one. We'd never get in. We don't all have fake ids or look like we're adults. Yugi especially wouldn't make it in," Tea pointed out.

"We could go out for a slice," Joey proposed.

"No. Whenever we go out to eat, _I_ usually end up paying for it," Yugi remarked. "And you never stop at just one. You usually eat an entire pizza by yourself."

Joey growled. "Fine! Let's let the Queen of Games decide what we'll do today! No arguments, no matter what she says!"

"Sounds fair to me," Tea said.

"I agree," Tristan muttered.

Yugi didn't say anything, but Carrie saw him roll his eyes at his friends' immaturity. At least he wasn't the one being put in the middle of all this, the one who had to make the decision. Of course she wanted to help Yami find out who he had been, but she knew that exhibit wouldn't be ready for a few more weeks. Clubs weren't really her thing, and she had eaten enough pizza when she lived in America—she didn't need any more of that. So she came up with her own idea about what they should do that day.

"Let's go ice skating," she told them.

Her friends had different reactions.

"That's fine with me," Tea stated.

"…I guess that's fine," Tristan grumbled, crestfallen because she hadn't picked his idea.

"I'm okay with that," Yugi concurred.

"Awww…But ice skating is for sissies!" Joey whined.

"You're only saying that because you suck at it and you have to hold onto the side of the rink the whole time," Tristan pointed out.

"I hate ice skating!" Joey shouted.

"You said you wouldn't argue, no matter what I said," Carrie reminded him. "So are you going to come along, or are you going to be a jerk and stay back here? Cuz no matter what you do, we're going to have a great time."

Joey pouted. "Fine. I'll go. But I'm not going to be happy about it or have a good time."

Carrie smiled. "That's what I wanted to hear."

* * *

The gang, accompanied by Grandpa because Carrie hadn't wanted to leave him out, was out on the ice a half hour later. There were other people there, of course, and some of them were better than the gang. But Joey was the only one who was holding onto the side so intently and he still kept falling on his face. Grandpa was even better than him—he was out there skating around like a young man though he was far from it. Tea was the best out of the mall. She could keep her balance and throw in a few tricks while she was at it. Carrie was almost jealous of her.

Carrie had chosen this not just because it was nearly winter, but for another reason. When she had lived in NYC with her abusive father and hateful mother, there was little that could bring her happiness. But during winter, she and Jessica used to slip out of the apartment and go skating in the ice rink nearby. That ice rink was larger than the one she was in now, but she still felt the same happiness she experienced before. All that was missing was her little sister.

She spun around and began skating backwards, dodging the other skaters with ease that had been acquired during those winters at the NYC rink. She reached where Joey was, scaring the blonde boy by her sudden appearance and making him fall on his backside. She laughed and helped him up again. A permanent scowl had been on his face ever since the idea of skating had been suggested. It was time to do something to get that frown to turn upside down. Carrie took one of his hands and urged him to let go of the railing. He just looked at her with wide eyes, obviously afraid of falling. She smiled reassuringly; after all, if he fell, she would fall, too. Reluctantly, he let go.

Carrie kept her speed slow for his sake as he wobbled on the ice. Every time he would go to fall, she would hold him up with her free hand. There were some times when she wasn't fast enough and they would both fall, but they just laughed it off. Eventually, he got the hang of it and wasn't sitting on the ice as much, but he wasn't ready to skate on his own just yet. Tristan offered to take him off her hands, and she allowed him to go. He was no longer scowling—he was smiling and having a good time.

_Well, I sure changed his opinion of ice skating,_ Carrie thought with a smile.

_**It doesn't look that hard. Perhaps he's just clumsy,**_ Yami remarked.

_You had no idea what ice was until I told you. You have no idea how hard it is to just keep your balance on this stuff._

_**Then it's a good thing I'm not the one out there. You get to struggle through this one.**_

_Gee, thanks. You're so generous, Yami._

"I never thought I would see the day when Joey could skate," Yugi said, now skating at her side. "That was really nice of you."

"What can I say? I'm a nice person," Carrie told him.

"Why did you suggest this, anyway?" Yugi asked.

"It was something me and Jessie did in the past to escape Carl and Megan. You could say that ice skating brings back positive memories in the midst of so much pain in my past," Carrie replied.

"I'm glad you had one good thing during all those years," Yugi murmured, not knowing if that was exactly the right thing to say.

"Yeah. And I'm glad that you finally found a girlfriend. Rebecca would be good for you, since she's the exact opposite of what you are. Polar opposites attract, or so I've heard," Carrie teased.

Yugi flustered. "For the last time, I don't like Rebecca like that! She's just a girl that I made friends with because our grandfathers are friends! Besides, there's nothing cute about a twelve-year-old who still carries around a teddy bear!"

Carrie smiled. "All kidding aside here, I wish I could have been around to see Arthur and Rebecca. If he and Grandpa were really trapped inside a tomb in Egypt, then he might know more about what all this stuff is about. You know, with the Shadow Realm and the Millennium Items and why Yami is inside the Puzzle. I guess I missed my chance by being so weak. Ah well…"

"You could see them. Grandpa invited them over for dinner tomorrow. I don't think he would mind if you joined us. He does like you as if you were his own grandchild, after all," Yugi remarked.

"I never knew my grandparents. Both sets died before I was born. So I kinda like to think that Grandpa is like my real grandfather. I guess the feeling's mutual," Carrie stated. "So, I'll get to see this genius girl…Rebecca…who still carries around a teddy bear at the age of twelve? Well, I suppose that's not the weirdest thing I've ever seen. Jessie watched _Barney_ up until she turned fourteen."

Yugi sweat-dropped. "Really?"

"No joke. I had to pull her away with the _Twilight _movie, and even then she continued to sing the theme song and the one with I Love You at the end of each episode."

"I never suspected her to be that weird."

"Yeah, and now she keeps watching that gay sparkling fairy Edward every other night. She has each line memorized, and if she doesn't stop it, it's going to be stuck in _my _head for all eternity. Then I'll start quoting the movie randomly. I don't want to do that, Yugi. I would rather watch those stupid cartoons Pegasus likes."

"I don't blame you. That movie really isn't that great."

Out of nowhere, Carrie groaned. Yami was annoying her by saying how easy everything looked about ice skating and that he thought he could do it all within an hour. Yugi gave her a quizzical look, not understanding what was irritating her.

"Yami is driving me crazy! He thinks that what Tea is doing is child's play and wants me to do it just like her," Carrie explained, pointing at the brunette who was executing a spin in midair. "I swear, if he doesn't shut up, I'm going to have to hurt him."

Yugi smiled. "He can take over my body and see just how 'easy' ice skating really is. I wouldn't mind."

"Thank you for being so generous, Yugi. You have no idea what you're submitting yourself to, though."

She took the Puzzle off from around her neck and put it over his head. The boy's eyes changed from violet to crimson, and as soon as the change took place, he fell onto his backside. Carrie giggled as he tried to get up several times, failing miserably. He glared at her, wondering how she was able to keep her balance while he couldn't even stand. She extended her hand and helped him up.

"Not as easy as you thought it'd be…Is it?" Carrie asked in a taunting manner.

"…No. I'm sorry for saying it was," Yami muttered with a small smile.

"Good. That's what I wanted to hear. Now get out of my best friend's body," Carrie ordered, still laughing at his failure.

"I think he caused me to bruise," Yugi grumbled as he handed the Puzzle back over.

"Oh, get over it. That's just a bruised ass. It's only going to hurt if you sit down," Carrie said with a smile.

Grandpa watched the two from a distance with a smile. He knew how his grandson felt about girls; Yugi was never good at concealing his feelings. Even if Carrie couldn't see it, he could. The others only teased them about it, but even they didn't know the truth about their short friend. Yugi loved Carrie…but he had lost out to his past life.

Well, it wouldn't end like that if Grandpa could help it. He was going to play a little game called matchmaker, and when tomorrow night was over, everyone was going to know what everyone else felt.

What fun that would be.

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. Grandpa is crazy, wanting to separate Yami and Carrie just so Yugi can have her. Do you think he'll succeed? What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	27. 27 - Nice

_A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update again. Thanks for reviewing. Here's another chapter. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 27

The next day, or rather the next afternoon, Carrie was in her room, trying to decide what she should wear to that stupid dinner thing over at Yugi's. Grandpa had said she could come over even before she had asked, which was weird but she thought nothing of it. The only thing he told her was that she didn't have to dress up, but to dress nicely. She refused to wear a dress or a skirt—weekends freed her from that torment. A nice pair of pants would do just fine.

Mai had stolen the Millennium Puzzle out of the room beforehand, saying something about Yami not needing to see her while she was dressing. Carrie had just laughed—the man had been living in her body for months now, so it really didn't matter anymore. He hadn't stepped out of his boundaries before, so why would he do it now? She missed his companionship. She needed someone to talk to even if her problems were as minor as what she should wear.

She finally settled on a nice white blouse and a black pair of pants. That was as nice as she could get without getting dressy, and already it was killing her to be this girly. She put on a pair of nice dress shoes with low heels and placed simple small gold hoops into her ears. No makeup…This would be more than enough. This would do, wouldn't it? All she was going to be doing would be eating dinner with her best friend, his grandfather, a friend of the grandfather, and that friend's granddaughter. They wouldn't expect her to go all out, would they?

Taking a deep breath, Carrie stepped out of her room. Her heels clicked on the wood of the stairs as she went down. She was surprised she was able to keep her balance in those lousy excuses for shoes. The sound of her shoes was very annoying, something she really could have done without. She was sure people could hear her coming for miles. Mai caught her at the bottom of the steps, the Puzzle in her hand and a complimentary smile on her face. It was obvious she approved.

"What do you think? Is this nice enough without being gaudy and unnecessary?" Carrie asked, indicating her outfit.

"It's fine, Carrie. You shouldn't worry about it. You're just eating with friends and friends of friends. It's nothing to go all out for," Mai assured her.

"My thoughts exactly," Carrie agreed as she took the Puzzle from her friend and put it around her neck. "How long until I have to go over there?"

"You still have a couple of hours, hon. He said you didn't have to be over there until six, and it's just after three. I don't even see why you got dressed so early," Mai told her.

"I have to break in these shoes, that's why," Carrie remarked. "I haven't worn them once since I bought them, and they hurt like hell."

Mai shrugged—she had been through that stuff too many times for it to faze her anymore. "Do you have any idea why Mr. Muto wanted you to dress nicer than usual? All you're doing is eating dinner at his place. Nothing fancy about that. Unless…Unless he's got something special in mind…Like hooking you up with Yugi."

"Mai! Don't even suggest that! You know that I'm with Yami, and so does Grandpa and Yugi, so there's no way they'd try something like that!" Carrie exclaimed.

"Carrie…Don't you notice the way Yugi is always looking at you? How he's always concerned about you and willing to do anything to bring your spirits up? You might think that he's only doing those things because he's your best friend and cares more about you than the others, but if you break it all down, what he feels is obvious. That boy is in love with you, Carrie," Mai claimed.

The girl rolled her eyes. "No, he's not. Tristan is, and trust me, I know what lovesick boys look like. Yugi has never been that way. N-e-v-e-r."

"Whatever you say, Carrie."

Someone knocked at the door, giving Carrie a reason to leave Mai. That woman was starting to annoy her a lot with her claims that Carrie's best friend was in love with her, so she was grateful for the distraction. Some dark-haired, green-eyed stranger was standing there, looking at her as if he knew who she was. Perhaps it was some fan guy who wanted her autograph or some creepy stalker Yami had neglected to tell her about.

"Hey, Carrie. Whatcha doing all dressed up?" the boy asked, twirling a strand of his dark hair around as he smiled at her.

_Who's this?_ Carrie demanded, a little more wary because he was talking so casually.

_**That's Duke Devlin, **_Yami replied bitterly, though from what was beyond Carrie's knowledge at the moment. He shared his memories of the boy in a flash to fill her in, but he said nothing else.

"I'm going out tonight. That's all," Carrie told the boy. "How about you, Duke? What are you up to? Why are you here?"

Duke laughed nervously. "Well…I thought you wouldn't be doing anything today and was going to challenge you to a game of Dungeon Dice Monsters over at my game shop. You know…since you beat me the first time even though you'd never been exposed to the game before. I've been trying to perfect my strategy so that I can beat the Queen of Games…But since you're busy…"

"Did you get rid of those annoying cheerleaders?" Carrie wanted to know.

The boy was hesitant to answer. "…I got rid of the three that were there when you first came. But they were replaced."

Carrie sighed. "And did you put Joey in a dog suit again?"

"Hey, this time, he challenged me to a duel and put the stakes up himself, not the other way around. If he would have won, I would have gotten him a date with a pretty girl. But he lost, so it's back to the dog suit for him. I'm not going to totally humiliate him again, but he's not going to be set free so easily, either," Duke stated.

Carrie sighed again. "You should have known better than to take Joey up on his crazy offers. How long does he got to be in it this time?"

"Only until midnight. That's all," Duke assured her. "You don't have to duel me if you don't want to, though. I can see that you're busy and you've got places to go."

"Actually, I don't have anywhere to be for a few hours. Kicking your ass again would kill time, if nothing else," Carrie said.

Duke smiled brightly. "All right! Let's go duel!"

Carrie tried not to sweat-drop or look creeped out by his sudden excitement. "What will the stakes be?"

"If you win, Joey is free early. If I win, you go on a date with me instead of whoever else you were going to go out with tonight. And I assure you…I'm going to win!"

Carrie sweat-dropped. _He sure is a creep who thinks every girl wants him, isn't he?_

_**Duke is…quite a colorful character. Once he sets his mind on something, it takes a lot to convince it to go elsewhere.**_

_Are you okay? You're being awful glum even for a spirit your age and with your history._

…_**I'm fine, Carrie. It's just…something Mai said.**_

_If it's about Yugi being in love with me, don't let it bother you. He's my best friend. He doesn't love me at all._

_**How do you know?**_

_I don't. But I don't see why you're letting this get to you now. It never bothered you when the others said we liked each other._

_**That's because they're children who wouldn't know what love was if it hit them in the head. Mai is a woman. She can see these things because she has been through it all before and therefore has experience. I trust her judgment more than our friends. And I had a long time to get acquainted with her while you were recovering. She knows a lot more than she lets on.**_

_Well, we're going to see him tonight, so we'll find out for sure in a few hours. Until then, will you try to lighten up?_

…_**I'll try, but I am not promising anything.**_

* * *

Yugi was starting to regret telling Carrie about the Hawkins coming over for dinner. Grandpa seemed to be planning something, trying to get his grandson to do something, though that had become apparent when he asked Carrie over yesterday. She had wanted to come over, anyway, but the way Grandpa had eagerly invited her to dinner was a big warning sign. Then the part where they had to dress _nicely_ proved to Yugi that the old man was trying something bigger than just reacquainting himself with friends and helping out an ancient spirit.

He was trying to get Yugi and Carrie hooked up.

That became more obvious as the day went on. The shop was still open on Sundays and they had been working as normal. There were speakers in the ceiling playing music because silence was worse than any song anyone sang in most cases. Those speakers had been Yugi's tormentors all day. Whenever the shop had no customers, Grandpa would play stupid songs by a torn-apart American band that hadn't been together for years… NSYNC. Yugi hadn't liked them even when they were popular way back when. Now his grandfather was torturing him with their music. He would always change the song as soon as a customer walked in, though the lyrics always managed to play around in Yugi's head even when other songs that were so much better were playing. And Grandpa refused to turn the music off, no matter how much his grandson begged him to do so.

He flipped the sign on the door so that anyone who walked by would see the word closed, feeling as if he might blow up any second now. The music was still playing—the song was now The Two of Us. It was the hundredth time that day Grandpa had tortured him with that tune, and now the lyrics were stuck to his mind like glue…along with every other song on the album Celebrity that NSYNC had released. The song was so stupid…being about a friend in love with another friend and the guy couldn't sleep without calling her or something like that. He could never really understand those silly songs by that horrible band, anyway.

_I toss and turn when I'm alone, and I just can't wait until you get home...Shit! _Yugi thought, catching himself before he could mentally sing that stupid song anymore. _I'm going to get that old man for this later. Can't he see that Carrie's just my friend? This is not going to end well...for anyone._

The phone rang then—Yugi could barely hear it over the music. He ran to it, glad for the interruption of his torture.

"Hey, Yugi! You sound like someone's been torturing you," Joey remarked from the other end of the phone.

"In a way, someone has," Yugi admitted. "What's up?"

"Well, ol' Joey got himself in a pickle with Duke again earlier. I challenged him to a duel, got my ass handed to me, now I'm in a dog suit again…You know, the same old same old. Then he went to Carrie's house—I have no idea how he got her address—and came back with her and they dueled. It was close, but she won, which was good cuz if she hadn't she would have had to go on a date with him. Thing is…She didn't give me my freedom! She left me in his hands! She said that I was a fool for choosing to duel him again in the first place and I should serve out my sentence! Ya gotta help me, bud! If you don't, I'll be stuck in this dog suit with these stupid cheerleaders until midnight!" Joey shouted dramatically.

"Midnight, huh? That's only a little over six hours away. I'm sure you can last that long," Yugi said.

"Come on, Yugi! Help a friend out!" Joey pleaded.

"You should have known better than to duel him again. It's your own fault, and I'm not bailing you out if Carrie didn't," Yugi stated.

Joey groaned. "Fine! You have fun on your date with Carrie! She'll be over there shortly, and you two can snog each other as much as you freaking want!"

"Goodnight, Joey. See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, lover boy!"

Yugi put the phone back in its cradle with a small smile that was quickly erased when he heard the stupid music again. Something Like You was being belted by NSYNC…and it was _so _annoying! He needed to shut that crap off now before it drove him crazy! He went to turn the speakers off…

"Don't even think about it," Grandpa warned, walking out of the kitchen and into the game part of the shop.

"But Grandpa, this is so stupid!" Yugi complained. "I know what you're trying to do, and it isn't going to work, so stop torturing me with this crappy band's singing!"

"I know what I'm planning, too, and that's to have a nice dinner with my old friend, his granddaughter, my grandson, and the Queen of Games. If you say it isn't going to work, then that's just you're opinion. And this band isn't crappy; I happen to find their music quite enjoyable. So don't talk trash about them even if they did split up," Grandpa scolded. "And don't you dare turn that music off. I'll take care of that when I grow tired of their singing."

Before Yugi could argue, his grandfather had returned to the kitchen. He groaned and kicked the counter in frustration. Then he slid down and sat on the floor behind the counter, holding his head in his hands. How could Grandpa do this to him? Carrie was going to get so creeped out when she showed up! Why did old men need to be so weird? Why did they have to play matchmaker? Why couldn't they leave young people alone?

The bell above the shop door rang as someone entered. It was a girl; at least, he thought it was a girl because he could hear heels clicking across the floor. She made her way around the counter, calling his name and wondering where he was. He recognized the voice, which was why he didn't pop up immediately with that stupid music playing. If she saw him so close to that music player right now when Up Against the Wall was playing…She would never look at him the same way again. But it was only a matter of time until she walked around the counter and found him. Which she did.

"Yugi, why are you on the floor?" Carrie asked, smiling and trying not to laugh.

"He's torturing me," Yugi whispered, sounding horrified even though he really wasn't that bad. "That music…He's been playing it all day and won't let me turn it off."

"You have my pity," Carrie said, extending her hand. "I'll take care of that for you."

He took her hand right at a bad point in the song. The speakers blared, "She took my hand, we never said a word at all. We started grinding, she already had me up against the wall. Ask me 'bout tomorrow, you know that I don't care at all. You just get caught up when you're up against the-"

That was when Carrie released his hand and took the CD out to finally stop the music. She ensured that it would never be used to harm Yugi again by breaking it into pieces and tossing it in the trash. Then she helped her shorter friend to stand even though he was very capable of standing without her help. He said a soft thank you and she just smiled.

"You didn't tell me that you were going to wear the same thing," Carrie teased as she took in his outfit. It was practically the same: he was wearing a nice white shirt and black pants with nice shoes. "Now people are going to think we're twins or something. Still… You look handsome. And you made Yami look handsome, too. But between you and me, you beat him hands-down in that outfit."

Yugi blushed. "…Thanks. You look good, too."

"Nah. I look modest, that's all," Carrie told him. "Are the Hawkins here yet?"

"No, but they should be here soon," Yugi replied.

"Yugi, I thought I told you to let it play," Grandpa grumbled, coming back in. He looked bitter—he was faking it, of course—until he saw that Carrie was there. Then he smiled. "Carrie! You're here already! And you dressed just like Yugi…I thought you might wear something a little more girly."

"Are you kidding me, Grandpa? I have to wear a skirt five days a week. I'm not about to forfeit my right to wear pants just for a little dinner. I will never wear a skirt or dress just for you or your friends, not even at your funeral in a hundred years," Carrie stated.

Grandpa chuckled warmly. "I should have known! Well, you still look beautiful…though I'm sure my grandson has already pointed that out."

Yugi flustered and was glad that Carrie wasn't looking at him right then. He just hoped that Yami wasn't glaring at him. That spirit could have been standing anywhere and there was no way Yugi could know without wearing the Puzzle himself. The last thing he wanted was to piss his incarnation off.

"He did, but thanks for the compliment. You look quite handsome yourself…for a man over fifty," Carrie remarked.

"You're too kind, Carrie. Yugi, why don't you and Carrie set the table while I make sure dinner doesn't burn?" Grandpa suggested.

The two did as Grandpa asked. Setting the table didn't take long at all since it was only a dinner for five. It was just a distraction to pass time and try to throw the kids off the scent of what this dinner was really all about.

"What the hell is he planning?" Carrie asked suddenly. "Making us dress up somewhat… Having the table set…Him cooking dinner. Is he planning on poisoning us all and raiding our pockets for two sickles and a dung bomb? Well, at least we'd be ready for the funeral with the way we're dressed."

Yugi laughed. "No. I don't think he's planning on killing us. But he is up to something… I'm just not sure what."

_Okay, that was kinda a lie, but she'll figure it out for herself soon enough,_ Yugi thought. _I just hope she doesn't think that I like her by the time this night's over. I mean...I do like her, but she's already in love and...I just don't want her to feel as if she's betrayed me by going with who I was in a very distant past. I'm content with us being friends...Why does Grandpa have to meddle with my life?_

The bell above the shop door rang again, signaling that someone else had entered. Carrie went to see who it was and Yugi followed because he had nothing better to do. An old man who seemed British and had gray hair was there, along with a short girl with blonde hair in pigtails and a teddy bear in her arms. She didn't look like she had dressed up at all—she even seemed unhappy to be there. Her eyes lit up a bit when she saw Yugi, but her attitude got even worse when she looked upon Carrie.

_What the hell? Even she thinks there's something going on between me and Carrie!_ Yugi screamed in his head. _Wrong time period, dumbasses! The other me has her, not me!_

"Hello," Carrie greeted, walking over to them and extending her hand to the taller of the two. "You must be Arthur Hawkins, Mr. Muto's friend."

"And you must be Carrie West. It's a pleasure to meet you," Arthur said, taking her hand.

"Oh, whatever! She doesn't look too pleasant, or even very bright, to me! Blondes usually are dumber than a box of rocks!" the short blonde snapped. "I think I'm the only smart one there is!"

Yugi could imagine that Carrie wanted to hit her for that—he could see the anger flash across her eyes. Instead of slapping that girl like she ought to, she just smiled and made herself eye level with her.

"And I bet you're that genius girl Yugi told me about. Rebecca, right? Your mouth's reputation precedes you. It seems you really do lack manners," Carrie remarked.

"I apologize for Rebecca's behavior. She is just a straightforward girl who hasn't learned to behave in front of strangers just yet," Arthur apologized. "She was all excited about this until she heard that you were coming. Then she grew jealous and threw a fit. I really am so very sorry."

"No need to apologize. You're not the genius being a jealous brat just cuz she thinks Yugi has a girlfriend when he's completely single," Carrie told him. "He's free for the taking if you want him, Rebecca. The way he talked about you before made me think he might be interested."

Both Yugi and Rebecca blushed; the latter turned away from the others to hide the color of her face. Carrie and Arthur just laughed at this.

Grandpa announced that dinner was served and the group moved into the dining room which was just a table in the kitchen. Rebecca sat beside her grandfather and Grandpa sat at the head of the table, which left Carrie to sit next to Yugi. This wasn't just an accidental occurrence. It was _his_ plan all along. And what made it worse for Carrie was that she was seated right across from the bitter glare of a jealous twelve-year-old.

The blonde beside him waited to see if Grandpa ate before even taking a bite of her own food, and he couldn't help but smile at that. She was still oblivious to the real reason she had been invited…Still convinced that he was trying to kill them all or something like that. He hoped that it would remain like that, that she would never know what his heart felt towards her, that this night would end with everything exactly like it had been the day before.

But with Grandpa's scheming, the chances of that happening were slim to none.

"So, Arthur," Carrie said when they had finished eating and he was no longer speaking with Grandpa. "I hear you were in Egypt in the past."

"I have been to Egypt several times, yes. Solomon has been there with me on many of my travels," Arthur remarked.

"Would you know anything about the Millennium Items and a nameless pharaoh?" Carrie asked. "Or even dueling? Someone told me that something similar to dueling happened in ancient Egypt, and I was wondering if it could possibly be true."

"Dueling did indeed originate in Egypt. That is what my time in tombs has revealed to me over the years, for the hieroglyphics on the walls mention dueling and many of the drawings match the art we see on Duel Monsters cards. And as to what I know about the Millennium Items…I don't know much. But there seems to be a total of seven: the Puzzle, the Eye, the Ring, the Necklace, the Key, the Scales, and the Rod. They are rumored to contain powers beyond imagination as well as sealed away darkness. The nameless pharaoh you asked about before was supposedly the one that sealed them away in order to prevent the end of the world. His spirit was said to be within the Puzzle, waiting for it to be solved again," Arthur informed her. "Are the rumors true about him? Is he within the Puzzle?"

Yugi saw Carrie turn pale. She was probably wondering if it was wise to tell the man about Yami. Luckily, Carrie was saved by the loud-mouth.

"There are no such things as spirits or dark powers!" Rebecca claimed, looking mad. "Grandpa, there's no need to tell her this stuff! She's too stupid to understand any of it, anyway! I bet there's more air in her head than brains! I don't even see how she became the Queen of Games!"

"Rebecca-!" Arthur began, but Carrie cut him off.

"Arthur, let me handle this…And I apologize in advance for anything that comes out of my mouth that might be deemed inappropriate," Carrie said. She glared across the table at Rebecca with cold eyes that made the twelve-year-old gulp. "I am not stupid. My brain works just fine. And I became the Queen of Games because I had no choice. My friends were in danger and Pegasus would have gone mad with the power he had. On that island, a lot of crap happened because of dueling and Millennium Items and dark powers that weren't exactly magic. I almost died several times, but I was smart enough to pull through all the trials that glowered down at me. Some guy tried to do something horrible to me, and though I needed help to get free of him, I was smart enough and strong enough to defeat him. So you better stop insulting me, Rebecca. You have no idea what being smart really means until you get out into the real world. I've been there and done that, and though you're friends with my best friend and your grandfather is present, I will not hesitate to reach across this table and punch you if you do not stop insulting me."

Rebecca bit her bottom lip to keep quiet and hid her face in her teddy bear's body. Carrie turned her gaze away from the girl, a look of regret and sadness in her beautiful green eyes now. She seemed to really feel bad about telling Rebecca those things. The old men exchanged glances while Yugi just looked from one blonde to the other, uncomfortable.

"Well, I think I'll take everyone's dishes away now," Yugi offered after some time, trying to stimulate conversation. He got up from his seat and took everyone's plates from them, moving them to the sink where they would sit until the next day. While he was up, Grandpa went to the fridge and pulled out a cake for dessert.

"…I'm not feeling up for cake," Carrie murmured. "I think I should go home now. I apologize for ruining your night, Grandpa and Arthur. And I'm sorry for making you feel bad, Rebecca."

"No…Please don't go," Rebecca pleaded, which surprised everyone. "I…I was being a brat and I deserved to be reprimanded. Please forgive me and stay. That's what Yugi would want…And it's not every day that I get to share a meal with the Queen of Games."

_And the references to my feelings for Carrie come into play again, _Yugi thought with a quiet groan.

"Are you sure that you would be happy with me here?" Carrie asked. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Yes. As long as I can refrain from being a brat," Rebecca replied.

Carrie gave them a small smile. "All right. I guess I can stay. But I don't know if I'll be able to eat a piece of cake. That dinner really filled me up. You're a great cook, Grandpa. And if there was poison in that, then it was the best-tasting poison ever."

Grandpa chuckled at that comment.

"Are you sure you don't want any cake?" Yugi asked in a teasing manner. "It's chocolate."

"I love chocolate, but…"

"The icing is chocolate, too."

"Well…"

"And it's not just any chocolate. It's dark chocolate."

"Hand over the cake and no one gets hurt."

The others laughed because her reaction and expression were pretty humorous. Yugi and Grandpa brought over the plates and handed one to each person sitting before placing one before themselves. Grandpa had purposely given Arthur and Rebecca theirs, so that forced Yugi to hand Carrie hers. She smiled and thanked him—she could be very kind when she wanted to, which was most of the time, and tonight she had proved that more than ever before. Yugi felt his face grow warm and hurriedly looked away from his best friend so she wouldn't see the color of his face at that moment.

Despite earlier complaints, Carrie managed to devour her portion of the cake with ease. Yugi himself wasn't very hungry…His emotional turmoil of today had made it feel like his stomach was doing somersaults. He ate about half of his piece and slid the other over to Carrie. She gave him a quizzical glance.

"What's wrong, Yugi? Are you sick?" Carrie wanted to know.

Yugi shook his head. "I'm just not hungry anymore. And since you finished yours, I thought you could have mine."

"Thanks, Yugi. You're the best," Carrie stated.

"Hey, what are friends for?"

He caught his grandfather's gaze out of the corner of his eye and groaned quietly. The old man was smirking, thinking that his plan was working…Somewhat. Yugi didn't think it was; Carrie was giving no signs that she knew what Yugi felt about her, and he wasn't doing anything that he wouldn't have done before. So why was his grandfather smirking like that? What was he planning next?

"So, when are you going to tell her, Yugi?" Arthur asked.

"Tell her what?" Yugi inquired.

"You know," Grandpa put in.

And that was when Yugi realized that all of those in that room save Carrie were in on his grandfather's plan, and this whole dinner thing had been a setup. In fact, he didn't even know that the Hawkins were coming over until _after _Carrie had come to the game shop as herself yesterday. True, this had helped Carrie figure out a little more about Duel Monsters, the Millennium Items, and Yami, but that wasn't the main objective. It was to reveal what Yugi felt towards Carrie and see if she returned his feelings.

If Yugi was British like the Hawkins and Bakura, what he would have thought was…

Oh bloody hell!

And indeed, all hell was about to break loose.

"Don't play dumb, Yugi! Anyone with eyes can see that you're head-over-heels in love with Carrie! It's completely obvious!" Rebecca exclaimed, sounding slightly jealous.

After that, the whole room fell silent. All eyes were on Carrie except for Yugi's—his were lowered to avoid making eye contact with anyone. Everyone was waiting to see how Carrie would react to what had just been revealed. At first, she didn't say anything. Perhaps she didn't believe it, but that would have been too lucky for Yugi.

"No, he's not. He's my best friend. He is not in love with me," Carrie stated. Her gaze fell upon him. "…Are you?"

Yugi was too afraid to answer. He wanted to say something, a two-letter word to put this all to rest and return things to the way they had been before, but no matter how hard he tried, his voice refused to work. So, unintentionally, he gave them the answer they had expected. Carrie's face fell slightly, becoming an expression of indifference.

"Thank you for inviting me over for dinner, Grandpa. And thank you for giving me info on this thing around my neck, Mr. Hawkins. It was a pleasure meeting you and Rebecca," Carrie said, standing up. "I hope to see you all later. Goodbye, Yugi. I'll see you in school tomorrow. Goodnight, everyone."

Yugi heard the sound of her heels clicking away and listened as she paused for a moment as she grabbed her leather jacket off the counter, followed the bell above the door ringing and the sound of the door closing.

And his life was now in pieces.

Why did old men and brats need to mess with people's lives?

* * *

Yugi was not looking forward to school the next day. He wondered what Carrie would think of him now that she knew his true feelings. Would she distance herself from him? Or would she stop being his friend altogether? The latter was very unlikely to happen, but his mind and heart were going crazy, so he didn't know what to expect.

He should have expected the unexpected.

When he came downstairs dressed in his school uniform, he was surprised to hear a female voice talking to Grandpa. It was Carrie's voice—he would know that voice anywhere even if it was one amongst a million. It sounded like she was scolding the old man for making her come to dinner in an attempt to hook her up with Yugi and also for pulling Arthur and Rebecca into it. Yugi smiled—Grandpa's actions were not going unpunished. He even heard her telling him to never torture his grandson with the terrible harmony of NSYNC again, and for that, he would never be able to repay her.

She smiled at him when he came into the shop part of the building. Grandpa had resumed his work by then and paid them seemingly no attention. Normal music was now playing overhead, though those stupid NSYNC songs were still stuck in Yugi's head. She was also in the school uniform, which had been modified for the cold weather so the girls wouldn't freeze to death…The skirt was made knee-length. _Big_ modification. Yugi always thought the officials who made the girls' uniforms were huge perverts…

"Good morning, Yugi," Carrie greeted, sounding chipper.

"Morning, Carrie," Yugi said. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"Scolding your grandfather and planning on walking with you to school. That is…If you would like to walk with me," Carrie replied.

Of course he wanted to. Did she even have to ask?

They walked in awkward silence for most of the way. Yugi didn't know the right words to say anymore now that his feelings were known, and Carrie wasn't one to be very talkative. But then the silence became deafening and he just had to say something if he didn't want to go crazy.

"Why aren't you walking to school with your sister?" Yugi asked.

"She ditched me to go to school with friends in Mai's car. Apparently, she thinks that if boys see she has access to vehicles, they'll like her more. I personally think she's crazy and trying to stay away from her older sister as much as possible," Carrie told him. There was a touch of hurt in her voice, but Yugi didn't question her about it. He knew how much Carrie loved Jessica.

Awkward silence…Again.

"Yugi…," Carrie said after some time. "…It's true, isn't it? That you love me?"

"…Yeah…It is," Yugi murmured, wanting to disappear.

"…I guess last night was horrible for you. What Grandpa and the Hawkins people did was wrong. One's emotions are meant for their owner to reveal, not for someone else to show. I'm sorry you were embarrassed like that," Carrie stated.

"It wasn't your fault," Yugi pointed out.

"I know, but my being there was the reason they did that in the first place," Carrie remarked. She hesitated before continuing. "…You know where my heart lies. But just because you have feelings for me doesn't change our friendship. Tristan has loved me ever since we met, and yet I'm still his friend…Even if he is a total pervert. Yugi, you love me, but even though I don't return those exact feelings, you will always be my best friend. Don't think love being revealed will turn the world upside down. Okay?"

Yugi gave her a small smile. "Okay."

"…And between you and me, if I wasn't with Yami, there might be a chance for us," Carrie whispered. "Like we said back on the island, if I hadn't met Yami before you, who's to say I wouldn't be with you?"

Yugi's heart skipped a beat as she pecked him on the forehead. She smiled and walked towards school again, purposely ignoring how red his face had become and also ignoring Yami's yelling. She had made her friend feel better and that was all that mattered.

And Yugi was happy…

Even after Joey jumped him in his first class.

* * *

_A/N: End of another filler chapter. It was a little weird and pointless, but oh well. That line Carrie said near the end about 'back on the island'...It sounded a bit like something they would say on** Lost** if you ask me. Well, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	28. 28 - Separation

_A/N: Sorry for the long delay. Here's another chapter, and soon we'll be going into the Battle City Tournament/Marik part of the show. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 28

A few months passed uneventfully, though Carrie had struggled a little bit to get Yami off her case for kissing Yugi. It wasn't even on the lips and yet he was thinking she loved her best friend. It took nights of arguing and passionate make-out sessions to convince him otherwise. Her friend had been feeling down because his feelings for her had been revealed and she was just trying to make him feel better—that was all. That spirit understood this by now.

Work and school, though she hated both, were easy compared to the many challenges she received from duelists wishing to take her title from her. They all lost, of course, though some of them were difficult to beat down. But even the toughest competitors were nothing compared to the paparazzi and fans that kept mobbing her wherever she went. Cameras and boys and microphones coming after her were things she wasn't used to… Well, boys she was sorta used to, but not in that big of a number. Being Queen of Games sucked. Perhaps she should have let Yugi beat her back at Duelist Kingdom so he could have become King of Games…

A couple of minor baddies had been beaten down. There was this one guy who could manipulate magic and had cursed Carrie to turn into the first card she looked at, which just happened to be Yugi's Dark Magician. She had a bit of fun parading around as the purple male magician, but was soon bored of being called a cosplay crazy. Yugi, with the help of Yami, dueled the evil person and beat him, causing him to lose his powers because that guy had never lost a duel beforehand—losing made his powers go bye-bye. Carrie returned to normal…But her hair had a purple tint to it for awhile.

Another baddie who had tried to 'take over the world' was a girl who claimed she was a vampire. She kidnapped Yugi and Joey, which meant that Carrie and the others had to hunt her down. They reached her just as she was sinking her teeth into the short boy's throat. Carrie dueled her for her friends' freedom and won. The girl was a sore loser and tried to run off with Yugi tucked under her arm, but Tea broke a window and the light burnt the girl into a crisp. Yugi was saved—the girl was now a pile of ash. She proved that vampires were real…Carrie would never doubt it again.

A third mentionable baddie was actually something from another part of Japan. Something called a Hollow started plaguing Domino City and tried to devour Jessica's soul on several different occasions. Carrie couldn't see this Hollow, but Yami, being a spirit, could and alerted his girlfriend of the impending danger. She had kept her sister out of harm's way, though it didn't keep herself from getting injured by the masked fiend of another realm. It wasn't her who defeated this thing—it was some orange-haired guy in a dark robe that was followed by a dark-haired girl in a different school uniform. They said their names were Ichigo and Rukia. They were Soul Reapers who kept the citizens safe from those Hollows and helped spirits cross over. Rukia attempted to cross Yami over, since she and Ichigo could see him standing beside Carrie, but he refused. He wasn't afraid of being devoured. Ichigo understood and told her to keep him safe then because Hollows could be anywhere and he might not always be there in time to save them next time one popped up. Rukia tried to spray her with something, but Carrie was too fast and knocked the woman on her ass for trying something so stupid. Whatever that spray was meant to do, it wasn't going to happen. Even when Rukia explained that Hollows and Soul Reapers were supposed to be a secret and that spray would make her and Yami forget, Carrie wouldn't let her use it. They disappeared after that. Carrie hoped they would stay away.

Winter was over now. Spring was in the air and that meant more options for the gang to do after school and on weekends. What will happen next?

Today was the day Carrie had been planning for. This would involve her best friend, her boyfriend, and the only other girl in the gang. It was more of an experimental thing than anything else, but they were going to discover just how much Yami really knew about himself. Then they would head over to the Egyptian exhibit that had just opened up in the museum and see what could be gleaned there. It would be a full day, and she pitied Yugi who would be sharing minds with Yami the whole time. Those two just didn't get along.

She made haste that morning. In and out of the shower and dressed in under ten minutes, her hair and teeth brushed and everything. What she wore was nothing special, just a black spaghetti strap shirt with a pair of white shorts and knee-high black converse shoes. Her now shoulder-length blonde hair was hanging loosely today, too. No breakfast for her—she was far too nervous and excited to stomach anything at the time. She was all set to go meet up with Yugi and Tea.

_Are you ready for this, Spiky? _Carrie asked as she called goodbye to Mai and Jessica, a notepad tucked in the crook of her arm.

_**Why would I be otherwise? **_Yami wanted to know.

_Well, let's see. You're spending the day with two girls who have the tendency to change moods in a heartbeat and you're going to be sharing a body with a boy you despise with a passion. And you're going to be severely pummeled with questions as we go from place to place. Are those reasons enough, Mister I-Keep-To-Myself-And-Can't-Remember-A-Thing-About-Who-I-Was-In-Life?_

_**I suppose so. But I believe I can handle two teenage girls and my childish reincarnation for one afternoon.**_

_I don't think you can._

_**Why so little faith in me?**_

_Cuz I know you so well. You'll be snapping at us within two hours._

_**I have more patience than you give me credit for.**_

_Oh no...I'm giving you more credit than you deserve._

_**You don't know me as well as you think.**_

_Hey! You don't know who you are, either! Not really, anyway!_

_**I know more than you think.**_

_Then what's your real name? Hmmm?_

…

_See? You don't even know the most important thing about an identity: what your freaking name is! Whatever else you know isn't important unless you can give a name to it!_

_**So are you saying that without a name, it's like I don't exist?**_

_Exactly!_

_**Then congratulations. You've been passionately embracing thin air.**_

_Nah. I've just been snogging Yugi._

Yami's expression darkened beside Carrie; he knew she was teasing, but he never found that kind of talk funny, especially since she had kissed Yugi once. Granted, it had just been a peck to the forehead, but it was a kiss nonetheless. Carrie smiled and ignored his angry ranting as she made her way to the game shop. She could never understand what she liked about a man that took everything so seriously, but that wasn't going to stop her from loving him. Love was supposed to be a mystery, right?

Standing outside of the game shop were three figures, one of which was not expected to be there. Even from a distance, Carrie recognized Yugi's crazy hair and as she got closer, she found that instead of one brunette teenage girl, there were two. Tea and…Alyssa?

"What are you doing here?" Carrie asked, surprised.

"Well, I haven't got to spend much time with you lately and Kaiba gave me the day off and Pegasus was busy watching a cartoon marathon, so I thought I'd come hang out with my favorite lil' cousin," Alyssa replied with a huge movie-star smile.

_Translation: She heard we were going to torture you and wanted a piece of the action._

_**Knowing Alyssa…That is probably true.**_

Seeing Alyssa always made Carrie feel a little jealous because she was _way_ more beautiful than the plain Japanese-American could ever be. The taller brunette was wearing a pretty black plaid button-up over a white T-shirt, a pair of jean shorts, and normal black converse shoes. Carrie felt dulled in comparison to her despite Yami's claims that she was more beautiful than Alyssa. Was Carrie in the spotlight as much when she wasn't the Queen of Games? No. No one had even heard of Carrie West unless they were in the dueling industry, but Alyssa's name was world famous. They were both nieces of Maximillion Pegasus, but only Alyssa had been raised by that man when her parents had died. Alyssa had it all…

But yet she chose to spend her time with 'losers' instead of the popular crowd, which was why Carrie could never truly hate her.

"So…Are you ready to suffer?" Carrie teased, handing the Puzzle over to Yugi.

Yugi smiled. "It's just Yami. It's not like he matters. And you're just my friends who happen to be girls. What's the big deal?"

"You have to share a brain with a spirit who finds you annoying and hates you for…You know," Carrie remarked in a hushed tone.

"Well, I hate him, so I guess the feeling's mutual," Yugi murmured.

"Why do I have to be here again?" Tea inquired—she felt even more insignificant than Carrie could have because she wasn't the least bit famous for anything.

"Because you were the first person who didn't use the Puzzle often to find out about Yami and you suggested doing this way back when. I didn't want to leave you out of a fun soul-searching experience. And I never did repay you for saving me from Bandit Keith back at Duelist Kingdom. So I guess you could say this is me extending a hand in friendship to try and bring us closer together," Carrie told her.

"And the B.S. meter just went off the charts!" Alyssa exclaimed.

Tea and Carrie glared at her.

"You had caffeine today, didn't you?" Carrie accused.

"Guilty! I've had about three Monsters and five Rockstars and seven Mountain Dews since I woke up this morning!" Alyssa admitted with a huge grin.

Carrie, Tea, and Yami sweat-dropped.

_And we're going to have to deal with that all day, _Carrie thought.

"So what do you have on Mister See-Through already?" Alyssa wanted to know.

The blonde glanced at her notepad where she had already written everything that she could think of about who Yami was as a person. "Most of it is about his personality, but that isn't as important as who he is."

"Well, I'm sure he'd like to know what you think of his personality, so go ahead and read your list to us," Tea urged.

"All right…umm…" Carrie blushed; she hated being the center of attention. But she had to read the list or else they would keep bugging her about it. "Kind. Noble. Stubborn. Acts more high and mighty than he really is sometimes. Caring. Outdated, but smart enough to learn modern stuff. A good listener. More concerned about the well-being of others than his own well-being. Don't get him angry or he curses. Can be a bit overbearing. Obsessed with two things: Duel Monsters and me. Looks a lot like Yugi; it's possible that Yugi is his reincarnation, only a sweeter version that can stand defeat. Wears whatever Yugi does, thus supporting the previous statement. Cannot remember much about his past…Might have something to do with being sealed in the Puzzle. Is Egyptian, was a Pharaoh for who knows how long, and was about eighteen when he was sealed in the Puzzle. And that's all I got so far."

"You forgot to put that he's a royal pain in the ass!" Alyssa added.

"That's a given, so I didn't need to write it," Carrie remarked with a teasing smile.

"It's too bad that I don't get to make a list about what I think of _you_," Yami said with a playful smirk.

"Would I like that list at all?" Carrie asked.

"Perhaps," was Yami's vague reply.

"All right! Enough with your lovey-dovey moment. Your friends are here, and even though we are women, we don't want to see that stuff," Tea stated, ruining the moment. "Let's go somewhere. I'm tired of just standing in front of the game shop."

"The arcade! Let's go there!" Alyssa suggested.

They agreed to go there, Carrie and Tea because they didn't want to argue with someone who was sugar-high and Yami because he had no say in what they did. He was a study subject; they were watching him to see how he reacted to different situations. That was all, and Yugi would not let him forget that for a second.

The place was crowded that day, proving that the girls had been foolish in choosing to come here on a Saturday. Most of the people were teens or young adults and they were all engaged in either playing a game or watching someone else play a game. A huge crowd was gathered around the Dance Dance Revolution area, and Tea wanted to see why. So after some debate, they decided to check out what the buzz was about.

Some guy with tanned skin and dread locks-like hair was rocking the game system. The person he was going against was losing pretty badly, and Carrie heard someone say that Johnny Steps—who she assumed was the winning player—had been going on a pretty long winning streak. Tea sneered at his score and claimed she could beat him. Carrie didn't doubt her, but she didn't want a bunch of people to be staring at her friend like she was some amazing freak of nature. Tea would not be swayed, and as soon as the loser was officially beaten, she threw her jacket at Yami and ran up to challenge Johnny.

Tea was a better dancer than she let on, and it wasn't long until her score rose above Johnny's. He didn't want to lose to a girl, so he even went as far as to try and make her fall. His cheating didn't help him in the slightest—if anything, it just slowed Tea's pace a little, but not enough to stop her from winning. Alyssa cheered for the girl, something she wouldn't have done if she wasn't sugar-high, right along with Carrie as Yami just quietly applauded his friend's achievement. Carrie caught Yami staring intently at Tea and slapped him, accusing him in a teasing manner of crushing on someone who wasn't her. She knew he was just staring out of amazement; she herself was amazed that Tea was that good at what she did.

The young brunette left Dance Dance Revolution with Johnny's streak at an end, a huge smile on her face because she could show up any guy that went up there if she really wanted to. Alyssa challenged her, another thing that she wouldn't have done if she wasn't sugar-high…and she lost. Carrie followed suit and she tried to convince Yami to do the same, but he refused to do anything that was close to dancing. She underlined stubborn on her list and added that he wasn't the kind to dance.

Carrie then challenged Yami to a duel, her deck against one he built for himself, to see what cards he would choose and how his strategy would go. That was where they were heading when Johnny reappeared, a scowl on his face and an odd gleam in his eye.

"What do you want?" Carrie demanded.

"You," he muttered, pointing at Tea. "You have skills and the body to go with it. Care to go on a date with me?"

Tea shuddered. Obviously, she didn't like that guy as much as he apparently liked her. "No, thanks. I don't date cheaters."

"Hey, I might cheat at games, but when it comes to relationships, I'm completely faithful," Johnny claimed.

"Do you have rocks in your head? She doesn't like you, creeper!" Alyssa shouted.

Johnny ignored her. "Come on, girl. What do I have to do to earn a date with you?"

"…You have to defeat him in a duel," Tea replied, pointing at Yami. "And if you don't, then you have to leave me alone for the rest of time."

"…Dueling's not really my thing…But I'll do anything to get a date."

_Oh, someone gag me,_ Carrie thought, feeling sick. _At least Tea thought of a way to see Yami's cards and strategy without wasting time on this clown. She's smarter than we give her credit for being._

Alyssa's head was empty of thought. She was too busy drinking another Monster to think about anything, let alone Tea or Yami or Johnny or even Carrie.

So Yami and Johnny dueled, and it was obvious who had more experience. Johnny put up such a pathetic front, though he did manage to take away some of Yami's Life Points and have Tea regretting this match for a little bit. Carrie took notes during the whole fifteen minutes that the duel lasted, though it never really finished. Johnny was getting his ass kicked so badly that he forfeited before his Life Points could become zero and then he ran off, apparently thinking that Tea's love wasn't worth total humiliation twice in one day. Tea was so happy that Yami had scared Johnny away that she ran over to him and hugged him. He grew stiff, not sure if he should return the gesture or not.

_Doesn't know when to return emotions unless it's with me, _Carrie thought as she added it to her list. _Odd._

_Eww! Spiky got hugged by that girl obsessed with friendship! _Alyssa thought. _And I've gotta find a bathroom! All those diarrheic caffeinated drinks are getting to me!_

Alyssa ran off to the bathroom, and Tea said something about having to use the ladies' room as well, leaving Carrie and Yami alone in the dueling arena. She stole the deck he had used and looked at the cards she hadn't seen him use, taking note that he had stolen Yugi's Dark Magician from him for his self-built deck.

"You were supposed to just use the new cards, not borrow one from your host body," Carrie scolded as she put the card back where it belonged.

Yami shrugged. "My deck felt incomplete without it. I apologize for bending the rules."

"It's fine, I suppose. It shows that you have some sort of attachment to the Dark Magician, and that might have something to do with your past and the origins of Duel Monsters," Carrie said. "Besides, rules were meant to be bent and, in severe cases, broken because let's face it, who goes by the rules of anything anymore?"

"I suppose that's true," Yami agreed.

"Thanks for getting Tea out of that situation. That Johnny guy gave me the creeps."

"His heart was balanced out by good and evil. He wouldn't have done anything horrible to her. But you are welcome."

"How come you don't know if it's all right to return emotions and gestures? A hug is just a hug, but you didn't return it when Tea gave you one. Are you really that blonde about human feelings?"

"…I am hardly blonde. And I just do not know when to show emotions around others because I do not embrace my friends."

"Well, with girls, you're gonna have to. We're very hugging people who need to express our feelings in one way or another. But this doesn't mean that you can express your feelings for me right now. Any bystanders might think that I'm going out with Yugi, and I know just how much you hate that idea."

"I understand…Give me time to adjust to our friends."

"All right. You have…A thousand years."

Yami chuckled as Tea and Alyssa came back. They all agreed that they'd overstayed their welcome in this place and decided it was time to visit the Egyptian exhibit to gather information about their nameless ghost friend…

After lunch, of course.

* * *

They walked into the museum about a half an hour after they left the arcade and headed straight for the Egyptian part of it. There were ancient vases in glass cases all over the place along with other related Egyptian artifacts, but those mattered very little to the girl who was crazy about ancient Egypt and the spirit who was from that place. What was more important were the tablets and the five tombs on display. The tablets were on the wall and the tombs were behind a low metal rail with a do not touch sign posted on it. Something about them seemed familiar, though neither the ancient spirit nor his girlfriend could identify why.

The woman in charge of this area approached them. She looked to be from the country she was showing the artifacts of, and Carrie saw her necklace and realized it had the same eye that the Puzzle, the Eye, and the Ring had on them. Was this another Millennium Item? Could they trust this woman if she had an Item? Most people they had met with Millennium Items had turned out to be enemies…Would she prove to be one as well?

"Greetings, visitors. I am Ishizu, and I will be your guide today," the woman introduced. "What are you interested in learning today?"

"Hi. Do you know anything about the Millennium Items and a nameless pharaoh that might have been sealed away inside of one?" Carrie asked. She believed that if this woman really did have a Millennium Item, then she would know exactly what she was asking about, even if she was evil.

Ishizu's eyes widened from shock that the blonde had been so blunt, but she soon recovered from it and returned to her usual demeanor. "You must be Carrie. And your friends must be Alyssa, Tea, and Yugi who is being possessed by a spirit of the pharaoh you call Yami."

"How did you know all of that?" Carrie demanded, more surprised than angry that Ishizu knew who they were without knowing them.

"The better question is, are those real mummies in those tombs?" Alyssa put in, leaning over the railing to get a better look at the golden sarcophagi.

"I saw you four in a vision that my Millennium Necklace granted me," Ishizu explained, indicating her golden necklace with the eye on it. "You are the one who solved the Puzzle and you are the one destined to save the world from the great evils that shall arise."

"Great. Now will you please explain who the hell you are?" Tea muttered.

"I am from a clan that was meant to protect the Nameless Pharaoh until his spirit was reawakened and then placed in the afterlife where it belongs. What must happen before then is the Nameless Pharaoh must recall all that he has forgotten by traveling into his past and defeating the evil he was unable to defeat before, and that can only be accomplished by collecting the seven Millennium Items and the three Egyptian God Cards, the most powerful Duel Monsters in existence," Ishizu told them.

"Great. We have to become treasure hunters now," Carrie grumbled as she made more notes on her notepad about what Ishizu had said.

"My Pharaoh," Ishizu said, addressing Yami directly. "What do you wish to know? I shall help you the best that I can."

"What can you tell me about my past?" Yami wanted to know.

"There is not much that I know, for most artifacts from the time of your reign were destroyed or are too weathered to understand. But we have a few tablets that led those who found it to believe there was a pharaoh that had no recorded name, one before the reign of Pharaoh Seth. I believe you'll find the engravings of the people rather… familiar."

Ishizu led the group over to the said tablet. Well…Most of the group. Alyssa was too busy looking at the sarcophagi to try and see if they were really real to notice when the group moved on. Carrie's eyes widened when she saw two drawings of people on either side of a fire. One looked like a hieroglyphic version of Yami and the other looked a lot like a hieroglyphic version of Kaiba. They were connected in the past! The poor spirit… He just couldn't escape that man. And she thought that she had rotten luck…

"It explains how you sealed away the Shadow Realms and the creatures that are now called Duel Monsters within the Millennium Items in order to stop the end of the world," Ishizu informed Yami. "Your spirit was also thus sealed within the Puzzle, and your memories were the cost of it all. It says the Puzzle became un-whole that day, and the pieces were placed within a gold box bearing the eye of Horus, where it would remain until the one destined to solve it did so. A magician girl named Iris took that box to what would have been your final resting place and there it remained for centuries. How Carrie came across it is beyond my knowledge, but she seems to be the one destined to be your aide as you save the world again."

_Iris again..., _Yami thought, recalling the incarnation of Carrie without letting Yugi tap into his thoughts.

"This is all a bunch of stupid woooooo crap! Forget all that! I'm going to sum this up quickly because now you're cutting into my show time!" Alyssa exclaimed, sitting on top of the sarcophagus that bore the designs of a hawk. "Yami, you're a pharaoh. You sealed away a great evil and then you lost it all. Seto, as usual, meddled with things and took over your place as ruler of Egypt, and you were in the dark for five thousand years until my cousin released you. Now you've got to save the world, be Indiana Jones, and go back to the past to remember all that you were stupid enough to forget. End of story!"

"Not quite," Ishizu interjected, glaring at the brunette for daring to sit on the resting place of a dead person. "We know more about Iris, and if you would remove yourself from that sarcophagus, I would be glad to show you what."

Alyssa's eyes grew large. "You mean there _are _dead people in here? Eww!" She never jumped off of anything faster in her life.

"Why do you need to show us mummies?" Tea asked, equally grossed out.

"These are not just any mummies. One sarcophagus possesses the magician Iris herself, and she is possibly in better condition than any of us are right now. She looks a lot like one of you three women as well," Ishizu replied. "The other four hold her most loyal Guardians who vowed to protect her in her next life if they ever came in contact with whoever she became. They gave up their lives on the same day she passed away to hold true to that vow. Perhaps their blood will run again if you come closer."

Carrie rolled her eyes and leaned on the railing in front of the sarcophagi. "Yeah right. Once something's dead, it's dead. There's no coming back for it except as a spirit inside of another body."

She heard a loud noise behind her and thought that Alyssa had just been a dunce and fallen on her face back where the sarcophagi were. But then she saw Alyssa standing in front of her with Tea and both girls looked like they were seeing ghosts. Yami looked slightly shocked as well, but unlike them Ishizu seemed to be unfazed by whatever was behind Carrie. Did that stupid Millennium Necklace foresee this happening?

Her curiosity beat down her fear and she turned around to see what was going on. The sarcophagi were all open and the mummies were up and walking. They didn't look gross and decayed, really. The only real sign that they were dead was their gray skin and the bandages all over them…and the Egyptian-style skirts they were all clad in. Three were obviously men and the other was a woman, and she was the only one with hair. Seeing the dead walk again made fear rise through her, but she gave no indication of that on the outside.

They all bowed simultaneously to her. She glanced around to make sure there was no one else inside of this part of the museum, not wanting anyone to think this was crazy or that she was crazy or anything. She felt absolutely insane at that moment.

"Iris, we shall protect you from the dangers of this world once again. Call on us, and we shall do as the Pharaoh bade us to all those years ago," the leader, a man with blue on the edge of his 'skirt' stated.

"…Umm…I think you have the wrong person. My name isn't Iris. I'm Carrie," She told them nervously. She glanced back at Ishizu. "Who the hell is Iris exactly?"

Ishizu approached the only sarcophagus that hadn't opened and pulled the lid open. It was like looking into a mirror—the girl who lay within looked almost exactly like Carrie, only slightly more Egyptian. Carrie wasn't about to jump to conclusions, but…

"So…Carrie was Iris in a past life? Well, I suppose it makes sense that she was the one who solved the Puzzle now," Tea said more to herself than anybody else.

"What are your names?" Alyssa asked the mummies.

"I am Armon," the largest of the Guardians introduced. "This is Rath, Ja-Kal, and Nefer-Tina. And you look a lot like the Pharaoh's sister…Are you sure we're in a different time and not in ours?"

"Of course we are, you dunce! Do you not see how different everything looks?" Rath snapped. "These people before us are just reincarnated versions of those we once knew! Our mistress lays in the slumber she was in after the Pharaoh sacrificed himself for the sake of the world within that sarcophagus over there! Don't you see how well the magic preserved her? Her spirit escaped and was reborn unto Carrie, where she was reunited with the one man she couldn't live without!"

"Wait. Are you telling me that Spiky…was involved with my past life?" Carrie inquired, glancing edgily at Yami.

"Well, they were friends for years. From friendship feelings arose, but they were barely able to act upon them before he sealed the darkness within the Items," Nefer-Tina explained. "There was an embrace every now and then, but after he died, Mistress Iris was so heartbroken that she let everything fade. She withered away out of sight of everyone and died. The Pharaoh's sister eventually found her and restored her to what you see now, preserving her with magic so that she would never change with the times. Iris never made it to the end of her eighteenth year and didn't outlive the Pharaoh by long. If that isn't love, I know not what is."

Carrie spun around and looked at Yami, who held her gaze without fear. That was hidden beneath the surface, out of sight from even Yugi. He was afraid of what Carrie would do now that she knew about Iris…

Because he was afraid to lose her.

"…Did you know this, Nameless Pharaoh? Was she the girl you remembered but 'know not if you loved her?'" Carrie demanded; she was in no mood to call him Spiky or Yami.

"…In my dreams, feelings did come. Whenever she was present in them, I felt as if I should be with her," Yami admitted without any emotion really being present in his voice. On the inside, it was a totally different story.

Carrie threw her notepad against the wall—had Yami not ducked, it would have hit him right in the face. "You bastard! I see what you were pulling now! You used me to replace your dead lover! You lost your girlfriend way back when and I was the closest thing to her! Hell, I practically am her! We look just alike, for God's sake! I should have known! I should have realized that you never really loved me for me, and that loving you would just end up hurting me even more than a thousand abusive episodes from my father! I hate you, you damn spirit! I hate you! Go die in a fucking hole somewhere! I don't want you anymore!"

And then she ran off, unable to stand the sight of him anymore.

"Whoa…Our mistress sure has a mouth on her," Armon remarked.

"Ooh…You're in trouble now!" Alyssa squealed, laughing at Yami's misfortune. "Good luck not getting castrated! She's pissed enough to do that even if you're in her best friend's body!"

And Yami and Yugi both paled at that.

* * *

_A/N: Uh-oh...Carrie knows about Iris now, and it's torn her from Yami. Will they be able to patch things up? Only the next chapter update about Battle City will tell. By the way, the Guardians used in this chapter and that will appear in later chapters are from the television show, **Mummies Alive!** That cartoon only lasted for forty-two episodes, but I couldn't resist putting them in here. Well, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading!_


	29. 29 - New Enemy Becomes Known

_A/N: Well, now that I've finished two of my stories, I think I'll be able to update quicker. And just so you know, Carrie and Yami's relationship won't be a quick fix. Life isn't that easy, so you're just gonna hafta be patient as they work out their problems. Here's another chapter for your enjoyment. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 29

Carrie refused to see or talk to Yami and Yugi, and Mai backed her up once she explained what had happened at the museum. She only spoke to Yugi once over the phone to tell him he could keep the Puzzle and that it would take her awhile to be able to see him without thinking about how Yami had used her. Yugi himself wasn't too happy with the spirit's conduct, but someone had to hold onto the Puzzle. He just told Yami that it would take a lot of effort to get Carrie's trust back, let alone her love. The spirit just sulked inside the Puzzle and made no attempt to take over the boy's body…ever.

Those mummies kept showing up around Carrie's home; she couldn't blame them because they were supposed to protect her with their lives. That was what they vowed to do when Iris had died five thousand years ago, and there was no changing that. They quickly learned to never call her by that accursed woman's name—Rath had almost lost his head by making that mistake—and instead just called her by her real name. No matter how often she assured them that she was going to be fine, they wouldn't leave her alone unless they had to recharge in their sarcophagi. She decided to get them more modern clothes if they were going to be out so often. But finding Armon's size…That would prove to be very difficult.

Teaching her Guardians modern stuff was even more difficult. They weren't like that using traitor spirit—they didn't just observe and learn like that. She had to explain things quite a few times to them about things she saw as simple. It was annoying, but it gave her something to do while she was trying to keep her mind off of the spirit. All but Armon learned the basics and didn't use old terms for things as much as they had originally done. Armon was just a bit dense like Joey, and like her taller guy friends he had a huge appetite, which was weird because he had been dead for so long. Could his stomach even work properly? She never asked.

Jessica was still out of the loop about all of this. Carrie didn't want to risk her involvement in the mystical that might end up with her life in danger again. She had no clue about who Yami was, which was something Carrie wished she could say right now. And as for the mummies…Carrie passed them off as foreign exchange students from Egypt who had been in a really bad fire at their old school.

Where will Carrie and the others end up next?

* * *

The nights seemed longer and harder now that she had abandoned Yami. Her heart felt like it was in a million pieces, but she resolved to never take the spirit back because of how he had used her and kept Iris's identity from her. She didn't care that she cried herself to sleep every night. She was free from his lying now. Yugi could handle him better than that spirit could handle her…If she was to ever see his serious face ever again, she doubted she would be able to refrain from beating him into a bloody pulp.

Sighing, Carrie gave up on her useless struggle to go to sleep and just laid on her back. Her gaze went towards the window where the night had long since taken over. The moon was dark and the stars looked dull, befitting her mood at present. It had been more than a week since she had discovered who she had been in a past life and felt as if she had been used as a replacement for Yami's past lover. Yet nothing hurt less. Why was that? Why wouldn't her pain go away already? She was so unused to this kind of pain—she hadn't suffered from it since she was seven and her mother made her whole world turn inside out. Physical pain she could deal with…This pain she could not.

The house was silent, for everyone else was asleep in their rooms. They had no idea how lucky they were to not have been in love and then have their hearts ripped out. Mai and Jessie could sleep peacefully while their friend and sister cried, unable to find that same peace and drift away into the realms of dream.

Right now, she really needed to talk to someone, but she couldn't disturb them on a school night. They would never forgive her. Still, she needed to get her feelings out. She had been keeping them bottled up inside ever since she went off on Yami. What she had told Mai was a short, condensed version so the woman would understand why she no longer had the Puzzle in her possession. No one really knew what she was feeling in her heart. No one.

And she needed to get the weight off before it caused her to do something she'd regret.

She heard a gentle tapping at her window and was slightly surprised to see Ja-Kal there. Slightly. He and the others had a way of coming at bad times or times when they weren't exactly needed. Usually, it just annoyed her, but as of now, she was glad for his appearance. She doubted he would mind if she let her heart out to him. After all, he was married once and knew what love was about. Slowly, Carrie got to her feet and went to open the window.

"…Yes, Ja-Kal? What is it you want?" she asked, unable to hide the pain in her voice.

"I was just looking in on you. One cannot be too cautious," Ja-Kal told her. "Is something bothering you, Carrie? You look as though you've been weeping."

Carrie sniffed. "It's nothing important. Just my heart that's causing me a great deal of pain. I wish I could just rip it out and never feel a thing ever again. But like I said, nothing important." She glanced around. "Are the others with you?"

"No. I left them slumbering in their sarcophagi. We need not all come to look in on you," Ja-Kal replied. "…Would you like some company, Mistress?"

Carrie gave him a small nod. He jumped in through the window with ease that she envied, but was too sad to feel such jealousy at the moment. She slid it closed again and returned to sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chest. Ja-Kal sat on the edge, his full attention focused on her. If it had been any other time, she would have been embarrassed for a guy to see her in her nightclothes. But not now.

"…I thought he loved me for me, not who I once was," Carrie murmured. "But I was wrong, wasn't I? The Nameless Pharaoh…He only ever loved Iris, didn't he? I was foolish for thinking a spirit of his age could love a girl like me…Even if he doesn't quite remember everything, I should have known his feelings would have followed him through time. Why am I so blind, so stupid? Ja-Kal, I don't understand this at all. Why do I feel so stupid for falling in love with him, and why did he use me in place of Iris knowing that it would hurt me in the end when I found out who she was?"

"I'll try to explain this the best I can, Carrie, but I'm not sure I can provide you with the answer you seek. We know that the Pharaoh loved Iris. She looks a lot like you and you have her spirit reborn within. But I do not believe that is why the Pharaoh loved you. Even if his feelings transcended through time with him and he recognized who you once were, he wouldn't have loved you for just those reasons. Love isn't something you decide to feel. In most cases, it takes time. No one has control over who they fall in love with because the heart has a mind of its own. He loved you because of who you are now, not who you were as Iris. That's also why he kept Iris from you. He knew that once you made the connection between her and yourself that you would be hurt, and he didn't want to hurt you in any way. My mistress, you are not blind or stupid or wrong about the Pharaoh. You were both in love and his past has caused you a great amount of pain. Only time can heal your wound," Ja-Kal stated.

"…But…But I wish it would heal already. He's hurting me so much…because he didn't tell me about her before. Why did he have to wait so long…? If he had told me earlier… Before I was deeply in love with him…It wouldn't have hurt so much. Why did he have to wait? Why did it have to be you and the other Guardians and Ishizu that told me of Iris and not him, the spirit that supposedly loved me as much as you claim?" Carrie wanted to know, still crying.

"I know not what his motives were for keeping Iris from you for so long. But I do not believe he ever meant to hurt you. The Pharaoh wasn't one to show his emotions in life, but he would not intentionally cause others pain," Ja-Kal remarked. "Listen, Carrie. I am not trying to get you to forgive the Pharaoh so soon. What he did to you is not really deserving of a quick recovery. But you must understand he never wanted to cause you such pain after everything you have been through already. That man…He cares so much about you. I might not have been around either of you that long, but what I saw flash across his eyes when you left him that day in the museum…It told stories words cannot describe. He fears losing you forever…and from what I see now, you fear the same of him, even if you are not willing to admit it."

"How do you know so much about me and what I've been through?" Carrie asked.

"Your friends have been very open about your life. Of course, your sister's diary also provides a good amount of information about what type of place you grew up in."

Carrie's eyes widened. "You've read Jessie's diary? How rude!"

"It was Rath's idea. He believed we knew too little about you and needed to be informed by any source that might know of your life prior to our meeting."

"Remind me to pound his hat into his head the next time I see him." Carrie sighed and glanced at the night sky again. "…Will…Will the pain go away any time soon?"

"That is something I do not know. But with any luck, it will lessen as the days go by."

"I hope you are right about that. I don't think I can take many more nights of this…crying myself to sleep at around midnight because my heart won't let me sleep."

"May I make a suggestion, Mistress?"

"You may, of course."

"Do not avoid the boy who is the Pharaoh's reincarnation and is holding onto the Puzzle. You say he is your best friend. Though he is in the Pharaoh's image, I believe speaking with him would provide you with more ease than speaking to me could ever do."

"…You're probably right. I'll try to see him tomorrow, but if it causes me too much pain …then I'm leaving right away."

"I understand."

Carrie's cell phone rang just then, vibrating on her dresser. Ja-Kal was closest to it, so he retrieved it and handed it to her. The caller id was that of the clothing store she had ordered the mummies' outfits from. They told her everything she had ordered was ready to be picked up if she was ready to come and claim it. She told them she would be there soon before hanging up.

"Go get the others and wait for me downstairs. We're going to get you modernized," Carrie told Ja-Kal as she turned her phone off.

"You should get some rest before tomorrow. You and the others offered to help out at that sports game, and I believe that will require you to have full stamina," Ja-Kal stated.

"I will be fine. I've gone strong without sleep for days. And what's the use of trying to sleep when it won't come to me? I'd rather help you dead people than lay here tossing and turning," Carrie said. "Now go wake up the other Guardians before I'm forced to knock you through that window."

Ja-Kal smiled. "All right, Mistress. We shall return soon."

* * *

Later that morning, Carrie stood outside of Grandpa's game shop dressed in her stupid school uniform. She wasn't alone. Grandpa was sweeping the front steps, Tea was there waiting for Yugi as well, and the mummies were not too far away. Carrie thought they looked quite nice in their new clothes…At least the guys weren't wearing skirts anymore. They hadn't removed their bandages, but those were hardly noticeable so long as they wore long sleeves and pants. There was no completely covering their gray skin, but that was fine. If anyone asked, they were to say that they had a rare skin condition. That was at least somewhat true.

"…This is going to be a bit awkward for you, isn't it?" Tea asked after a few minutes of silence had passed and Yugi still hadn't appeared.

"A bit. But I can't neglect my best friend for what _he_ has done," Carrie replied.

"I understand. If my boyfriend kept the fact that his ex looked almost exactly like me, I would have gone ballistic, too," Tea said. "What Yami needs is a swift kick to the groin and a good long lecture about what a girl needs to know when it comes to past relationships. I will be more than happy to give him both for you. All you need to do is ask and I will deliver."

Carrie laughed. "But then if you try to do that to him, you'll end up hurting Yugi, and he has done nothing wrong."

"…I suppose that's true." Tea sighed. "I just wish I could do something to get at him."

"Just don't speak to him. Ignoring him drives him crazy," Carrie told her.

"Really? I'll try that the next time he asks me about you," Tea muttered, glancing at the clock through the window of the game shop. "If Yugi doesn't hurry, we're going to be late for that soccer game we volunteered to help with."

"I'd call for him, but my throat is a little on the rough side. Sorry," Grandpa apologized as he continued sweeping.

"I'll get him to come down," Carrie offered. She took a deep breath before belting at the top of her lungs, "Yugi! Get your scrawny butt down here before you force me to come up there and drag you down those stairs! You've had more than enough time to get ready! If you spend another minute up there, we're all going to think you're a girl! So if you don't want your gender to be questioned, hurry the heck up!"

The sound of someone rushing downstairs on the inside could be heard even from where they were standing. It seemed that Carrie's yelling had done the trick. Whether it was what she had said or the fact that she was there that made him come down so quickly… Tea would never know. The door opened a few seconds later—Yugi was dressed in his school uniform and more than ready to go. Unfortunately, he also had the Millennium Puzzle around his neck, and that made Carrie's heart ache a great deal. But she could not think of the spirit within and turn away from her best friend because of him. She had to let Yugi be a part of her life again. It was only right and fair, considering their bonds.

"Carrie! I'm surprised you actually came," Yugi commented—it was definitely Yugi, for the eyes were violet and full of emotion, unlike Yami's crimson ones.

"Yeah, well…I can't hate you for looking like that douche, now can I? You're my best friend and someone totally different than he is," Carrie remarked.

Yugi smiled. "Yeah, I guess that's true. Well, I guess we should be going now." He glanced around the corner and saw the mummies dressed in modern clothes, and then he raised an eyebrow. "Are they coming with us?"

"Unfortunately. They want to see if their new attire will allow them to blend in, and they want to keep me safe from any possible danger. They have no idea about all this, but I can't sway their decision. I've already tried," Carrie grumbled.

"How are we going to explain them?" Yugi inquired.

"Distant cousins with a rare skin condition, and I'll only use that excuse if someone asks who they are," Carrie replied. "Now let's go. We're already late as it is. If we stay another minute the coach is going to yell at us."

So they took off towards school. Carrie hung back just a bit, still uncomfortable to be near Yugi because of who he looked like and who could easily take over his body. The mummies fell in step behind her. It was slightly awkward to have them walking with the gang in public, but Carrie didn't mind. They kept her mind off of Yugi and Yami because she had to keep track of any words they said or anything they did just in case that gave off that they were from a different time. Besides, Ja-Kal was a good friend. The others weren't yet; that would take some time. And they did blend in rather well…The only one that might really stick out would be Armon, since he only had one arm.

Someone dressed in dark robes with a hood that obscured his face started saying things about seeing the fates of those who came to him. He had a crystal ball in front of where he was sitting, trying to play off the role of a fortuneteller. Carrie could tell right away that he was a quack. But for some reason, Yugi stopped and walked over to the man. Tea and Carrie exchanged glances before walking over with him. The mummies kept their distance for now.

"What the hell are you doing? We have somewhere we have to be," Tea remarked.

"He might be able to tell us more about the spirit," Yugi told her. "If we want to get rid of him as quickly as we can, it's better to know all about him that we can learn while we're looking for the Items. Right?"

"Well, yes, but you can't just trust some random guy you meet on the streets," Carrie pointed out. "You have no idea who this buffoon is. He could be a pedophile for all you know, you know…The kind that abducts children and does bad things to them."

Yugi gave her a half-hearted smile. "I doubt that."

The man with the crystal ball said he needed to hold something of personal value in order to read Yugi's future and pointed at the Millennium Puzzle. This was a big red flag, but Carrie wasn't quick enough with her tongue. Yugi was already slipping it off of his neck and handing it over to the mystery man. The man held it for a minute before speaking.

"I see that this Millennium Item…is now mine!" With that, he knocked Yugi and the table down before running off.

The crystal ball shattered, but that wasn't important. Carrie helped Yugi to his feet, worried that he might have been seriously hurt. He was fine; all he wanted to do was chase down that thief and get the Puzzle back. Carrie didn't care much for that anymore, but it was important for saving the world from great evils and if it fell into the wrong hands, the world could end. So she agreed to let him go so long as she came with him. She told Tea to run to school with Nefer-Tina and Rath to get Tristan and Joey while she followed the creep with the other two mummies.

What a tricky thief this was! He had left arrows plastered all over the place indicating where he had gone. It was almost if he wanted Yugi to follow him. Why would someone that stole something that valuable and powerful want his victim to follow him? Carrie had a feeling that something big was about to happen. She hated that feeling.

They came upon an abandoned building in the middle of the city with hardly anything else around it. Anything could happen in such a building, and most of what came to Carrie's mind wasn't exactly filled with good intentions. She tried to tell Yugi it wasn't safe to go in there, but he was determined to get the Puzzle back. Carrie couldn't argue against him—the Puzzle had, after all, been meant for him to solve. She had just interfered with his fate by putting her own in front of it.

When they walked in, there seemed to be no one around. The building itself just looked like one big old abandoned warehouse or something. There was no source of light, so they really couldn't see that well. But then Yugi called out, saying that he knew the thief was there and ordered him to show himself. The only immediate reply he got was evil laughter. Then light struck a certain point too high up for either of them to reach from the ground because both Carrie and Yugi were too short. He had hung the Puzzle on a metal rod on the side of a blue dueling portal; its chain had made it just right for such a dangling. The thief told Yugi that the only way to get the Puzzle back was to duel him and win, but he assured Yugi that would not happen. Yugi agreed to duel because there wasn't any other way he could think of to get the Puzzle back.

After he agreed, the lights went on to show that there was a dueling arena in that warehouse. The thief was already up in the red portal, waiting to face Yugi for ownership of that ancient magical artifact. Carrie tried once again to stop Yugi from going through with this foolishness, but he wouldn't be deterred.

She sighed. "I hate you right now, you know that? Armon could easily help me to get the Puzzle back without you having to duel for it."

"I know. But people don't just steal the Puzzle like that without a clear motive. This guy might be working for the next big evil. The more we can learn about him, the better," Yugi stated.

"Then you'd better win. Or else I'm going to kick your ass," Carrie warned.

"Why would you do that? You want Yami gone," Yugi pointed out.

At this, Carrie fell silent. It was true that she wanted Yami to disappear, but then again… She didn't. She was in love with him, and yet she hated him. He couldn't go…At least, not this way. It would be too wrong. Besides, even if she never wanted the spirit again, he didn't belong to anyone but Yugi. That was who Grandpa had intended the Puzzle for in the first place. If Pegasus hadn't messed things up, it would have ended that way.

"What do you want us to do, Carrie?" Ja-Kal asked as the duel began.

"…I don't know. I suppose there's nothing we can do right now," Carrie muttered.

"I could always just lift you up so you could grab that Puzzle," Armon said. The Puzzle was just out of his reach from the ground.

"I know that. But Yugi wants to duel this guy to figure out who he is and what he wants, or if his strings are being pulled by some greater darkness," Carrie remarked.

"That is wise of him. The more you know about an impending enemy, the better your chances of defeating him when you face off in combat," Ja-Kal commented.

"Must you speak like that? This is the twenty-first century, not three thousand years before they started numbering the centuries."

Carrie watched the duel with little interest. Though she wanted Yugi to win, dueling was so boring nowadays, both when she participated and when she just watched. The enemy was winning at first, but she knew that Yugi always managed to come back from the brink of defeat to win it all. What was more interesting than the duel was the enemy himself. His cards were practically all Machines, and whenever he spoke, there seemed to be something familiar about his voice. There were actually two voices—one of the person and one of someone controlling him. A few minutes into the duel, she realized who it was, and so did Yugi.

"Reveal yourself, Bandit Keith!" Yugi ordered.

The thief pulled back his hood to reveal that he really was Bandit Keith. But something was different about that man who had almost raped her…His eyes, which were usually covered by shades but weren't now, were very blank and clouded up. Someone was controlling him. But who could do such a thing, even to that evil man?

"I am not Bandit Keith. I merely speak through him," the puppet said. "I desire to win possession of the powers the Puzzle possesses, for I am not unfamiliar with wielding such Items."

"Well, that's obvious! It's not like an everyday person can just look at someone and take control of their minds!" Carrie shouted. "Whoever you are on the other end, listen to me and listen good! If I ever find you, first I'm going to thank you for taking control of that bastard who deserves no better…Then I'm going to kick your ass to Kingdom Come for daring to steal the Puzzle! That thing belonged to me and I gave it to Yugi because the spirit pissed me off! So if I were you, I'd stay in hiding for the rest of your life!"

The man 'on the other end' just laughed her threat off before returning to the duel.

"No one ever takes my threats seriously anymore," Carrie complained, crossing her arms with a sour expression on her face.

"I take your threats seriously. The last time I made you mad, you destroyed all the food I had in my sarcophagus. And that made me sad," Armon told her, giving her a one-armed hug because that was the only kind he could give her.

"…Thank you, Armon," Carrie murmured. "Now…Can you put me back on the ground?"

**We have evil company…, **Carrie's evil stated, sending shivers down the blonde's spine. **And I do not mean that mortal being possessed by an evil wannabe mortal. I mean, real evil is standing above us. He seems familiar…**

Carrie glanced up. Surprisingly, there was a second level—this place was set up just like the dueling arena in Pegasus's castle. Bakura was standing above them with his school jacket unbuttoned and his Ring exposed. He seemed more sinister than was befitting the boy, which left her wondering if it was possible that Thief Bakura had escaped the Graveyard by himself in some way.

_What the hell is he doing here?_

**That mortal Tea must have bumped into him and told him what had happened to the Puzzle. That sexy beast wants the Items all to himself, so he was drawn here to prevent the wannabe from taking what's rightfully his.**

_...Did...Did you just call evil Bakura a sexy beast?_

**Why yes. Yes I did.**

_...You're a weirdo._

**And you're a dumbass mortal who was unlucky enough to get stuck with me for the sixth time in your many lives.**

Carrie was torn from an argument with that creep when she heard Bandit Keith screaming about the voice in his head. It seemed that evil Bakura had used the Ring to counteract the magic of whatever Item the puppeteer was using on Bandit Keith and the man was back to his normal self…For now. Yugi was winning by this time, but he was trying to get info from the crazy man. Bandit Keith was taken over before he could tell Yugi who was controlling him, and whoever was doing the controlling made the man run across the dueling area—the actual place where the Monsters came to life—and grab onto the Puzzle from there. Before anyone could stop him, he hit the Puzzle against the side of the blue portal as hard as he could, shattering it into a million pieces.

Then Bakura, the good one, swung down from above and kicked Bandit Keith and made him fall on his ass so he could do no more damage. Yugi had gotten down from the portal by then and was gathering the pieces of what had been the Puzzle. Carrie didn't trust Bakura, but what could she say to Yugi that would be convincing? That her evil told her that Bakura was evil? Yeah, _that _crazy woman was such a good reference source.

"Ja-Kal, keep an eye on Bandit Keith. He might be unconscious now, but I doubt he'll be out of it for long, especially with that guy trying to control him," Carrie said. "Armon, I want you to try and get the chain off that rod. It's still got part of the Puzzle stuck to it, and it won't be complete without that part."

"Yes, Mistress," they both chorused before going to do as she bid.

"What kind of names are those?" Bakura asked while Yugi was busy collecting the scattered pieces.

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me, Thief?" Carrie shot back, speaking too low for Yugi to hear.

Bakura's eyes darkened. "How do you know who I am?"

Carrie shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe my deranged darkness tipped me off, or maybe I just get chills whenever a creep like you shows his face to someone who sent her to the Graveyard when she was her favorite card."

"Hey! You voluntarily went to the Graveyard because you thought it would help your friends survive the battle," Thief Bakura remarked bitterly.

"Same difference. If you hadn't put our souls into our favorite cards, then I wouldn't have needed to sacrifice myself," Carrie retorted.

"Then what fun would that have been? You guys were very entertaining as Monsters," Thief Bakura commented with a sneer. Then his face returned to the good Bakura's and he opened his hand out to Yugi. "Here. You missed a piece. You can't complete the Puzzle without it."

"Thanks, Bakura," Yugi said, clueless about what they were talking about.

"What did you do to that piece?" Carrie demanded once Yugi's back was turned again.

Thief Bakura smirked. "That's for me to know and you to never find out…in this life."

"What's that, Bakura? You need to get back to school? Well, that's too bad. You should get on your way, though. We wouldn't want you to miss that soccer game," Carrie declared, sneering.

Thief Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Well played, mortal. Well played."

"See you later, Bakura! And thanks for helping out with the Puzzle!" Yugi called as the boy/evil spirit hopped down from on top of the dueling arena.

"You're welcome! See you in school!" the innocent Bakura shouted, heading for the door and leaving them alone.

"It won't budge," Armon muttered, still trying to rip the rod out from the portal.

"That's okay. All we need to do is break the chain and then-"

Yugi was cut off by Bandit Keith's yelling. He had reawakened and was screaming about the voice in his head again. Ja-Kal tried to keep him still, but the man picked up a metal pole that just happened to be lying around and hit the mummy in his attempts to hit the person responsible for the voice though that person was nowhere around here. Ja-Kal fell to the ground, knocked out from the blow. Sparks from the metal set something on fire that it shouldn't have, which made Bandit Keith drop the pole and run around like a chicken with his head cut off.

Their lives were in real danger now.

"Yugi! We have to get out of here!" Carrie exclaimed, heading for the top of the portal to grab Yugi's deck. "Let's go!"

"We can't! We have to get the Puzzle!" Yugi claimed, trying to pull it off even though Armon couldn't even do that with his vast amount of strength.

"Forget about that! A dead spirit isn't as important as living people!"

"Carrie, if we don't save Yami, then how is he ever going to find peace? I know you're mad at him, but if you love him, you wouldn't want him to disappear in these flames to never be found again."

That statement made Carrie think and her heart throbbed in pain. She knew he was right; Yami needed to be saved. Even if he had hurt her, even if he had caused her an immense amount of pain…She couldn't let him perish in fire, especially not one started by that crazy man Bandit Keith. So she hopped down beside her friend and Armon and told Yugi to hand her the pieces so she could solve that accursed thing again. It would be easier to save once it was together as before. She was the only one who could solve it, and if she did that before the flames devoured them, then Yami would be able to find someone else to help him complete his mission of saving the world. While she solved it, Armon went to get Ja-Kal so he wouldn't become crispy fried mummy before the rest of them. She told Yugi to get out of here, but he refused to abandon his best friend.

She thanked him for that.

Had she been completely alone, she doubted she could have stopped from breaking down as the flames drew ever nearer.

When the Puzzle was complete, she breathed a sigh of relief. Now he wouldn't be lost to the world even if the flames consumed them. Someone, hopefully one of their friends, would find the Puzzle completed and would help the spirit. Even if she hated him right now, she wouldn't want him to be left in solitude for the rest of time. He deserved to know who he had once been. He deserved to remember life.

_Goodbye, Yami, _she thought as she touched the Puzzle for what she thought would be the last time. At the same time, she was holding Yugi's hand. The smoke was weakening them and Armon—they had been around the quick-spreading flames far too long.

_**No, Carrie! This can't be the end! **_Somehow, just touching the Puzzle granted her the ability to hear his thoughts. He seemed to be in a great deal of pain just watching her fade away like this.

_...Yes...It can be..._

The door burst open just then. Bandit Keith ran right out—somehow, the smoke hadn't affected him as badly as it had the others trapped inside. Carrie barely managed to glance over her shoulder to see who had come to their rescue. It was Joey, Tristan, Rath, and Nefer-Tina. She assumed Tea had remained outside, too afraid of the fire to come any closer. That was fine…At least she had gotten help.

Rath took Ja-Kal off of Armon's shoulder and Nefer-Tina helped to support the big man. Joey and Tristan tried to get Carrie and Yugi to move, but both refused, saying the Puzzle needed to be saved, too. After some futile attempts to break the chain, Joey picked up the pole that had started this fire and told Tristan they should stick it in the hole of the rod and pull it. They tried that and surprisingly, it worked. Both Carrie and Yugi dropped to their knees, the Puzzle in both of their hands.

Carrie let go as Tristan lifted her off the ground and Joey took Yugi. He didn't let go of the Puzzle even in his weakened state. The group ran out of the burning building now that there was no longer a reason to stay where their lives were in danger.

The mummies knew better than to stick around even to get checked up on at the hospital. Though they looked almost normal, they had no vital signs and that would invite a lot of questions. They ran off in the direction of Carrie's house as Carrie and Yugi were taken by medical personnel to the hospital to deal with their smoke inhalation. Their friends would meet them at the hospital later.

And this was the day that Carrie realized two things.

She hated Yami, but couldn't live without him…

And there was another evil rising to take over the world by taking the Millennium Items.

Would she ever catch a break?

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	30. 30 - Wondering

_A/N: Sorry for the delay... Well, I was ahead of the game for the last episodes that showed on my local cartoon channel, so I guess I have no choice but to do another filler. Hopefully, this will not stop you from reading and or reviewing. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 30

Carrie was out of the hospital by the evening hours and decided to go visit the mummies to make sure they were all fine. She was very worried about Ja-Kal since he had been hit in the head by Bandit Keith before that idiot set the place on fire. She was worried about Armon too, but not as much because he hadn't received a concussion. Yugi was okay, she was okay, so she assumed Armon was okay.

Speaking of Yugi, he was walking with her towards the museum. The others had already gone home because their parents would have worried, and Carrie promised to escort Yugi home so he wouldn't get in another life-threatening situation. She was still reluctant to be near him because of Yami, but after what had almost happened to the both of them, she could not leave him alone. An uprising evil was after the Puzzle, and since Yugi was so trusting and not really tough, he would make for the perfect target. Since she trusted the Puzzle into his hands, it was her duty to protect him from harm.

**Just like Iris protected the handsome Pharaoh five thousand years ago…History of mortals repeats itself, **Carrie's evil remarked.

_Shut it, weirdo! _Carrie mentally snapped. She hated being reminded about that woman that had been her in the past. And anything that crazy evil said sent shivers down her spine, especially since she had called Thief Bakura a 'sexy beast'.

**No, I do not believe I will. This body is just as much mine as it is yours, if not more so since I have been alive longer than you, and I exercise my right to speak freely just like you. I practically am you, only older and not a mortal. Technically, I should be in control of this body and killing mortals for all the pain they cause and claiming Bakura and the Pharaoh as my own…But you and that wretched dragon prohibit me from doing so!**

_That's because you're pure evil! And evil people have no rights! And this body isn't yours! I was born into it! You invaded it because of that stupid Iris girl! This body is mine and you're nothing more than a mirage when it comes to trying to be me!_

**I may be nothing more than a mirage, but at least I am not a Carrie. Your mortality sucks in comparison to the life that you first lived as Iris…Though your path seems to be somewhat the same. Your childhoods were unpleasant…You escaped to a better life where the Pharaoh was…And she lost him just as you will…And you will die just as she did.**

_A cycle can always be broken._

**I can tell you that in the past five lives between Iris's and yours, it has never come close to being done. If the cycle was broken, I would no longer exist.**

_Well then, Mirage, I'll be the one to send you out of existence._

Carrie's evil laughed. **We shall see, silly mortal. And I shall take the name you have given to me…Just because I grow tired of having your name applied to me.**

_I feel the same about my name being applied to you. So you're welcome._

"Carrie? Hello? Earth to Carrie."

The blonde girl pulled herself from her mind and came back to reality. Yugi was talking to her and she wasn't listening…That was rude! She quickly apologized, explaining that her evil had been annoying her so she had to tell that woman off.

"Yeah, spirits can be such a pain," Yugi agreed with a smile. "Some try to get you to take lives, others almost cause you to lose your life, and others just have no life so they bug the heck out of you. The last two apply to Yami if you didn't get that."

Carrie smiled. "I got it." A pause, and then, "So…How is that grouchy old spirit doing?"

Yugi didn't reply immediately, and Carrie worried that she might have really upset the spirit and he wasn't giving the boy an answer. But then she found out the reason for the delay in response.

"I am in pain, Carrie. I will not lie to you," Yami said without meeting her gaze. "But…I understand why you are angry with me, so I will not ask you to forgive me so soon. What makes the pain so much greater is…seeing you almost die again. You have a habit of putting yourself in dangerous situations, you know…And I don't particularly like that. If you were to die without us making up for my mistake…I do not think I could live with myself. Today was too close. Can you…please try to be more careful?"

"…Pharaoh, as long as there is evil in this world, I must continue to place myself in the line of fire. For my friends' sake, for the world's sake, for my sister's sake…and for your sake. I wasn't born to stand on the sidelines while everyone else saves the world. I'm supposed to help you with that job," Carrie stated.

"I know. Ishizu explained that to us on the day when my world came undone for the second time in my many years. But if I found another way of saving the world that would keep you from being in the line of fire…Would you still fight at my side?" Yami asked.

"Duh! Well…Not at your side, but more behind you to the far right…But that's beside the point. I'm never going to stop fighting until I break my cycle of evil and restore your memories and return you to where you belong. No one deserves to be misplaced where they shouldn't be. The sooner we get you back to your time…the sooner you can be rejoined with your one true love," Carrie told him.

Yami grabbed her hand before she could walk one step further. She was forced to stop and turned around to face him. His crimson eyes stared back at her from her best friend's face. Many different emotions were flashing through them, and most of them dealt with sadness and fear and concern and whatnot. She was confused by this, but mostly because she didn't believe he was capable of feeling the same things she was feeling.

"Carrie…I may have loved Iris in the past…But that was five thousand years ago. I love you not because you are her reincarnate, but because you are you. Can you not see that?" he whispered, and for the first time in a long time, she heard his voice tremble with emotion and that frightened her.

She gulped, trying to keep the tears back that he was now bringing forth. "…I can see it, but my heart hurts too much to believe it. Give me time, Pharaoh. I…I need time to recover from what you've unintentionally done to my already scarred heart. Please…Try to hold together while we are separated. I don't want to hurt you anymore."

Yami looked away from her, shifting his gaze to the ground. "I shall try, but I cannot make any promises. And I know you don't want to hurt me, just as I did not want to hurt you. But we both know the pain is unavoidable."

Carrie nodded. "…Now…Retreat to your solitude. I know you are going to break down if you are out here a minute longer and you don't want me to see that. You want me to think of you as the tough, unemotional spirit. That's what you've almost always been, anyway."

"That's what I've wanted you to think. I am ashamed of my emotions simply because I am emotional. I just…hide that very well."

"You don't need to hide it any longer…Spiky."

Yami gave her a small smile before he relinquished his control of Yugi's body. The boy gave her a bigger smile in place of the spirit's and she couldn't help but return it for both of their sakes.

"…Did talking to him make you feel better?" Yugi inquired as they continued to walk.

"A little. It put my heart slightly at ease," Carrie admitted.

"It seems to have had the same effect on Yami. Even though he's crying, he seems a little more happy," Yugi said.

"…I'm glad that I was able to do something for him other than call him a lot of rude names in anger," Carrie told him.

They came to the game shop and Yugi's home a little quicker than they would have liked, but it was time to part ways for now. She reluctantly bid Yugi and Yami a good night and waited for her best friend to go inside before walking again. The museum was probably closed by now, but with any luck, Ishizu would have foreseen Carrie's visit and either stuck around or left the door unlocked. She wondered how the mummies avoided being noticed by other people when they returned to their sarcophagi in the middle of the day… That was probably something she should ask in case they frightened little children and made grown men scream like little girls.

The lights were still on when she came to the glass doors of the museum, indicating that someone was in the building. She tried to get in, but not surprisingly, they were locked. With so many valuable objects in there, it couldn't be helped. She knocked loudly on the glass in hopes of getting someone's attention, dead or otherwise. No one came at first, but she heard movement which was why she didn't turn away to go home.

A few minutes later, Ishizu appeared at the door. Alone.

"…Carrie. It is good to see you again," Ishizu greeted, opening the door for the blonde.

"As it is to see you…Though I'm sure you've foreseen me coming here like you did before," Carrie murmured. "Are the mummies in this evening?"

"Yes they are. I was just speaking to them before you came. They are in the storage room so they would not draw attention to themselves while the living roamed through this museum," Ishizu explained. "Ja-Kal and Armon had to recharge within their sarcophagi for awhile, but I believe they are better. Please try to keep the mummies away from fire and blunt objects from now on. I did not bring them from their resting place in Egypt to have them destroyed in such a manner."

"I'll try, but I can't make any promises. They're the ones that follow me everywhere," Carrie pointed out.

Ishizu led her back to the storage room where old displays and ones waiting to be put up lay all over the place. The mummies were all seated on a couch that had no right being there, and to her dismay, they were back in their Egyptian-style skirts. What, were those things that comfortable or something?

Even though they were being their weird old selves, Carrie was glad to see them. She had barely known them a week, but she felt like she had known them for longer. Was that because of their past ties? She didn't know and didn't want to think about that. Instead, she decided to remember that it was Rath's idea to read Jessica's diary and pounced on him while he was unaware that she was there.

"What the hell? Mistress! What do you think you're doing?" Rath demanded when he found himself on the ground with Carrie pinning him there.

"You're not supposed to invade people's privacy! Don't you ever read Jessie's diary again or I'll make you wish that you stayed dead!" Carrie threatened, though it was more like teasing than threatening. She stole his very tall green-and-gold Egyptian-style hat and put it on her head, sticking her tongue out at the tall mummy she was pinning.

"Well, you certainly seem better," Nefer-Tina remarked with a smile. "For someone who was almost devoured by the red flower and its toxic fog, you sure have recovered quickly."

"Armon and Ja-Kal were in the same situation and they seem fine enough to me. And it's fire and smoke, not red flower and toxic fog," Carrie pointed out. She glanced up at the man who had been knocked out earlier. "You are fine again, aren't you?"

"Yes, Mistress. My head still hurts a little, but it was my own fault. I had not expected Keith to swing at me. I shall try to be more cautious next time so our lives are not put in so much danger," Ja-Kal said.

"How is the boy that looks like the Pharaoh?" Armon asked, eating a slice of pizza. Carrie had no idea how he had gotten that and suspected Ishizu might have gotten it for him. It still amazed her how he could eat so much without technically being alive.

"_Yugi_ is just fine, too," Carrie replied.

"That is good to hear. Now will you please remove yourself from my chest, Mistress? This is very uncomfortable and it is very hard to breathe with you on me," Rath muttered.

"Dead people need to breathe? Odd…," Carrie murmured more to herself than anyone. "Do you promise to not read things that don't belong to you without permission?"

"If that is your wish, then I swear to Ra that I will not," Rath swore.

Carrie sighed and got off of the tall mummy. "Fine. You're no fun, Rath. You're too uptight and all about the facts that died centuries ago. If you don't get a girl, I don't think I'll be able to handle you much longer."

"If you don't stop with all the changes in mood, I know not if I will be able to handle _you_ much longer," Rath shot back, trying to take his hat back, but Carrie ran away from him and hid behind Armon. "You are a thousand times worse than Iris ever was. Why could you not be more like your first life and not this out-of-control teenager who insists on doing everything she can to make me insane?"

"If she were to be like her first life, she would have to be dead," Armon remarked.

"I don't mean in that sense, you moron! I mean in personality!" Rath shouted.

"I'm not sure I want her to be like Iris. I think I like her personality a little more than Iris's. Iris was a bit more depressed and morose and not at all teasing. Carrie on the other hand is teasing and happy. She is a breath of fresh air in comparison to Iris," Nefer-Tina put in.

"She is rather different than Iris and her life is a bit more…exciting," Ja-Kal agreed.

"How dare you speak so rudely against our former mistress! After how kind she was to us all, I cannot believe you would speak against her! These times have distorted your way of thinking! If those of our time could see you now…I bet they're turning over in their tombs this instant!" Rath snapped, furious that his fellow Guardians were comparing Carrie to Iris.

Carrie popped up behind him and shoved him towards the couch again. "Pipe down, Rath! If you keep complaining, I might be forced to lock you inside your sarcophagus for the rest of time. And you wouldn't be alone. I would put a bunch of scarab beetles in there with you so they could slowly eat you away over time until there was no more Rath. Will that make you stop being so mean?"

Rath glared at her. "You are nothing but talk. If you were half the woman Iris was, you would have acted upon your threats by now instead of issuing them so carelessly."

Carrie's eyes darkened. Rath didn't take the hint and kept right on talking.

"You are nothing but Iris reborn for the sixth time! Her spirit has diluted with every rebirth so that hardly any of her remains in you! I will not serve one who is not a thing like my original mistress! So go ahead! Keep threatening me! You shall never act upon those words because you are a coward! Iris was never-!"

Rath was cut off because he was forced to duck out of the way. Carrie had thrown his hat at him and it barely missed. It hit the wall right behind his head. Surprisingly, it remained intact without even receiving a tiny crack.

"STOP COMPARING ME TO IRIS! I KNOW I'M NOT LIKE HER! DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP BRINGING IT UP? I'M CARRIE AND NO ONE ELSE! NOW STOP YELLING AT ME!" Carrie screamed before running out of the room. Ishizu was right behind her.

"Now look what you did, Rath! You upset Carrie!" Armon scolded, pushing Rath back onto the floor. "You know how sensitive she is, and yet you continued to berate her."

"…She isn't my mistress. Iris was different," Rath whispered—it was obvious that he was already regretting his words.

"No, you're right. She isn't like Iris. But she is her reincarnation. Though they don't act alike, they possess the same spirit. That is why we must protect her. And that is why we must mind her feelings. You know she's been through a lot in her life, much more than even Iris went through. Even though she may annoy you…You need to be more mindful of her sensitivity," Ja-Kal advised.

"And we cannot compare her to Iris…Especially since the Pharaoh was involved with her in that life and this one," Nefer-Tina added.

Rath picked up his hat and sighed. "I suppose I should go apologize then. It was wrong of me to get into such a heated dispute with her. I just hope she can forgive me."

"If I were in her place, I wouldn't," Armon declared.

Carrie continued to run, trying to put distance between herself and that miserable Rath, unaware that someone had just mopped the floors in that part of the museum. She was both mad and sad at the same time—her tears were evidence enough of that. The one thing she hated more than her past and Bandit Keith was being compared to Iris. The other Guardians had been nice about the comparisons, but Rath…He had been completely demeaning with it. Just like he had always been. When it came to her, he never had anything nice to say. But Iris…He had nothing but praise for her. Why did she have to be so different? Why did he hate her so much?

She slipped on the wet floor and was too slow to catch herself. The back of her head collided with the hard floor of the museum because of her little slip-up. It hurt a lot, but not as much as the turmoil in her heart. She couldn't remember feeling so bad before… not since moving to Domino City. The only people to blame for this turmoil were Rath, Yami, and that accursed Iris. If none of them had existed, none of this hurt would have come to pass.

The girl laid there for a few moments, just staring at thin air, feeling too mixed up to even get up. Ishizu reached her shortly after her fall, and not too long after, Rath joined her…on the ground. The ancient fool had been running just like Carrie had—he might have been thinking she was long gone and he needed to catch up to her—and therefore had slid on the wet floor just as Carrie had and fallen backwards as a result just as Carrie had. She wondered why he had come. Was he planning on finishing what he had started back in the storage room?

Ishizu helped the old bag of bones to stand since he was so old and might need the assistance. Then Rath leaned down and extended his hand to do the same for Carrie. She was shocked, needless to say, that someone who had just been belittling her could suddenly try to be nice. What kind of trick was he trying to pull?

"…I apologize for my conduct, Carrie. I suppose I expect everything to be the same as it was all those years ago…which is a foolish expectation. I did not mean to offend you. I hope you can forgive me," Rath apologized.

"…Why do you hate me so much in comparison to Iris?" Carrie asked without moving to take his hand or get up.

Rath looked taken aback by her question. "I do not hate you, Carrie. I'm just… unaccustomed to how you behave. You can be rather annoying to me sometimes with your conduct, but you have done nothing that would make me hate you. It may look like I do, but I assure you that I do not."

"Then what makes Iris so great that you are disappointed in how I turned out?" Carrie demanded bitterly.

"Well…She was one of only two people to survive the massacre of her village—the other person turned evil—but she was never completely bitter about being alone. She mastered magic under the tutorage of Priest Mahado but never gloated. She was kind to everyone, even the slaves, and though she rarely smiled in front of other people, it was a sight to see. The Pharaoh assigned the four Guardians to protect her because she was always willing to put herself before others and he feared that would be the death of her. Working for her was easier than being the servant of Priest Aknadin, let me assure you. That man knew how to work an Egyptian. Perhaps…Perhaps the reason I praise her so much…is because she was so kind despite her past," Rath replied.

"…And you don't think I'm kind?"

"I don't think. I know you are. You just have severe anger issues that dwarf Iris's."

"Don't blame me. Blame Mirage."

"Mirage?"

"My darkness that formed back when Iris died."

"Darkness is always a good thing to blame. It is nothing but evil."

Carrie smiled and finally took his hand so he could help her to stand. Old people lived in fantasy worlds they expected to never change…She understood that now. She would have to be patient with Rath because of that or they might break their skulls open trying to get away from or solve their problems.

"Carrie," Ishizu said suddenly, getting the blonde to look at her. "I know you dislike Iris, but would you like to glimpse into the past to see what everyone else has seen of her…so that you can understand what she was to your Guardians and to the Pharaoh?"

She exchanged glances with Rath, wanting to see Iris but at the same time not wanting to see Iris. If she did, she would finally get a mild understanding as to what Yami had seen in her and what Rath was comparing her to all the time. But then she would know what Yami had seen in her and what Rath was comparing her to all the time. That could be a good thing and it could be a very bad thing. She might start making comparisons between herself and that dead girl and if she were crazy enough, she might start acting like she thought Iris had to see if that would make the ancient Egyptians happy. Would this benefit her or just cause her more pain?

After a few moments of mental balancing of pros and cons, Carrie decided it was worth the risks.

"Fine. Show me a glimpse of my past life."

The Millennium Necklace glowed with a blinding light, forcing Carrie to block it out with her arms and close her eyes. When she opened them again, she found herself in a totally different location. _It appeared that she was inside a building in Egypt...Perhaps a palace, for she saw a spiky-haired Pharaoh sitting on a throne in this room. He wasn't alone—there were several priests and slaves around as well. Some of the faces registered as familiar from her time while others were those of complete strangers._

_Iris was standing beside one of the priests who was wearing the Millennium Ring on his person. Carrie assumed that man was Priest Mahado, who Rath had said trained Iris in magic. She wore a simple beige gown that barely went down to her knees and shoes that Carrie would consider version of boots that were made of the same material (she's dressed like Mana, only without the visor thing). Her shoulders were exposed, and the right one bore the same eye that was on the Millennium Items painted in black. Her expression was solemn, but a small bit of happiness danced around in her emerald eyes._

_Carrie heard the Pharaoh address her incarnation. The girl turned to face him while her master went about his priestly duties._

"_You seem a bit out of it today, Iris. Are you well?" the Pharaoh asked._

_Iris nodded once. "It is just an ill feeling, Pharaoh. I feel as though darkness will descend upon Egypt soon and you will be caught in the thrall."_

_At this, the Pharaoh laughed. "You and my sister both. But though I see none of the signs you do, my priests are taking the necessary precautions in case something does happen. We will be safe. You need not worry, Iris."_

_Iris gave him a small smile. "Pharaoh, it is my duty as your best friend to worry. What kind of friend would I be if I did not worry about he who rules an entire kingdom?"_

"_Mana," they both said at the same time. They laughed at this old humor that Carrie didn't get._

"_I am supposed to meet up with the Guardians you assigned to me. You must excuse me for now, Pharaoh. I know not when I shall return, but when I do, then you will know the state of your villages. How the people are starving this year...and the crimes that have been committed...Ill tidings sing the wind. First the villages fall...Then their ruler shortly follows as the kingdom plunges into darkness."_

"_That won't happen, Iris. Not so long as I am Pharaoh."_

"_If only you were capable of keeping all the evil back. But you cannot stop cruel people from summoning Monsters and manipulating their dark realms. The Shadow Realm grows ever stronger. It is only a matter of time until you shall be forced to face it, and it might need to be sealed away once more so that no one can summon the Monsters."_

"_I am aware of the state of the Shadow Realm. If the time comes that I must seal it all away permanently, I shall not hesitate to do so. But you hesitate to leave me."_

_Iris blushed slightly at this remark. "No...I hesitate not. I just stay here to bestow valuable knowledge unto you. Now I shall go. Have fun with your kingly duties, Pharaoh. I would despise having your position."_

_With that, Iris disappeared in a puff of smoke. Carrie was pulled from inside the building to outside, where the blonde Egyptian reappeared. Four people that looked like living versions of Carrie's dead Guardians were standing there with her. It was obvious that they had been waiting for her to come. Carrie was surprised to see how they had looked in life. Armon had been really dark brown and his missing arm had been golden and working, amazingly. Rath had been a few shades lighter than Armon and had more muscle and wasn't as skinny as he was in death. Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina were pale for their race, and Nefer-Tina's hair was black instead of white. Seeing them without their bandages was a completely weird experience. But she had to admit, they had looked good in life._

_Rath's arms were crossed. He looked as irritable as ever._

"_What kept you, Mistress Iris?" he demanded without raising his voice like he usually did to Carrie._

"_I had to excuse myself from the Pharaoh's presence," Iris told him. "You cannot just leave the ruler's presence without an explanation, especially if he is your childhood friend. That would just be disrespectful, and if that miserable Aknadin had seen me do so, I would be heavily lectured. Please forgive me for being late."_

"_We forgive you, Mistress. Just attempt to be quicker next time," Nefer-Tina advised._

"_You have my word," Iris said._

_Then she let loose a hawk-like cry from her throat, something Carrie hadn't expected for her to do. The blonde that had no right being in this time period covered her ears. That sound was so horrible! Iris stopped it several seconds later. Why had she done it in the first place?_

_Above in the sky, a hawk descended towards Iris, followed by at least five others. She held her unprotected arms up for two of them to land—Carrie saw that the birds were careful not to stick their talons into her—and the other four landed on one arm of each of the Guardians. All the hawks looked at Iris, which was a little weird._

_Iris directed them to go to different villages and see what the conditions of the people were. They were to report back to her in the village right outside of the palace when they had finished. One by one, the hawks took to the sky again, flying in different directions as she had told them to do. The only direction they didn't go was to the village outside of the palace. It seemed Iris had reserved that for herself._

"_I see not why you do not send a bird to do the same for this village," Armon remarked._

"_This village is different, Armon. I was born in a village that was destroyed in order to make the Millennium Items. This place...This is where I really grew up besides in the palace. I know what it's like to be a common person and I can relate to these people. That is why I always observe their lives with my own two eyes...For I do not want to see it fall to pieces if I can stop it," Iris told him._

"_We understand. Do as you will, Mistress, and we shall go with you," Ja-Kal said, sounding weird even in this time with his words._

_The group went into the village and Carrie had no choice but to follow them. She saw people starving on the streets, and starving people stealing from people who had valuable merchandise or food. She also saw a child being held at knifepoint just because he had a loaf of bread. Iris saw this too and muttered something under her breath. The knife flew from the man's hand and embedded itself within the wall of someone's home. The man saw her, but was too desperate to think correctly. He tried to grab the kid and take off, but Iris was faster. She appeared in front of him and kicked him right under the chin, causing him to fall backwards and release the kid. Iris caught the child before he could fall as well. His bread was untouched, but she knew if the hunger of this village wasn't dealt with, other people might attack for even something that minor._

_She chanted something under her breath, a spell the Mahado had taught her because he knew how big her heart was. Carrie, without realizing it, was chanting the same thing. Around the blonde Egyptian, the sand began to transform into edible things that Egyptians would have eaten. She took a step back without stopping her chant as the pile became taller and taller, enough to feed all the starving people in the entire village for a moon cycle._

"_Only the poor may take from this. If anyone who has wealth tries to do so, they shall taste nothing but sand, for that is what the food shall change back into if they try to consume it," Iris declared for the whole village to hear. "Fight no longer. Steal no longer. You have food for now, and when it runs out, I shall return to give you more."_

_The people thanked her and praised her, and she smiled before moving on. Once she was out of sight of the food and the people rushing to it, her smile faded and was replaced by a frown accompanied by a sigh. Carrie wasn't the only one to notice this. The ever-praiseful Rath also noticed her change of mood._

"_What troubles you, Mistress?" he asked._

"_...These are hard times, yet my best friend does not believe Egypt is in danger. Well... He believes it, but his pride will not allow him to admit his faults. Soon it will be too late and Egypt will be in ruins because of his foolish pride. Why must he be afraid to admit when he has wronged and try to fix the problem before it becomes too much? Why must he be so stubborn? Why must he always win?" Iris wanted to know. Carrie heard tears in her voice, but none poured from her eyes. They were wet, however, revealing the pain within Iris's heart more than the context of her words._

"_That is just how pharaohs are. The power goes to their head sometimes," Rath replied._

"_His father was not so," Ja-Kal pointed out._

"_Damn it! I wish he would just stop being the Pharaoh for one day and see how his people suffer and the evil that is quickly approaching!" Iris snapped._

_Three of hawks returned; it seemed a little early for that. One screeched quietly in her ear...She frowned and dismissed the bird. The other two did the same and the same result came out of whatever they told her. She turned away from her Guardians. Whatever those birds had told her wasn't good._

"_...Three of the villages are in ruin. Most of the people in them are dead and those that still live are not too far from being like the others. We must go to them now so that they will not perish any further. Perhaps when we tell the Pharaoh of this, he will finally listen," Iris muttered. She had every right to be bitter, but there was nothing but kindness in her voice._

The bright light consumed Carrie's vision again. When it faded, she was back in the museum with Rath and Ishizu standing next to her. Both were looking at her expectantly.

"…You were right. Iris was kind despite her past…," Carrie murmured.

"Do you still hate her?" Rath wanted to know.

"Of course. But not as much as before. I have seen what you saw, even if it was just a glimpse, and I see she didn't have it off any better than I did. Especially when it came to getting the Pharaoh to notice her love for him. He was blind even then when it came to emotions," Carrie told him.

"It grows late, Carrie. You should return home and get some rest. Something shall happen tomorrow that will require your full attention," Ishizu said.

Carrie nodded and didn't ask what that thing would be. She bid them good night before leaving the museum. She had so many questions, but she was sure they would be answered in time. If they weren't, she would beat Rath up until they were.

* * *

_A/N: Yeah, I know this was a crappy filler, but I couldn't leave you guys out in the wind. The next update (when I get to it) will be back to the storyline. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	31. 31 - A Wild Uria Has Appeared!

_A/N: Yeah, I've already typed another chapter. Be happy...but don't expect Carrie and Yami to just hook up again. I've got a plan for that which will take place in a couple of chapters that will involve Marik's mind manipulation and meddling. What is my devious mind planning? You'll just have to wait and see! For now, please read on for this chapter. Thank you!_

* * *

Chapter 31

Carrie was awoken early the next morning by her sister, who decided that after weeks of avoiding her, it was time to spend time with the girl. Jessica hit her upside the head with a pillow at least five times before Carrie finally opened her eyes. The dark-haired girl's pink eyes were full of mischief and devious thoughts. What was she planning?

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" Jessica shouted, hitting her sister in the head once again for good measure. "Daylight's a-wasting! We've got things to do, places to go, people to see!"

"But it's Sunday! Let me sleep!" Carrie whined, turning her back on Jessica.

Jessica threw the pillow at her sister's back and crossed her arms. "We haven't spent any time together in weeks, and I know you don't have anything better to do today! So let's do something fun! Come on, come on! Please, Carrie? Please?"

Carrie sighed. Her sister could be very persuasive with her whining. But Ishizu had said something would happen today that would require her full attention. This couldn't be it… Could it? Sure, Jessica was a handful, but she usually didn't require Carrie's full attention. There had to be something else…Maybe. Even if there was, she couldn't just turn down her sister so coldly. It was time for them to hang out with each other instead of their friends. She was sure the gang could go one day without her being around. It was her job to keep Jessica happy as her sister, after all. Family before friends, right?

"All right. What do you feel like doing?" Carrie asked. She was giving in.

Jessica perked up again. "I want to go to the mall with you and Mai and then head over to the arcade! Going shopping and then kicking your ass at Dance Dance Revolution…What more fun could a girl ask for?"

"Watch your mouth, little missy," Carrie scolded with a smile; she really didn't care what Jessica said. "Let me guess. You've already run this idea by Mai and she's waiting downstairs for us."

"You're halfway right. I told Mai…But that was five minutes before I came in here to wake you up. She's still getting ready," Jessica told her.

"So…I should get dressed too, right? Or else she'll end up taking off with you and without me?" Jessica smiled and gave a nod. Carrie sighed. "Well then. You'd best get out of here and leave me to decide what to wear. I think better when I'm alone, and let's face it. You can be kinda a nuisance."

Jessica pouted and stuck her tongue out at that comment. "Be ready in ten minutes with your money on you. And I would invite those tough-looking foreign exchange students to protect you in case the Queen of Games is recognized. You know how bad those stupid fan boys can be."

Carrie shoved her sister out of the room and locked the door behind her so that the girl couldn't come in to bug her again. She did call up Ja-Kal—she had gotten the mummies cell phones just in case she needed to reach them and had even taken the time to teach them how to use the cellular devices—and told him what her plans were for today. Without her even asking, he said they would be there to protect her. She thanked him before hanging up and returning to a more pressing situation…What would she wear to the mall and an arcade that couldn't attract too much unwanted attention?

After a few minutes of debating, she finally just threw on a black-and-white striped T-shirt with black shorts and her knee-high converse shoes. She also put on her silver hoop earrings that she had never been able to wear before because they wouldn't have gone with the Millennium Puzzle. Not having that old thing had its pluses. Satisfied that she might not be noticed as the Queen of Games now, she walked out of her room to see if Mai and Jessica had left without her.

The blonde woman was just walking out of her room. Mai's outfit had changed a little from the first time they had met. She still wore the white sleeveless, corset-like top, but the purple of her vest and shorts and boots had lightened up a bit and she wore some white things that were like gloves but not gloves on her arms (referring to how she looks during Battle City). Even in her hurry to get up and go, Mai still managed to look her best. Not a hair out of place, not a thing wrong with her face. Beautiful as always.

Jessica popped up around the corner, ready to go. The girl was dressed in a light yellow tube top with a short black skirt and a pair of black boots that went up the majority of her leg. This was still a little showy for a fourteen-year-old…But before Carrie could say anything, Jessica threw on her dark denim jacket so she was covered up and her sister couldn't complain. She would complain, however, if the jacket came off. Girls Jessica's age needed to be conservative, not all out there.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Jessica exclaimed, running for the door because she was so impatient.

Mai and Carrie exchanged glances.

"I have the strangest feeling this is going to be more fun for her than it is for us," Mai said with a small smile.

"Well, you know how it is at that age. You're not a girl, but you're not yet a woman and you feel like you can take on the world…Actually, I never felt that way because of where I grew up, but I imagine that's how a fourteen-year-old feels," Carrie told her. "Even something this small can make you feel like the most important person in the world."

"I know I felt like I could take on the world, but I was never that hyper," Mai remarked.

"It's in her blood. She's related to Pegasus, you know," Carrie pointed out.

"So are you, but you're never like that. You and Alyssa seem to be the normal ones."

"No one's normal. To be normal is to be strange and to be strange is to be normal nowadays. And you're calling a girl who is in love with a five thousand-year-old spirit normal? Whatever you're smoking, I want some."

"I'm not smoking anything. I'm talking about personality-wise, you're normal."

"Mai, I have horrible people skills and I beat up on anyone who so much as looks at me the wrong way. How is that normal?"

The woman chose not to answer that question and instead grabbed her purse and car keys. Carrie smiled and shook her head as the woman walked outside after Jessica. Mai could never win an argument; her way of winning was walking away. But she liked Mai like she was an older sister, so she didn't care so much about how Mai did things. She grabbed her purse, stuck her cell phone in there, and followed them into the red convertible Mai had bought a few months ago. The top was down today, and that was perfectly fine with the women. Today was a fun day where appearances were at the bottom of their list of worries. Men were right there with that. All that mattered was having fun.

The mall wasn't that crowded today for one reason or another. At least it would be easier to keep an eye on Jessica and the mummies—Mai could take care of herself just fine—with less people in the building full of stores. She saw the mummies standing next to a gold Volvo and wondered where the hell they had got that and how they had driven it when they were so outdated. The last thing any of them had drove was a chariot with horses. A car was completely different. How did they learn so quickly? And had they stolen the Volvo?

"Hey, it's those exchange students. You took my advice about asking them over after all!" Jessica commented as she got out of the convertible.

"Yeah…You and Mai go ahead. I need to talk to them for a minute," Carrie told her.

She waited for her friends to go in before approaching the mummies. They had changed back into their modern clothes, luckily…and in Nefer-Tina's case, removed some of her bandages. The woman was wearing a black halter top with a pair of jean walking shorts and white tennis shoes. She also had a black baseball cap on over her white hair. The men were still pretty much covered completely. Armon was wearing a dark blue T-shirt with the right sleeve being non-existent and a pair of blue jeans with his specially made size seventeen Nike sneakers. He also wore a hat, only his was a knit black cap. The bandages on his left arm were showing, but it kinda looked cool with his outfit. Rath wore a white shirt under a green jacket similar to the one Joey was fond of wearing with a pair of dark slacks and dark shoes. He had his head covered by a plain black hat. And then there was Ja-Kal. Black jacket over white shirt, black shoes, black cap similar to Armon's on his head and…

_Leather pants? What the hell? I don't remember getting him those, _Carrie thought with a sweat-drop. _Well, I guess it's a good thing mummies don't sweat or else he'd never get those things off. Oh, if only his wife could see him now..._

"You guys look good for dead people," Carrie complimented.

"Thank you, Mistress. The only problem is Nefer-Tina…We told her to keep covered, but as you can see, she did not listen," Ja-Kal remarked, glancing at the female mummy as he spoke.

"It's fine. She looks great and appropriate for the season. It's not like your gray skin is horrible or anything. At least she's not covered completely when it's seventy-five degrees," Carrie pointed out. "If anything, she fits in better than you guys."

Nefer-Tina smiled. "Why thank you, Carrie. I thought so, too."

"So…How did you get the Volvo and how the hell did you drive it?" Carrie asked.

"Rath got your bank account information and bought it from a salesperson. And Nefer-Tina watches the magic box and learned from the tiny people on the screen how to drive," Armon replied.

"Rath! You got money out of my account without asking me? How rude!" Carrie scolded, punching him in the arm. "What if something important came up and I needed that money? Now you've gone and wasted it on a car that Nefer-Tina learned to drive from watching races on television! If she wrecks it or gets caught speeding, she won't have a license and it'll all come back to me! See? This is why you really need to ask permission for things before you act on them! How the hell did you get my account information, anyway?"

"Magic," Rath replied.

"Dirty trick! You know I can't counter your magic!" Carrie sighed and calmed herself down. Today was supposed to be fun and she was not about to have it ruined by Rath. "You've already bought it, so I guess I can't undo that. But after today, you're all going to take driver's education classes, get your licenses, buy insurance, and then none of you are to get into my account ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Mistress," the mummies murmured in unison.

"Good. Now let's go. Mai and Jessie are probably wondering what's taking me so long. We can't keep them waiting."

The group entered the building with many stores inside of it. Mai and Jessica hadn't strayed far from the entrance—they had been impatiently waiting for Carrie to come in with the 'exchange students'. They decided to split up and meet at the food court at noon, which would be in two hours. That was more than enough time. Jessica pulled Armon along with her and Rath chose to go with Mai, so Carrie was left to walk with Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina. Those two seemed to be at odds with one another…This could make for an interesting time.

Her first stop was at the bookstore, which contained her favorite manga series, _+Anima_. She had read them online, but their rough translations had always made her mad. It was better to buy them than to read someone's rough versions of the stories. While she was looking at the books, Nefer-Tina picked up a volume of _Naruto_ and flipped through the pages while commenting on how unrealistic certain scenes were and how much the characters spoke when there should have been more fighting. Ja-Kal ignored her by looking at a different manga, _One Piece_, and he was quieter about his ideals of the storyline than his companion.

"There's no such way of manipulating lightning in order to kill someone," Nefer-Tina complained, turning the page of _Naruto_ volume 43. "Honestly, what was the scribe thinking when he wrote this?"

"It's not meant to be like real life. It's a fantasy graphic novel," Carrie explained.

"Even for fantasy, it's seems to be too unreal," Nefer-Tina said.

"And this is coming from someone who's over five thousand years old, which is more unreal than anything these scribes could think of," Ja-Kal muttered.

"Hey! You're just like me, so I wouldn't be talking!" Nefer-Tina snapped.

"If you two don't stop bickering, I'm going to send you back home," Carrie threatened. "You guys are worse than Naruto and Sakura. I think I finally understand what Kakashi went through and I commend him for remaining sane in the midst of all this kind of crap, even if he's not real. But I would keep quiet if I didn't want to be thrown into a sarcophagus for the rest of the month."

"Yes, Carrie," they both grumbled.

They moved on to a designer clothing outlet where the disputing mummies could split up and avoid one another. Carrie set out to look at the jewelry by herself while keeping an eye on her Guardians. She was surprised to find a pair of gold earrings with upside down pyramids suspended off them. She asked the clerk behind the counter about them, believing it to be too much of a coincidence that those could go perfectly with the Puzzle.

"Have you seen the Queen of Games, Carrie West? She's always wearing this pendant that is in the same shape as these, only it has this Egyptian eye on it. Some designer wanted to create similar things because he knew how popular Carrie was, so he pretty much copied her style and went from there. You wouldn't believe how quickly these things go," the female clerk told her. "I have a pair myself. I think you should get them… They'd look good on you."

Looking around at the jewelry, Carrie saw that the clerk wasn't lying. Some designer had made his own form of the Puzzle and made multiple pieces of jewelry from that basic design, launching his products as the Millennium Magic. There was even some clothing that had images of the Puzzle and or her plastered to them. Now if only that guy had seen the other Millennium Items…He would have had a field day.

She did get those earrings to be prepared for whenever she decided to take Yami back, along with a white T-shirt that had her face on it. The clerk was none the wiser to her real identity even when Carrie handed over her credit card to make the purchase. Perhaps the clerk was just that stupid. She was blonde, after all…Carrie was not one to judge a person's brainpower by the color of their hair since she herself was blonde, but this was just one of those times.

Their next stop was a Duel Monsters shop that wasn't big enough to rival Grandpa or Duke's business, but was any duelist's mini-dream. Unlike her friends' businesses, this place sold nothing but cards for the game. Carrie really didn't need to be here, though. It was her Guardians that did.

"All right, Ja-Kal and Nefer-Tina," Carrie said, turning to face them. "If you're going to be my Guardians, you're going to have to duel. I don't want to enter a tournament like Duelist Kingdom again without someone other than my friends covering my back. Since you swore unto the duty of protecting little old me, you've got to build a deck."

"No problem. We used to summon Monsters back in the day," Nefer-Tina claimed.

Carrie smiled. "This is different. You should know that by now since you've hung around me and my friends. Well, happy hunting to you both. If you need any help, let me know."

She gave the mummies their space as they began looking through the cards on display and the booster packs that would require some luck to get good cards. Carrie looked through a few of the stronger ones, though very few would work with her deck and even fewer were not in her possession. She sighed, wondering if Duel Monsters had lost their touch ever since Pegasus lost that duel. No one had heard from him ever since. Was he even still alive? Not even Alyssa knew…

Then a particularly powerful Monster behind the counter caught her eye.

It was a crimson dragon that looked like the one that had been restraining Mirage for centuries upon centuries…The one that she had spoken to every now and then. She had never caught his name before, though she was sure Yami had known it and never told her. The card's title read Uria, Lord of Searing Flames. It was clearly rare…The price was much higher than those of the other cards.

_Well, if the dragon in my mind is indeed this Uria...I suppose I should own him in my deck in order to play him just like my other Monsters, _Carrie thought.

She asked the clerk if she could have it as she pulled out her wallet again. He recognized the name that flashed across the computer screen but didn't make a scene about selling something to the Queen of Games. In fact, he was rather humble about the situation. All she had to do was sign one autograph for his son and that was it. Afterwards, she paid for her Guardians' cards and moved on towards the food court. It was nearly noon already.

Jessica and Mai were already seated at a table in the corner of the food court next to a window with all their bags of stuff. Armon and Rath were with them as well. Carrie and the other two mummies came over with their food shortly afterward, pulling chairs up because Carrie felt like defying the rules just a little. Armon had two trays of chilidogs; Carrie wondered where he put it all.

"What, did you guys buy out the entire mall or something?" Carrie teased.

Jessica smiled. "Not all of it. Just all the stores we liked. Why didn't you do the same, Queen of Games? You have all that money from the Duelist Kingdom Tournament just sitting there, waiting to be spent. And you're a celebrity, so no one would dare say no to you if you wanted something."

"You know I don't like being in the public eye. Celebrities are horrible," Carrie stated.

"Not all of them. Just most of them," Mai agreed.

"Did anyone recognize her Majesty?" Jessica asked.

Carrie shook her head. "Well, one guy did, but I don't know if he's going to tell anyone that I'm here. I signed an autograph for his son, and he didn't freak out when my name popped up on the computer, so…I don't know if I'm going to have to run or not."

"We'll leave soon to ensure your identity goes unnoticed," Mai promised. "Oh, by the way, we stopped at the Duel Monsters store and the 'exchange students' wanted to build decks, so I used some of your money to pay for their cards. Is that okay?"

"Yeah. The other two did the same thing," Carrie told her.

Carrie wasn't even halfway through her lunch when she heard the scream of some fan girl that recognized her face. She groaned, knowing it was only a matter of time until a crowd of screaming fans formed in the food court and she would have no means of escape. She politely asked for Rath to take their trays to the trash and stood, grabbing her bags in a way that she could run with them. Mai and Jessica got the hint and did the same with their loads of stuff. She waited for Rath to return before giving the order for her friends to bolt for the door.

"Oh my God! It's the Queen of Games!" a fan girl exclaimed as she ran by. "Everyone! It's Carrie West! I have to get her autograph!"

That annoying prep was joined by a huge crowd of teens, but luckily, large groups moved slower than smaller ones. They had reached the door and were out of it and in their vehicles before the crowd reached the parking lot. Mai and Nefer-Tina sped away from the scene…And Carrie vowed to never show her face in the mall again without being in a better disguise than her natural look.

* * *

They were at the arcade when she called.

Carrie was glaring at Jessica, who was competing in a karaoke contest and singing the song Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne, which was bad enough in itself. But she had also gone rebel on her sister and taken her jacket off to show off some skin. Mai was off playing some game, Nefer-Tina was busy competing in the dance game that was like Dance Dance Revolution but wasn't, and the guys were playing different games that were challenging for people their age. Carrie was going to yell at her sister regardless of the fact that she was on stage when her cell rang. Jessica was saved by the phone.

She didn't recognize the caller id, but answered, anyway. If it was some fan, she would hang up and block that number. If it was someone important, then she obviously wouldn't be that rude.

"Hello?"

"Carrie, this is Ishizu. You should return home. An invitation is awaiting you," the Egyptian woman told her.

"An invitation for what?" Carrie asked.

"A dueling tournament, of course. This one shall prove beneficial for the Pharaoh and his destiny, and you must win it to prevent the end of the world. The man who was controlling Bandit Keith has many minions that will be competing this time around, so you must enter," Ishizu explained.

"…I can't. I have a sister to watch out for. Besides, Yugi can help the Pharaoh now. He is just as capable of kicking the baddies' butts in dueling as I am. I have no reason for entering this contest," Carrie claimed.

"That is not true. You are the Queen of Games, and you must prove that you are willing to defend your title against the greatest duelists in the world and still come out on top," Ishizu stated. "Also…You must let fate play its part in your life. If you do not participate in this tournament, I fear the worst for the world. It is not Yugi's destiny to assist the Pharaoh in saving the world. It is yours."

Carrie sighed. "Fine. I'll go…If Mai and Yugi are invited, too."

"They are. Kaiba sees them as strong duelists just like you do."

"What about Joey?"

"…Well, you know how much Kaiba hates him, so…"

"That's what I thought. I'll be home in about a half an hour. The mummies and their Volvo will be back in about the same amount of time."

"They bought a car?"

"What? You didn't foresee that?"

"No. I didn't even know they could drive."

"It's funny what television can teach someone, isn't it?"

"Yes, I suppose it is. We shall meet again soon, Carrie. Until then, good day."

"Right back at you. Ciao."

She hung up just as Jessica finished her song. The boys who had been watching her were cheering for her, but whether it was for her singing talent or her skin…Carrie didn't know. But she gave her sister a look that made Jessica run off the stage and throw her jacket back on before Carrie could make a scene. The winner of that contest had been some girl who was dressed even showier, so go figure. It didn't take long to get the others and they were out the door and on the road again.

Just as Ishizu had told her, there was an anonymous invitation awaiting her and Mai when the trio got home. It didn't say much about the tournament or who was hosting it; all it said was to meet in the center of Domino City at nine. Carrie doubted that it was Pegasus who was hosting this one and had her ideas about the billionaire who would do it since Ishizu had slipped his name twice, but said nothing about it. She ordered Jessica to bed because of it being a school night before she and Mai slipped out again.

They walked to the center of the city and weren't surprised to see some familiar faces among the crowd of elite duelists that had been invited. Weevil and Rex…For some reason, they were there. No Bandit Keith this time, which was a good thing. That man was probably crazy by now after being controlled by a Millennium Item. No Kaiba, but there was probably a good reason for that. Then she saw someone really familiar and ran over to him, embracing the tan man with fluffy blue hair before he could register her face.

"Mako! It's good to see you again!" Carrie exclaimed as she hugged him. "And you're actually wearing a shirt for once! What an improvement!"

The larger man grinned. "Well, if it isn't my best friend in the entire world! It's good to see you again, too, Carrie! It has been far too long since I've seen your smiling face! And your hair is starting to grow out again! What an improvement, indeed!"

Carrie laughed. "Thank you. I think it looks better long, too. So how've you been? Have you used your boat and found your father yet?"

"…I haven't found him yet, but I'm sure I will with the yacht your money bought," Mako replied. "Do you know what I named it?"

"What?" Carrie hoped it wasn't what she was thinking.

"Great White," Mako said with a smirk.

Carrie let out a sigh of relief. "That is a good name…Even though it's the name of a Duel Monster and a vicious shark."

Mako chuckled warmly. "What? Did you think I named it after you or something?"

"In all honesty…Yes."

"Hey! Carrie! I found your boyfriend!" Mai shouted from a distance.

"Boyfriend?" Mako inquired, confused. He didn't notice the nerve throbbing in Carrie's forehead and the annoyance shining in her eyes.

"She's teasing. Yugi is my best friend, but just because he's a boy and I'm a girl, she thinks we're dating," Carrie told him, half-lying. "I should go over there before she has a cow or yells louder and makes everyone here think that I'm dating Yugi. But before I do…Do you have any idea who is hosting this thing?"

Mako shook his head. "All I know is it's not Pegasus."

"Then it really must be Kaiba out for revenge for losing his title to Yugi and me," Carrie muttered. "Be seeing you, Mako."

"Good luck, your Majesty," Mako teased as she began to walk away.

"Good luck to you, too, Fish Boy," Carrie shot back with a grin.

She reached Mai and Yugi a few seconds later, giving the blonde woman a glare that could have killed if looks were capable of doing so. Mai played innocent, acting as if she didn't understand why Carrie was looking at her like that. Carrie hated it when she did that.

"I'm guessing you don't know who's hosting this, either," Carrie assumed, shifting her gaze to Yugi.

Yugi shook his head. "But I have my opinion about who it might be."

"Yeah. A CEO by the name of Seto Kaiba."

Just as Carrie brought him up, his ugly mug appeared on all the television screens in the city. He explained his tournament, the Battle City Tournament, and that it had new rules and new dueling technology. The newest innovation in dueling he had named the duel disk, and when he showed it off, even Carrie had to admit it was rather flashy. Only the elite could enter the contest and get the duel disk, and they only had a week to register before it all began. A week was a little generous, considering who was hosting this thing.

Then the showoff flew overhead in his company's helicopter, blowing everyone's hair around. He was sporting his newest ensemble, a silver duster thing with a lot of shiny buttons that had no purpose with dark clothes underneath and a silver belt buckle with the initials KC on it. He was promoting his business and being flashy at the same time. Carrie wished she had a gun so she could shoot him and his pride down. Just looking at him made her sick…Even if he had become slightly nicer and was her boss.

As quickly as his helicopter had come, he disappeared. The gathered group dispersed, returning to wherever they were staying. There was no reason to stay now that the news of the tournament had been delivered. So Carrie said goodbye to Yugi and went home, knowing that tomorrow was going to be full of gossip and complaining, the latter of which would be done mostly by one Joey Wheeler.

* * *

As Carrie had predicted, Joey had been full of nothing but complaints when Yugi told him about the tournament. He even went as far as to ask Carrie why she hadn't given them a warning because she worked for Kaiba. Honestly, she had no idea Kaiba was planning on redefining dueling and hosting a tournament until Ishizu called her. Being a secretary didn't give someone a heads-up on everything Seto Kaiba planned. And that's exactly what she told Joey. Whether or not he believed her was a different story.

Her friends went to register after school while she went to work for Kaiba in his big building. She might have been Queen of Games and considered a better duelist than him, but he had control of her in the workplace and he put that to full effect as long as Alyssa and Mokuba weren't around. She entered the building and rode the elevator up to the sixtieth floor where she worked alongside Alyssa and the other secretaries on that level.

Answering phones, typing information into a computer, making notes, running to the printer to pick up presentation stuff for the CEO…Fun stuff. She was often busy, but she found an empty five minutes where she could slip into Kaiba's office. She needed to ask him a favor. Luckily, Alyssa was in his office when she came in. He wouldn't dare talk down to Carrie with her cousin and his best friend in the room.

The rich businessman glared at Carrie, causing Alyssa to fall silent in telling Kaiba his business schedule for the rest of the week. She turned around and smiled at Carrie in complete contrast of Kaiba. The blonde stayed near the door for safety's sake. Even though Alyssa was present, Carrie had the effect of making Kaiba mad without intending to and having things thrown at her. She needed to be near a quick escape route just in case he lost it at her request.

"What do you want, Carrie?" Kaiba demanded coldly.

"…I came to ask a favor of you, Mr. Kaiba," Carrie replied, being formal despite her hatred of the man. "It concerns your tournament that begins in a week."

A smirk appeared on his face. "What? Are you backing out already?"

"No, sir. I am the Queen of Games and must defend my title, even if it means humiliating the host and the man who employs me." That got Kaiba to scowl again. "I came to ask you to allow some friends of mine into the contest. They were not invited, but they are great duelists. They just have never been in any tournaments in their years."

"If they weren't invited, then they cannot participate. If I didn't let that pathetic mutt you call a friend come into the Battle City Tournament, what makes you think your other friends will be allowed?" Kaiba wanted to know.

"It's because I have seen their skill and I know they can kick your ass at your own game," Carrie stated, though she wasn't so sure about that last part. They had been good duelists back when it was a life-or-death situation, but would they still be good when their Monsters were cards and holograms instead of the real deal? Still, she didn't let her doubt show as Kaiba's expression hardened. She just returned to formality. "Look, these four are distant cousins and I'll do anything to ensure their place in this contest. I'll let you see their decks and examine their rare cards. I'll let you duel them. I'll let you meet them in person so you can judge them and their rare skin condition. But you've got to allow them to enter this contest. Please, Mr. Kaiba? Will you allow it?"

Kaiba was definitely about to say no, but Alyssa gave him a look that made him rethink his answer. He sighed after a few moments of mental contemplation.

"Fine. But I'll have to see their decks first," he grumbled.

"I'll get them to come over after work so I don't waste any more of your time."

_Thank you, Alyssa, for having Kaiba whipped, _Carrie thought with a smile.

* * *

Carrie was surprised when she received a call early the next morning for two reasons. The first was that Yugi told her Joey had been registered for the tournament even though Kaiba had made it clear the blonde boy hadn't been invited. The second was that Yugi told her Joey had gone missing after being registered and never showed up to see his sister before her operation. She was finally going to get that million dollar surgery to save her vision; Joey was excited to be able to see her again. So something must have happened to stop him from doing so. What happened the night before?

She didn't waste time wondering. She changed into her school uniform and was off running through the city ten minutes after hanging up on Yugi.

It took them over three hours to find him, but Tristan and his motorcycle found Joey lying beaten up in a back alley a little bit away from the hospital. Tristan found the others in order to stop them from worrying and then sped off with the boy to see his sister. Carrie told Yugi and Tea to go ahead and head for school. When asked what she was going to be doing, she just replied with, "I want to see how this plays out."

She arrived at the hospital and on the floor where Serenity had locked herself in her hospital room a few minutes after her tall guy friends had. Mrs. Wheeler and the doctor were waiting outside, one looking worried about her daughter and the other looking impatient. Joey was speaking through the door to Serenity, explaining why he hadn't come the night before. Rare Hunters had gotten to him and beaten him in a duel so that he lost his Red Eyes—Carrie wanted to hunt down those Hunters and hurt them for doing that—and left him beaten in the alley where they had dueled.

"I can't do anything right. I let my little sister down," Joey murmured, banging his head against the door as tears flowed from his eyes. "But I'm here now, so please open the door and give your big brother a hug."

After a few seconds, the doorknob turned and the door opened. A short brunette girl who looked about Jessica's age emerged dressed in a hospital's version of nightclothes. She ran into her brother's arms and hugged him while both of the Wheeler children cried their eyes out. Then she had to go and so did Tristan and Joey. Well, so did Carrie, but she didn't want to without saying something to Mrs. Wheeler first. That was why she asked Tristan to drop Joey off at home and then come around to pick her up.

"Mrs. Wheeler," Carrie said, approaching her after Serenity was gone.

The older brunette woman turned to look at her. "Who are you? You look…familiar."

"I'm a friend of your son's. My name is Carrie," the girl introduced. "I understand that your relationship with your son is strained and that he really misses his little sister. So…I have a proposal for you. Can Serenity live with me? We have a couple of spare room in the house, there's a girl her age who is my sister, and she would be closer to her brother. It wouldn't be violating anything you and your husband might have agreed on when you separated, but it wouldn't be splitting the siblings up over your problems, either. I know we've just met, but I can assure you, I'm doing this for Joey."

"Why should I trust my daughter to a complete stranger?" Mrs. Wheeler demanded.

"Because…I don't know. She'd be happier if she was closer to her brother. You saw what I saw, right? She wasn't willing to get her surgery done without seeing her brother. Hell, she wasn't even willing to leave the room. She wants Joey, not you. You split them up when they were so close. Letting her live closer to him would be what's best for her. Even if it meant leaving you alone," Carrie stated.

"Who are you to meddle with the affairs of my life? You have no idea what my family has gone through or what's best for Serenity," Mrs. Wheeler remarked. "Now leave me be and never bother me about my daughter again or I'll call the police on you."

Carrie sighed. "Fine. But I'll have you know that I know what's best for your daughter more than you think I do. That's why I paid for her operation in the first place."

"You did no such thing. The Queen of Games did that for Joey, and you could not possibly be her."

"What's the Queen of Games' name?"

Mrs. Wheeler said nothing, but her expression was answer enough.

"Joey talks about Serenity all the time and has nothing but praise and good things to say about her. He never says that he misses her, but the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice is evidence enough of that. You should have seen how desperate he was when she sent him that tape saying her sight was going. He entered the Duelist Kingdom Tournament with hardly any experience because he wanted to do anything he could to help her out. His dedication to Serenity is like none I've ever seen…It's even better than the one I have to my little sister," Carrie admitted. "I'm not involved with you and I hardly know any Wheeler besides Joey, but…I'm just asking that you grant Joey more access to Serenity. It doesn't have to be now…You can let her get to know me between now and the time when she recovers from the operation and leave the decision to her. But she's growing up. You can't hold onto her forever."

Mrs. Wheeler's expression hardened slightly. "Are your parents separated? Do you understand how it feels to be able to see one of your children but not the other? It hurts more than a spoiled girl like you could imagine!"

Carrie glared at her, the anger she had been suppressing finally starting to show. "I am not spoiled. My parents aren't separated, but growing up in that household was probably worse than what you, Serenity, Joey, and Mr. Wheeler have gone through. My father abused me physically and tried to kill Jessie and me before he was finally arrested. And my mother…She ruined my life when I was only seven by telling all the mothers in New York City that I was a baby-beater and a little monster that hurt my little sister. I grew up friendless and barely managed to get out of that life. And I was forced to go months without seeing my little sister because I couldn't afford to bring her over here when I came. Those months were hell. I can't imagine how Joey and Serenity are still sane when they haven't seen each other in over seven years."

Mrs. Wheeler looked taken aback by Carrie's blunt honesty and her own misjudgment of what life Carrie had lived.

"…I'll think about it. But…I promise nothing," Mrs. Wheeler grumbled, turning her back on the blonde.

"Thank you for at least considering it, Mrs. Wheeler. Have a good day."

With that, Carrie turned and walked away.

* * *

_A/N: Yeah, this was mostly a filler, though it contained some things pertaining to the Battle City storyline. But it's better than nothing, right? What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._

_Oh, and could you please read my other **Yu-Gi-Oh** story? **Forgotten Shadow **has been left alone and I don't know if I should add another chapter or not. It's not just because it has received so few reviews, but also because I might have come to an end already. Please help me out. Thank you! =)_


	32. 32 - Regret

_A/N: I think I might have taken awhile to get another chapter up...so for that, I'm sorry. But here's another chapter. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 32

A week was coming to a close. The Battle City Tournament was about to begin. The mummies had been allowed to register; Kaiba had seen their decks as worthy of being in the tournament…though it might have just been to find and eliminate them quickly. Carrie had found time to register and learn to use the duel disk thing right alongside the mummies. She wasn't too used to the new rules, but as niece of the creator of the game, she could learn fast enough. She would have to if she were to keep her title as Queen of Games and, as Ishizu so pointedly put it, save the world with Yami.

Carrie walked towards the center of town…alone, for the first time in months. A little over two weeks before she had left New York, she had stopped being alone because Alyssa had delivered unto her the spirit of the man that became her best friend by giving her an ancient relic for comfort during her pain—the Millennium Puzzle…and Yami. Ever since that day, Carrie had never gone anywhere alone. Yami had always been with her when her other friends weren't. Then a couple of weeks before this day, she had given him up because of his secret past love with her past life. Even after he had disappeared from her consciousness, her friends and the mummies hadn't let her go anywhere by herself. But she promised to meet Yugi at the place where the tournament would start and told the mummies to go ahead and be there; coming to her house would just waste time. Mai had gone earlier, leaving Carrie to go her own way.

She had missed being alone when she was always surrounded by people, but now she wished she had asked for Tristan to pick her up on his motorcycle. Being alone left her surrounded by silence. Silence was something she had once been accustomed to, but had become like a friend she hadn't seen since she was a little kid and couldn't recognize. It reminded her of who and what she had left behind because she let her emotions rule her life now. There were many things she could have done differently that day when Nefer-Tina and Yami had told her the truth, but she had been too blind. Now it was too late, and she was too stubborn to admit her mistakes.

A hero never admits her mistakes.

It was nearly eighty degrees, but Carrie felt like she was freezing when a slightly cool breeze drifted by and caressed her skin. She didn't know why. Was it because it reminded her of _his_ ghostly touch? That was how it felt when he held her all those months ago after Carl had beaten her when she returned home late because of being injured by Bandit Keith's gang. He had made her cold but too comfortable to feel the effects. Why was something as trivial as the wind bringing back memories of so long ago? Did her heart miss him that much?

Just thinking about when she had first met the spirit brought tears to her eyes.

_He had been so full of promises back then, _Carrie thought with a small smile through her silent tears. _He promised that he would never let anyone hurt me again. I...I know he tried really hard to keep that promise...But he's barely succeeded. He is, after all...one of the people who have hurt me the most. He...He also promised to make me happy in this life, no matter what it takes. Heh...I guess he halfway succeeded in that. For a long time...I was happy with him. But then I found out the truth...and overreacted...and have been sad ever since. Depressed even. Why did I have to ruin one of the best things to happen to me? Why can't I ever let myself be happy?_

Truthfully, she had been happy most of the time since she had solved the Puzzle. If she hadn't solved the Puzzle, could she really say that she would be standing in the same place she was now? If Alyssa had never stole it from Pegasus and Pegasus hadn't taken it from the friend of Grandpa's (referring to Chapter 5 and earlier chapters stuff)…If Yugi had solved it, she wouldn't have been able to fight her father that fateful day when he tried to kill Jessica because she wouldn't have been healed and she would have felt too weak. Perhaps Jessica would have died and she, out of pure misery, would have followed her into the grave. Then she never would have landed the job at Kaiba Corp. and never would have escaped NYC and never would have met Yugi or the others. She never would have been Queen of Games or would have fallen in love or made friends or been happy.

She would have died alone and depressed long ago while Yugi and Yami went on with their lives.

There would have been no Carrie in their lives.

How different everything would have been for them…

And her.

Everything would have been different for her.

It was a good thing that she solved the Puzzle because it didn't just benefit her. Her friends benefited, too, in different ways. She always had their back, and that never would have happened if it hadn't been for Yami. She owed her life to that spirit…

And she had thrown her happiness away just because he had loved her past life.

How pathetic.

_...I'm not worthy of him. He deserves someone so much better...like Iris. She was so much better than I am now...Why Yami lowered his standards to me I'll never understand, _Carrie thought sadly. _I owe him everything...I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for him. So why...? Why can't I take him back? Why do I have to be so damn stubborn? He kept one damn secret from me and I go ballistic...I purposely sabotage myself. Why must I do that?...Why?_

Fortunately, Mirage didn't pipe up to answer.

Unfortunately, neither did Carrie…

Because she had no answer.

"Are you all right, Carrie?"

The blonde hadn't realized that she had stopped walking and had her back against a tree as if she couldn't support herself anymore. She glanced up into a pair of warm brown eyes that belonged to the tallest of her friends. They were full of concern and friendly feelings for her; nothing screamed that his crush on her had anything to do with him standing there.

"…Yeah…I'm fine…," Carrie lied pathetically. "…I thought you were…at the hospital with Serenity and couldn't make it."

"I was at the hospital with Serenity. But then Joey called and caught me in a lie, so I thought it would be better if I left," Tristan admitted. His expression became serious again. "So I came to see if you were still around so you could make it when the tournament starts. What I see now suggests that you need more than a bodyguard to protect you from screaming fans and numerous challengers. Right now…What you need most is a friend…Or a lover. But I can only fill the friend position, which is fine by me."

Another cool breeze blew passed her, bringing with it more memories of her lost love and causing her to tremble. Tristan noticed her shivering and like a gentleman took off his jacket and put it on her shoulders. She gave him a half-hearted smile that quickly faded because her feelings came crashing down on her…again. Tristan wrapped an arm around her shoulders comfortingly and whispered something about them having to go or everyone would think the Queen of Games had skipped out. Not wanting Kaiba to feel that satisfaction, Carrie slowly started walking again. Tristan never moved his arm.

Without him even asking for her to explain, she told him everything that was going through her head…The reason why she had been seeking support from a tree instead of going to meet Yugi at the tournament. He listened intently without saying a word just like Yugi, or even Yami, would have done if they were in his place. She hadn't really spoken to Tristan like this in a long time, if ever. But she felt that she could trust him to keep her words to himself and not poke fun at her for being honest. All she wanted was to get these ill feelings off her chest and know if she was right about herself after all. Was she really so pathetic and stupid that she had to sabotaged her own happiness?

When she finished telling Tristan how she felt about leaving Yami, he simply said, "It's not your fault."

She gave him a sideways glance through her steady stream of tears. "…How is it not?"

"It takes two people to break up a relationship," Tristan stated. "Or, in some cases, more than two. He could have told you his secret at any time, even when you weren't controlling your body. But he didn't, so he is at fault there. You know where your mistakes lie, so I don't think I need to explain that. Your breakup wasn't just your doing. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"…I can't help but to be," Carrie murmured with a sigh. "It comes with being a teenage girl, I guess. This may be hard for you to hear…but I love Yami and I miss him a lot."

"Yeah…I kinda got that when I saw you being hugged by a tree," Tristan said, slightly teasing her. "So if you miss him so much, why don't you take him back?"

"I'm too thick-headed to admit I'm not perfect to him," Carrie told him. "My stupid pride is too large to be belittled by flaws. Someone needs to take a RPG to it and deflate it so I can be me and not like Rich Boy. Tristan…I don't know what to do anymore. I can't let my emotions control me so much…If I do, my stupid darkness might take over…and I might lose everyone I've ever cared about. But I…I don't know if I can last much longer without Yami. Can you…shoot down my pride for me?"

Tristan laughed. "Carrie, I love you too much to try something like that. But if you can't get past your pride…I suggest you try to get him to come to you. You know, purposely jump into the path of danger so that he is forced to react or let you get hurt. If you guys truly love each other, then things will work out in the end. That's how the world is…for the most part."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. I think so. That's what I thought would happen for you and me, but hey. Whatever. Your heart belongs to someone else, so I won't try to fight for it."

Carrie smiled genuinely up at him. "Thanks, Tristan. You're the best."

"Better than Tea?"

"Definitely."

"Joey?"

"Yup."

"Yugi?"

"Not quite."

"Damn!"

Carrie giggled. "But you are pretty damn close to being as great as him. So don't feel bad. At least you'll beat him at one thing."

"Yeah? And what's that?"

"Being in the tabloids as the Queen's love interest," Carrie replied, indicating the paparazzi that had popped up out of nowhere and was quickly closing in on them.

Tristan grinned at the sight of them. "Well, if they have nothing better to do than stalk a teenage girl, then let's give them something to write about." He took his jacket back and after putting it on, he lifted Carrie up and slid her on his back. Her left arm found a place around his neck; her right one had the duel disk attached to it and would have been uncomfortable there, so she just situated it between her body and his. Then he took off towards the center of town at top speed to put distance between them and the cameras. Pictures had already been taken—the tabloids would definitely be talking about this simply because they did have nothing better to do than stalk teenage celebrities.

"…Thank you…," Carrie whispered in his ear. "I'll never be able to repay you for this."

"Sure you will. Just be happy and that will be payment enough," Tristan said.

She didn't think happiness was possible, so she didn't make any promises.

But she would sure as hell try.

* * *

Yugi was left standing alone in a crowd of strangers, wondering where the hell Carrie and Joey were. Neither one was the kind to stand their friends up or be too late, but both seemed to have fallen victim to being late for one reason or another. Either that, or they were busy hunting down their first victim in anticipation of the beginning of the tournament. He had seen the mummies around—they did sorta stick out—but they hadn't approached him, so he didn't approach them. Yami had an aversion to them since they had split him and Carrie up unintentionally. And to be honest, they kinda creeped Yugi out just a little, which made him not want to be around them any more than he had to be.

_She's cutting it pretty close,_ Yugi thought, glancing at the clock on the large TV screens all throughout the city that were counting down until Kaiba would start the tournament. _And so is Joey...But that's just like him. Carrie's not that way, though. She jumps at any chance to show Kaiba up._

Yami said nothing, as he usually did nowadays. Yugi hated to admit this, but he missed the good old days when they would annoy the hell out of each other for no reason other than jealousy and boredom. Ever since Carrie had broken their hearts, he had been a glum spirit…and a real drag. Why couldn't he at least _attempt_ to be cheerful?

A familiar blonde head popped up above all the other people, and Tristan's head was right beneath hers. He couldn't help but smile when he saw Carrie on their taller friend's back, though he also couldn't help but feel a tang of jealousy. She looked slightly happy there with Tristan, something she hadn't really been around Yugi ever since she broke up with Yami. He knew the reason…But it still hurt him a lot, especially since she knew how he felt about her. He wished he could bring a smile to her face for longer than a few seconds…like Tristan was now doing.

He felt Yami perk up a little when the spirit realized Carrie was around. It seemed he felt the same about her and wanting to be the one that made her happy…again.

"Sorry I'm late. I was…delayed by mental berating," Carrie apologized, sliding off of Tristan's back. "Tristan gave me a lift—literally—so we could escape the stupid paparazzi that just materialized out of nowhere. I'm so sorry, Yugi."

Yugi gave her a half-hearted smile—that's all the heart he had left. "It's okay. You're here now, and that's all that matters."

"Where's the tall, stupid-faced duelist we all know and love?" Tristan asked, glancing around for Joey.

"He hasn't shown. I have no idea where he is," Yugi admitted.

"If I was him…I would be trying to hunt down that jerk that stole my Red Eyes," Carrie said. "You know, that Rare Hunter jerk that prevented him from seeing his sister that night after he registered for the tournament. And if I was Joey and I found that guy, I would do two things. First I would kick his ass in dueling…and then I would literally kick his ass."

"Joey would probably settle for the first part and leave the second part to you," Tristan remarked. "Let's face it. That boy couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag."

"…Yami wants to know what you were mentally berating yourself about…and why you look like you've been crying," Yugi put in. He had noticed the redness around her eyes, but hadn't wanted to bring it up. Yami had voiced his concern and changed his mind.

Carrie's smiled faded and she looked at the ground. She was obviously upset by whatever had hurt her before. It wasn't a person, not directly. It was something she had been thinking about that had brought her to tears. Was she regretting her decision to leave Yami? Did she want him back? Or had she remembered memories that should have remained buried in the past, memories of life back in NYC?

Tristan came to her rescue.

"…Yugi, I know you're her best friend and Yami is her ex…But now is not the time," Tristan whispered to him so Carrie wouldn't hear. "…When I found her, she was crying against a tree…Hardly able to stand without the support. It took me forever to get her to smile and forget what had brought her to tears…Please wait until later to ask about it."

Yugi nodded once in agreement. He might have been a little envious of Tristan right now, but the brunette knew what he was talking about. After all, they both had feelings for Carrie that were being tried by this breakup. One's was just a little more tried than the other because he looked like her ex and shared a body with him.

Kaiba came on the screen to announce that the Battle City Tournament was starting. He refreshed everyone on the rules and said that only eight of those that entered would make it to the finals, which would be held in a disclosed location. To find out where that location was, contestants would have to earn the six pieces of a map thing that was contained in plastic cards. Everyone received one when they registered—now they knew what they were for. Whenever someone dueled, the stakes would be their rarest card and that piece of the map to the disclosed location. There was no time limit that he gave, but wherever Kaiba was concerned, if people didn't make it in a couple of days, then they wouldn't make it into the finals, regardless of if they got the pieces or not. He was just that cruel.

Yugi was sure he would make it to the finals with Yami's aid. Carrie and Kaiba were givens. Joey…Maybe. Mai…Probably. So who would the other three people be that made it? Mako? Weevil? Rex? The first one would be fine. The latter two…Not so much.

"Hey. I think I can see an angry blonde knucklehead down there," Carrie said after Kaiba had officially started Battle City. They were standing on a bridge that had a lower level under it with a bunch of shops and restaurants. "He seems to fit our moron's description, but I'd have to get a better look to see if it's really him."

"Let's go see what Joey's up to," Tristan grumbled, expecting to take the long way down.

Carrie climbed up on the side railing, catching both of her friends offguard. The nearest landing area was nearly fifteen feet below her, and that was a pure concrete roof to a restaurant. What was she trying to do, severely injure herself? Yami yelled at Yugi to do something, but what could he do? He was just a short duelist who didn't know how to handle a situation like this.

"Carrie! What do you think you're doing?" Tristan demanded, trying not to make a scene in such a public place.

"You boys worry too much. I'm not going to hurt myself," Carrie assured them.

"And how are you not going to do that?" Yugi asked weakly.

"Just watch and see," was Carrie's reply.

Then she jumped off the edge and took a straight plummet down. Tristan and Yugi both had to bite their tongues to keep from screaming her name and causing a huge scene as they watched her descend. Just when it looked like she might seriously hurt herself, her feet touched the roof of that building gently as if she had just jumped six inches. This shocked her guy friends a lot. Any other person would have hurt themselves from a fall like that.

Then again, Carrie wasn't every other person.

She did have a dark spirit dwelling within her, after all.

Maybe magic was responsible for her light drop.

Yugi didn't have time to dwell on that thought. Carrie was shouting for him and Tristan to "get your asses down there" so they could "stop the moron from doing something stupid that he would regret". It would take them a few minutes to go the long way, but surely not everything could spiral out of control in that amount of time. Right?

* * *

She wasn't exactly sure why she had jumped from a place so high, but the feeling had come over her so quickly she hadn't had time to react. Her landing was as shocking to her as it was to Tristan and Yugi, but she hid it really well. Mirage might have been responsible. This was partly her body, after all.

_When all else fails, blame the darkness, _Carrie thought as she gripped the underside of the roof while looking for a way to get down to where Joey was going to be arriving. She felt the raised edges over a much flatter underside and decided she could always try flipping off the roof from there. Hanging in air precariously and then flipping onto the table where some man with a computer was seated sounded fine to her. He was busy tapping into the free Wi-Fi and…Was he looking at the duelists in the tournament and their rare cards?

_I thought only the host had access to that info. If that's true, then how is it that this guy is looking at it? This guy doesn't look like he is an employee at Kaiba Corp. If anything, he looks like a creeper. So...Does this mean that he's a Rare Hunter? Maybe even the one that took Joey's Red Eyes?_

As if to answer her question, Joey finally made his way through the crowd to the place where the creeper man was seated. He pointed an accusing finger and challenged him to a duel to get his Red Eyes back. The Rare Creeper just laughed and said Joey had nothing he wanted, so he did not want to duel him. Joey kept persisting, and the creeper kept resisting. Carrie was about to flip down and land on the Rare Creeper's head and order him to accept her friend's challenge, but Yugi and Tristan chose that moment to show up. The Rare Creeper turned his greedy, perverted gaze from Joey to Yugi and said that Yugi had a card he wanted, which was the Dark Magician. He offered to duel Yugi for the stakes of the Red Eyes versus the Dark Magician, winner take all. Joey didn't want him to, but Yugi would not be dissuaded when a friend was in need.

"You're being stupid," Carrie claimed, flipping off the roof at last and landing on the table of the Rare Creeper, destroying his laptop in the process just for the heck of it. "This guy isn't worth your time. I can get Joey's Red Eyes back without you having to take such a risk, you know."

"No, Carrie. You can't beat him into a bloody pulp to get the card back. That isn't how this tournament works," Yugi reminded her. "Don't worry about me. I won't lose to this guy, no matter what he has up his sleeves. You forget I was runner-up at Duelist Kingdom. My Dark Magician will still be in my possession when this duel is over."

So Carrie was forced to stand at the sidelines with Joey and Tristan while Yugi dueled the Rare Creeper. Unknown to them all, this was the first duel in the whole tournament. But just barely—a lot of other duels started just a few seconds later. Yugi was a great duelist, it was true…But she couldn't help but feel a little worried about him. This guy had beaten Joey, and he wasn't exactly a pushover anymore. Joey had defeated Bandit Keith, the intercontinental dueling champion, and went head-to-head with Yugi. A guy who could beat the second runner-up of Duelist Kingdom was not to be taken lightly.

The Rare Creeper's strategy seemed rather peculiar at first. He was just playing a very strong defense, which was revealed by Yugi's Light of Intervention card, and activating a lot of Graceful Charity cards. Yugi had very little trouble taking out his defense Monsters with his stronger attack Monsters, but he didn't understand why the Rare Creeper wasn't attacking. The man was obviously waiting for something. But what?

It took Joey trying to reveal the guy's strategy for Yugi to figure it out.

_Exodia the Forbidden One._

The Rare Creeper looked taken aback when Yugi repeated the name of the Monster that the man was planning on summoning. But then he sneered.

"It's one thing to know what is coming. It's another to prevent or defeat it," he stated. "Exodia has only been defeated once before. That was during the Duelist Kingdom Tournament when the Queen of Games defeated you with the Mirror Force Trap Card."

"If I can beat Exodia, Yugi can," Carrie declared, glaring at the man.

"We'll see about that," the Rare Creeper grumbled.

Overconfidence and dependence on a single Monster for victory did that stupid man in. Yugi found ways to stop Exodia from being summoned and to take down the Rare Creeper's defenses. The only Monster the Rare Creeper had left on the field was the Head of Exodia, which he had played in a desperate attempt to buy himself some time to draw another right arm since he had three sets of Exodia. He had a complete set in his hand, but Yugi had temporarily axed one of the arms before destroying the head pieces in the deck through use of the one on the field.

_It would be so ironic if Yugi beat this guy with Exodia, _Carrie thought with a smile.

And then Yugi did just that.

It seemed that he had unintentionally drawn the pieces of the Monster the whole time and had all five cards in his hand. He summoned Exodia to the field—the Rare Creeper's expression when he saw this was priceless—and the Monster obliterated his own head, in a way. The Rare Creeper's Life Points went right down to zero.

He had a crazy meltdown afterwards, apologizing to his master and acting like the madman Bandit Keith had been not too long ago. The Rare Hunters must have been under the control of the same man that got to that punk. The Rare Creeper collapsed to the ground a few seconds later. No one knew what that was about, but that didn't stop them from grabbing his deck and looking through his cards for Red Eyes.

Yugi tried to give Joey his Red Eyes back, but the blonde refused. He said something about Yugi having won it so it was his now, and that now they both had pieces of each other in their decks. Carrie was only half-listening to them; she was going through the rest of the guy's deck and ripping up the cards because they had been marked with ink so the creeper would know what card he was going to draw. There were a few rare creatures in his deck, but nothing that would tell her who the brainwashing freak that stood in the shadows was. She was really hoping it was Kaiba so she would have a reason for kicking his ass…

But of course it wasn't.

The guy who had been unconscious seconds ago knocked Carrie backwards so that she fell on her back a few feet away from him. She felt no pain…only irritation. He stood up again—so did she—but something was definitely different about him. His stare was blank and, even without the Millennium Puzzle, she could see the glowing third eye on his forehead that matched the eye on all Millennium Items. The man behind the puppets was in control now.

He didn't say a lot of useful things…Evil people rarely ever did. But the main parts of his rambling were this: he had been waiting for Yami for quite some time, he planned on getting the powers of the Pharaoh by obtaining Yami, he had the Millennium Rod, he could send souls to the Shadow Realm, and his name was Marik. He said nothing about Carrie…Perhaps that was because he didn't care about Carrie since she no longer wore the Puzzle. But then the blank stare of the puppet turned towards her.

"I look forward to tearing you apart when we face in the finals," his voice said.

"You won't be tearing me apart. _I_ will be tearing you and any other evil wannabe in the tournament apart. If I ever faced you in a duel, you would leave crying for your mommy like the spoiled brat you really are," Carrie growled.

"You have no idea with whom you're dealing, stupid bitch," Marik hissed bitterly.

"No. But I have a pretty good idea from what Mirage tells me. She is pretty much all-knowing," Carrie shot back. "Truly, Marik…You have no idea what real darkness is."

**Finally, you appreciate me.**

_Unless you plan on sending evil through this guy to shock Marik to death, keep quiet._

**You are so mean! None of my other hosts have ever treated me in such a way!**

_I'm treating you just like I would treat any other parasite. The only difference is I'm not killing you._

…**You screwed yourself over when you broke it off with the Pharaoh.**

_...I really hate you, you know._

**I know. I am all-knowing.**

"All right. Time to delete this message," Carrie muttered while Marik kept rambling about things no one was really listening to anymore. She gave partial control of herself to Mirage—just partial, not enough for the darkness to do any real damage—and grabbed the man by the throat. Marik stopped talking as it was no longer possible while Mirage sent some dark magic through the connection to let Marik know what _he_ was dealing with. The amount of darkness caused him to lose control of the Rare Creeper so that the body was left without a soul or a puppeteer. Carrie let him fall to the ground. After what he had done to Joey, he didn't deserve any better.

"…Carrie, what did you do?" Tristan asked hesitantly.

She glanced at him with half-green half-black eyes. "I sent Marik a message."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yugi inquired.

"…I'll be fine," Carrie murmured.

"That'd be easier to believe if your eyes were just one solid green color. But they're not, so you must be possessed by that dark part of you," Joey remarked, hiding behind Yugi in fear that Carrie might try to kill him.

Carrie put her hands on her hips. "I am not possessed by Mirage! She just gained partial control of me to let Marik know he's not dealing with an ordinary girl! She's not even that bad! If it wasn't for her, you and Tea might have been forced to do some dirty chores for Pegasus after he took your souls! And if it wasn't for her, we would never know who's evil and who just looks that way!"

"That's easy to figure out! Guys in robes are evil…As well as Kaiba, and everyone else is good and or creepy," Joey remarked.

Carrie rolled her eyes. "Let's split up and look for people to humiliate so we can get to the finals. Unlike with Duelist Kingdom, I think it would be easier to go our separate ways and not travel as a group. And Tristan…I think it best if you go back to the hospital and stay out of harm's way."

Tristan looked taken aback by her statement and the tone of her voice. "…Are you sure? You haven't exactly been yourself lately."

Carrie nodded. "I know. But there ain't no rest for the wicked, and the evil around here will take advantage of our closeness to use you against us. I'll be fine…Just promise me you'll stay away from this tournament until the evil has been vanquished. And keep Tea away, too, if you can."

"You know I'll do what you ask, but I won't like it one bit," Tristan grumbled.

"I know," Carrie said, hugging Tristan in front of her other friends. "But that's why I like you so much."

That statement came off wrong for two people in the same body.

_**Does she love Tristan now?**_

* * *

_A/N: The end of another chapter. Kinda weird and kinda a recap. But it gets you thinking about what would have happened to Carrie if Yami had never come to her. And this ending is kinda cliffy. What did you think of it? Please tell me._

_Also, if you have read this and my other **Yu-Gi-Oh** story (**Forgotten Shadow**), you're probably mad at me. You're probably like, "Dreamer, what the hell? You let Carrie and Yugi do it after eight chapters, but you haven't let Carrie and Yami do it after thirty-two chapters? It's not fair!" Well, don't worry. They will be doing it...eventually. When she's eighteen. And though I'm not good at writing those kinda scenes, it'll be better than what Carrie and Yugi did in **Forgotten Shadow**._

_One last note. I suck at drawing. And I suck at really picturing Carrie. I mean, I know what I think she looks like. I can kinda picture her in my head. But I can't do that as clearly as I can Yugi or the others in the show. Do you think any of you guys could draw her or the other characters I made up for this story? You could even try drawing the mummies...though they're really someone else's creation. Just Anime them if you want. Well, this is just a request. No one has to do it._

_Thank you for reading, everyone! ^.^_


	33. 33 - Plague of Teenage Girls

_A/N: Again, sorry for the long delay. And my updates might take even longer now that my cartoon channel decided to show **Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's **instead of just **Yu-Gi-Oh!** That won't return until August 14, but I don't think you guys want to wait until then for this to update. So after every chapter, if you guys could tell me what happens next, I would be grateful. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 33

Carrie learned quickly that duelists were not that easy to find. It took her two days to find someone with a locator card that she could duel. It seemed there were a lot of good duelists this time around that were eliminating the weaklings really easily. She worried about the mummies…Had they been eliminated already? A quick call proved that fear fruitless—the guys had participated in at least one duel that they won and Nefer-Tina was still looking for someone—so she let herself stop worrying about her friends and turn to seeking out her own prey.

She heard people whispering about her friend Joey dueling against a psychic boy, but unlike in the past, she didn't go watch. He wasn't the same wimp who was easily defeated or unnerved by other duelists. If going against Mai wasn't proof of that, then nothing could ever be. She had tried the psychic act on Joey only to have it fail. Whoever he was facing now would suffer the same fate. What was more important was finding her own person to duel…And hopefully that person wouldn't be a Rare Hunter or some minion of that Marik character.

With all her luck, she came across a crowd of people that were surrounding a duel. The participants were a man who looked as if he should have been wrestling rather than dueling and a pink-haired girl with pink eyes who was just about as tall as Jessica. The girl was winning…Or rather, she had won the moment Carrie had joined the crowd. Cheers greeted her victory, but it was probably for a reason other than her skills. The girl was dressed in a white halter top with white shorts and mid thigh-high boots…So that seemed the more likely cause for their cheering. She sneered up at her defeated opponent and demanded he hand over his rarest card and locator card.

After that loser vacated the area, the girl set her sakura gaze on Carrie. A pale finger pointed her way.

"You, Queen of Games," she said—something about her voice sounded slightly familiar. "Don't you have better things to do than watch me duel? I may be better than you, but that doesn't mean you have to spy on me."

"…You're good…For an amateur," Carrie shot back coolly. "Do you want to face off now, or are you afraid of being proven wrong about your skills?"

A small look of panic passed over the girl's eyes, but it quickly faded. "Sure. Whatever. I was going to wait until we met in the finals to show you up, but if you want to be humiliated now…I guess I can grant your wish. After all…Luna Eclipse never loses."

_Luna Eclipse? What kind of name is that? _Carrie thought as she activated the dueling disk. _That must not be her real name. She must be going under an alias. Oh well...I just wish she didn't seem so familiar. There's something about her...I can't shake the feeling that we've met before._

Carrie, being the challenger, went first. Her first play would have been summoning Gyakutenno, but that was now against the rules since she was a Level 6 and that meant a Monster would have to be sacrificed for her. So instead, Carrie played Getsu Fuhma, a lower-Level Warrior with 1700 attack and 1200 defense, in Attack Mode. She laid two cards facedown and ended her turn.

Luna played Hoshiningen, a Level 2 Fairy with 500 attack and 700 defense with the effect that all Light Monsters gained another 500 attack points and all Dark Monsters lost 400 attack points. Hoshiningen was not immune to this effect, so his attack became 1000. Getsu Fuhma was a Dark Warrior, so her attack became 1300, still higher than the star-shaped creature Luna played. That was…Until he was equipped with Horn of the Unicorn. Then the Fairy had an attack of 1700. Getsu Fuhma was destroyed, and with her destruction went four hundred of Carrie's Life Points, leaving her with 3600. Luna played a facedown and ended her turn.

Carrie drew, and now had Neo the Magic Swordsman in her hand. He was a Level 4 Light Spellcaster with 1700 attack and 1000 defense, so he would be granted Hoshiningen's effect and gain another 500 attack points. She played the blonde warrior and ordered him to destroy the star-shaped Fairy. Luna responded by playing Mirror Force to deflect his attack right back at Carrie. Carrie countered that by playing Malfunction to deactivate Mirror Force and return it to its facedown position at the cost of five hundred Life Points. Hoshiningen was destroyed; Luna lost five hundred Life Points as a result. Without the Fairy on the field, Neo's attack went back down to 1700, but that was fine for now. Carrie laid another card facedown and ended her turn.

Luna drew and played Prickle Fairy, a Plant with 300 attack and 2000 defense, in Defense Mode. She equipped the Monster with Rod of Silence-Kay'est to increase her defense by 500, making Prickle Fairy harder to destroy. Then she ended her turn.

With Mirror Force still being on the field and Prickle Fairy's high defense, Carrie knew better than to declare an attack. Instead, she decided to sacrifice Neo to summon Gyakutenno and equipped the Fairy with two cards—Silver Bow and Arrow and Cestus of Dagla. Together, this increased her attack from 1800 to 2600, strong enough to defeat Prickle Fairy. But she would have to get rid of that facedown Trap Card, so Carrie played the card Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy that before declaring her attack. No Life Points were lost; Carrie ended her turn with three facedown cards still on the field.

Luna was defenseless…But not for long. She summoned Basic Insect, a Level 2 Insect with 500 attack and 700 defense. A rather weak Monster…but then Luna used Monster Reborn to bring back Prickle Fairy so that Basic Insect couldn't be destroyed without Prickle Fairy being destroyed. The girl with long pink hair delayed Carrie's destructive power by also putting Swords of Revealing Light into effect so that her Monsters would remain untouched for three turns. She laid a card facedown and ended her turn.

Carrie summoned two Monsters during her next two turns—Bowganian, a Level 3 Dark Machine with the effect to take away 600 Life Points from Luna every turn, and Keldo, a Level 4 Earth Fairy. None of her Monsters had been destroyed…Luna was too busy working on her own strategy to worry about taking out those low-Level creatures. She had sacrificed Basic Insect to bring forth Insect Princess, a Level 6 Insect Monster with 1900 attack and 1200 defense. Because of Prickle Fairy, Insect Princess could not be attacked without the other Monster being destroyed. Right before Carrie's third turn, Luna also played Ray & Temperature, a Level 3 Fairy with 1000 attack and 1000 defense. It seemed she was preparing to sacrifice and summon a stronger Monster again.

That was what Carrie was planning, too.

She offered all three of her Monsters as Tributes in order to summon Beast King Barbaros, a Beast-Warrior with 3000 attack and 1200 defense. This was one of the Monsters she had used in the finals of Duelist Kingdom against Yugi, but back then, there didn't need to be a Tribute to summon him, especially not one so big. It was because of Kaiba's rules that three Monsters were needed for him to be summoned at full power. She activated his effect, which would destroy all of her opponent's Monsters regardless of their position or Swords of Revealing Light. But then Luna played a card that negated the effect, therefore saving her Monsters from destruction. Without anything else to do, Carrie ended her turn.

Swords of Revealing Light faded away, but Luna wasn't going to rely on them to keep her safe anymore. She summoned Magician of Faith and then used Double Summon before she sacrificed Ray & Temperature to summon Wingweaver, a Level 7 Fairy with 2750 attack and 2400 defense. Silver Bow and Arrow was brought back from the Graveyard by Magician of Faith's effect and equipped to Wingweaver, therefore making her 50 points stronger than the Beast King. She declared an attack on Barbaros, destroying him and decreasing Carrie's Life Points further. The blonde still had more Life Points—3050 to Luna's 2600—but if she didn't do something quickly, she would lose this duel.

Luna, being overconfident now that one of Carrie's strongest Monsters was destroyed, let Insect Princess attack Carrie directly. This further lowered her Life Points down to 1150. Then Luna ended her turn, claiming this duel would be over with her next turn.

Carrie drew and played Card Destruction, sending both her and Luna's hands to the Graveyard. This wasn't a useless move—she had four Continuous Traps there and had read a certain card's description after buying it at the mall. When she drew her new hand, that very Dragon was there, waiting for her to summon him.

And she did.

In order to summon him, she had to send three face-up Traps to the Graveyard. Her three facedowns were activated to fulfill that; they were all Continuous Traps that weren't really needed for victory. Luna raised an eyebrow in surprise—it wasn't every card that required the sacrificing of Traps to be summoned. The large crimson dragon made his appearance onto the field, flying higher than the people in order to avoid blocking their view. His attack was 7000 due to all of the Continuous Traps in Carrie's Graveyard. That was more than enough to defeat Luna.

"…How did he get so strong?" Luna demanded, shocked.

"He gains 1000 attack points for every Continuous Trap in my Graveyard. I used three to summon him, and Card Destruction sent the other four there. You don't look so dumb. I'm sure you can do the math," Carrie said. "Uria, Lord of Searing Flames! Destroy Wingweaver and finish this duel!"

The Dragon complied and sent a fiery blast at the purple-haired Fairy. Luna could do nothing to stop that attack; she had no facedowns and nothing in her hand could have helped. Her Life Points zoomed down to zero as the resulting waves from Uria's attack sent Luna flying backwards so that she fell on her backside. The holograms disappeared since the duel was over. Carrie walked over to her fallen foe to take her locator card and rarest card…Whatever that was.

To her surprise, the pink-haired girl wasn't pink-haired at all. She had been wearing a wig to help hide her identity from anyone familiar she might have encountered, and that wig had blown off because of Uria's attack. She was really dark-haired. And she was no Luna. She was…

"Jessica Ann West! What the hell are you doing out here dressed like that?" Carrie demanded, not caring that she was causing a scene. _I thought her voice and those boots were familiar..._

Jessica glared up at her as she got to her feet. "What did it look like I was doing? I was dueling to show that you're not the only one who can kick ass and take names!"

"You weren't even invited to this tournament! How did you get a duel disk?" Carrie wanted to know.

"I beat up some loser who looked like he had no skills and took it from him along with his locator card!" Jessica replied. "Since then, I've won three duels! Can _you_ say the same, sister?"

"No. I've only dueled against you so far, and I never wanted to humiliate you," Carrie stated. "What the hell made you want to duel in this tournament, anyway? You know I wanted you safe at home where boys wouldn't be staring at you like you're a piece of meat! What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that maybe I could show that I'm something special, too! I'm never in the spotlight like you and Alyssa are! No one knows who I am because I'm not the Queen of Games or the world-famous niece of Pegasus! I'm just some girl from NYC that has to sit around and do nothing all the time because you don't want me to get in trouble! Well, it was about time that I did something, so I did by getting into this tournament! And all you did was win one of my locator cards! I still have three more, so I'll be in the finals way before you!" Jessica shouted, throwing the locator card at Carrie along with her rare Soul Release card. "Goodbye, Carrie!"

"Jessie…Wait a minute, will you?" Carrie asked politely and calmly. The change in her tone made her little sister stop and turn around. Before talking to her sister, she ordered for the crowd to get out of there; there was nothing left to see and if they stuck around, they would risk getting severe pain. Once she and Jessica were the only ones there, she spoke again. "…I can see why you did what you did, but being in this tournament is dangerous. A hundred times more so than Duelist Kingdom. You remember what happened to you before I went there, right?"

"…Yeah…Pegasus used his Millennium Eye to steal my soul in order to force you to participate," Jessica muttered.

"That's right. Because he wanted my Millennium Puzzle," Carrie recalled. "Well, this time, some spoiled evil wannabe is using another Millennium Item to take over people's minds and make them duel for him because he wants the Puzzle again. He can also send people to the Shadow Realm, which isn't good. If he catches you and forces you to duel and you lose, he'll send you there and I'll lose you again. I know you want to be seen… but this isn't the time to make yourself known, especially by dueling. Please…Promise me that you'll leave this place, go home, cover up, and stay out of the tournament. I don't want you getting hurt anymore, Jessie. I'm just doing what any older sister would do to protect her younger sister."

Jessica sighed. "Fine. I'll go home. But I won't be happy about it. And if you're not back before my bedtime, I'm staying up as late as I want and eating a bunch of sugar and I will bounce off the walls. If there's a mess when you win the tournament and beat back the baddie, blame yourself cuz you're the one that sent me away."

Carrie smiled. "Thank you. And take your Soul Release back. Since you're not a real participant in this contest, I won't let you follow that rule."

"Violation!" Mokuba cried just as Carrie was handing Jessica her card back. Kaiba had made him in charge of catching cheaters and rule-benders and people that weren't supposed to be in the tournament but had made their own way in. It seemed the fluffy-haired boy had caught Jessica and was going to throw her out.

"Hey, Mokuba," Carrie greeted with a smile despite knowing the reason he was there.

"Hello, Carrie," Mokuba said with a small smile. "Sorry, but this girl you just dueled was using someone else's technology. Your victory still stands, but she's going to have to leave the tournament now."

"That girl I just dueled happens to be my little sister. Mokuba, allow me to introduce you to Jessica West," Carrie told him as the younger girl extended her hand to him.

"…Uh…Hello," Mokuba mumbled, flustering a bit as he shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet the boy my sister risked her life to save so many times," Jessica remarked. "…But you're a bit shorter than I thought you would be. You're just about as tall as Yugi…And that boy's a shrimp."

"Yeah…Well, I'm sure I'll grow to be taller soon," Mokuba said nervously. "But I have a job to do…So please hand over the duel disk and locator cards you have in your possession. After you do so, I will have to escort you out of here and back to where you belong."

_I'm sure Rich Boy is going to blow his top when he hears that his little brother walked my little sister home, _Carrie thought with a smile. _It's funny how mortal enemies' siblings can fall in love...At least Mokuba is nothing like Kaiba. If he was, I would never have even let him come within five miles of her for fear he might try to get in her pants._

"See you in a few days, Carrie," Jessica called, taking the blonde from her thoughts. The dark-haired girl and Mokuba were already walking away from her—she was surprised they weren't holding hands as they went.

"Yeah…Have fun with your boyfriend!" Carrie teased. She laughed when she saw both young teens blush at that comment.

She watched them go before turning on her heel and walking in the opposite direction, wondering what Joey and Yugi were up to at that moment.

* * *

When Carrie had played Uria, the screens in the Kaiba Corp. building lit up. The assistants were watching each and every duel to make sure nothing went amiss…and also to see if anyone played an Egyptian God Card. Ishizu had told Kaiba about them and she had even let him borrow one for the tournament. His was Obelisk the Tormentor. The other two, which were in the possession of Marik and his minions, were Slifer the Sky Dragon and Winged Dragon of Ra. Kaiba wanted to know who had those two so he could duel them and take them as his own.

Uria looked a lot like Slifer, and he was almost as powerful as Obelisk had been when Kaiba had first tried him out. He really couldn't blame the look-alike assistants for calling him up when the card was played and pulling him away from the tournament. Hell, he even thought it was Slifer when they were first describing it. But upon closer inspection, the truth became known. Uria was not Slifer…

But he was still pretty damn powerful.

How Carrie had come across such a powerful card was beyond him. As far as he knew, no one had been in contact with Pegasus since his defeat at his niece's hand, not even Alyssa. So she couldn't have gotten it directly from the creator of Duel Monsters. Ishizu might have given it to her, but he highly doubted it. If she had wanted to protect Slifer, she could have put Uria in his place to cheat the bad guys out of getting a card as rare and powerful as the Egyptian God. The only other option was her buying it in a store for a really high price.

Did it really matter, though?

He believed Obelisk could defeat anything, even Yugi's Exodia. So what if Carrie had a really powerful dragon? It was just another obstacle in the way of him becoming the number one duelist in the world again. He would defeat her and Yugi, and then no one would doubt his strength ever again because no one would be able to rival his dueling skills.

Seto Kaiba would be King of Games.

Just as he should have always been.

* * *

"All right! Carrie just won her first duel!" Tristan shouted. He was sitting in Serenity's hospital room with a laptop in front of him watching the duels that were being streamed over the internet for the public to see. He had described Joey's duel with a bit of lying during the bad parts…but he hadn't really said anything about this one. Serenity didn't know much about Carrie other than she had paid for her surgery and she wanted the girl to live with her. For that reason, he hadn't said a word about this duel. It just slipped at the end because he was excited about her victory. He just didn't understand why there was a picture of a guy when her opponent was playing a bunch of girly cards.

"You were watching Carrie's duel?" Serenity asked, turning her face towards him. Her eyes were covered by bandages, evidence of her operation.

"Uh…Yeah. Sorry, but she's a good friend of mine so I wanted to see how she was doing," Tristan explained.

"…You shouldn't worry about her. She is, after all, the Queen of Games," Serenity remarked.

"I know, but even she has been known to lose a duel or two. There's no telling what will happen out there. Carrie's great and all…But anything is possible," Tristan said. "Don't get me wrong, Serenity. I have faith in my friends. It's just that…Carrie's been kinda a mess lately and I'm worried about her."

"I see." Serenity would have been looking down at her hands had her eyes not been covered. "…Why is she a mess, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well, she had this breakup that was kinda bad. It was over something that she thinks is kinda silly and she wants to take her boyfriend back, but is too stubborn to admit she screwed up. She's sad and doesn't know what to do anymore and when I went to see her at the tournament the day it began, I found her crying. Those two were great together…I can only imagine what pain she's going through." Tristan tried to come off casually, but his own feelings for Carrie reflected in his voice. It was slight, but if he noticed it, he had no doubt that Serenity did, too.

"…Mom told me a little bit about Carrie," Serenity said after a few awkward moments of silence. "She said that Carrie approached her after I went to have my operation. Carrie tried to convince Mom to let me move in with her so I could see more of Joey…Mom of course said no because she didn't know her and wasn't about to let me move in with a stranger. Is it true…? Did Carrie really come from a home with abusive parents? And was she separated from her sister for a long time while she had to work to pay for her to come over here?"

Tristan nodded before he remembered that Serenity couldn't see that. "Yeah, it's true. Your parents divorced when you were young…But as far as growing up goes, I think that Carrie and Jessica had it worse. Growing up in a household where you were beaten every day for the littlest things and then exploited to make money during dueling tournaments …That's no childhood. But Carrie grew up that way and though she has every right to be angry and bitter, she's one of the kindest people I know. I wouldn't have her any other way. She couldn't be any better even if she tried."

Serenity smiled. "It sounds as if you like her a lot, Tristan."

The tall brunette blushed. "No I don't! Well…Maybe a little."

Serenity giggled. "…Could you tell me more about her and her little sister? I didn't want to say this in front of Mom…But I'm thinking that I might accept Carrie's offer. I'd give anything to see Joey more. We've been separated all this time. I think it's time I break away and start making my own decisions about who I see, you know? If Carrie is my way to Joey, then I'd like to know more about the Queen of Games."

"All right. Let me start from the beginning…The very first day I met her."

* * *

_A/N: The end of a short-ish chapter. What did you think? Please tell me. Once again, I have no access to the show until August 14 because the people who run CW 4Kids suck and decided to show **5D's** instead of the original series. This chapter made hints about Joey's duel against Espa Roba or however you spell it. What happens after that duel concludes? Please tell me if you know._

_Also, I would like to thank Azarath for being the first person to draw Carrie...though I didn't get to see the drawing because the link they gave me didn't work. Anyone can draw her or Jessica or Alyssa or whoever else I made. Just let me know and email it to me at **, **okay?_

_Thank you for reading!_


	34. 34 - Obligatory Chase And Death Scene

_A/N: Here's another chapter for you loyal readers! I hope you enjoy it! Please read on!_

* * *

Chapter 34

Carrie frowned as she continued to walk through the streets of Domino City. She had been trying to reach Yugi all day, but he hadn't answered his phone and she hadn't bumped into him. None of the others had seen him, either. She was starting to worry that splitting up was a bad idea and something bad had happened to him. If he lost his soul to one of those mindless Marik minions, she would never be able to forgive herself.

Since separating from Jessica, she had found two other losers to defeat and therefore she now possessed four locator cards. Just two more and she would be in the finals. One of her opponents had been a Rare Hunter, but he was a pushover that didn't deserve to challenge her. Even so, he did not deserve to lose his soul to the Shadow Realm. Hardly anyone did. She would know. She had almost lost hers in that accursed place and wasn't able to control herself for a month after escaping it. Whoever this Marik was, he was a sick and twisted man with no heart. Who did he think he was, brainwashing people and taking away their souls? The Millennium Items were not meant to be used in such ways. That was another thing she knew; she had seen a figment of the past and the Items had been wielded by good people to protect Egypt.

But things had changed in the modern world.

Bakura had the Millennium Ring, which had an evil spirit in it that would do evil things. Pegasus had once possessed the Millennium Eye and had done very bad things with it, such as stealing people's souls and making their bodies act like zombies to do his will. And now Marik was being bad with the Millennium Rod, doing the same thing Pegasus had done only ten times worse. Ishizu had the Millennium Necklace and she seemed good enough. Yugi and the Puzzle, of course, were innocent and never did a thing wrong. And there was that one guy that Yami told her about that had the Millennium Key…His name was Shadi, and Yami said he seemed pure at heart. Evil uses for the Items and good uses seemed to be balanced out for now.

But that wasn't how it was supposed to be.

They were all supposed to be good.

And they would be, for Carrie and the gang would collect them all…

For Yami's sake.

They were needed in order for him to regain his memories and defeat that evil he had been unable to defeat before.

_No...I need to stop thinking about him, _Carrie thought, shaking her head when she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. _I'm on my own now. If I keep thinking about him, I'll just break down like I did when Tristan found me. I need to be strong so we can take down Marik and show him not to mess with things he does not know. Keep it together, Carrie. Just awhile longer and he'll be coming to you, like Tristan said._

She was about to dial Yugi's cell number again when the spiky-haired boy appeared out of nowhere from an alley that she just happened to be passing. No words could describe the relief she felt at that moment when she saw that he was still alive. He gave her a smile; she could see he felt the same.

"Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you for hours," Carrie said.

"Oh…I've been nowhere that's particularly exciting. I just almost got killed by a minion of Marik's and lost my cell phone somewhere between dueling him and managing to get away with my life," Yugi replied casually like it was an everyday thing.

"Someone tried to kill you?" Carrie exclaimed.

"I just said it was a minion of Marik. That shouldn't be too much of a surprise," Yugi pointed out.

"Tell me everything that happened right now or I'm going to hunt that Marik jerk down right now and kick his ass," Carrie ordered.

"It wasn't that bad. This magician guy named Arkana just lured me underground so that Kaiba couldn't track our duel and I was put in a situation where saws would kill me and my spirit would be sent to the Shadow Realm if I lost the duel. Arkana wasn't brainwashed exactly…Marik was using him with a promise to get him back with his fiancée or something along those lines. As you can see, I didn't lose. I can't say the same for the other guy, though," Yugi explained.

"…So…Are you saying this Arkana guy is dead now?" Carrie asked.

Yugi shook his head. "Yami managed to save him from the saws. But Arkana is in the Shadow Realm now."

"God, I hate Marik," Carrie muttered.

"So…Have you been through anything interesting lately?"

"Not really. Well…I did duel Jessica because she stole someone's duel disk to enter the tournament of her own accord. I didn't even recognize it was her until after I beat her in that duel. But she's at home now…Where she'll be safe." A smile appeared on Carrie's lips as she remembered the aftermath of their duel. "She was escorted home by Mokuba."

"I'm sure Kaiba's _really_ going to like that when he hears about it."

"My thoughts exactly."

Awkward silence. Carrie directed her gaze away from Yugi, feeling the same thing she had felt when she first broke up with Yami. Her best friend looked so much like him… and acted so much like him…and had him in his body where he could take over at any given moment. What made it worse was that both spirits in that body had feelings for her. But if she was going to keep Yugi safe, she would have to get over all of that. They were friends, he wasn't Yami, and he would never act upon his feelings. He also knew better than to let Yami take over without giving her a warning, so what did she have to worry about other than Rare Hunters?

"…Are you all right, Carrie?"

Carrie's heart nearly stopped when she heard a voice that wasn't Yugi's coming from his mouth. She thought that Yami would stay inside the Puzzle and just silently listen to their conversation…if they started one…and not speak to her. He couldn't be trying to take her back already…Could he?

"Yeah. Why? Does it look like something's bothering me?" Carrie asked casually, still avoiding eye contact.

"No…But you're good at covering up that sort of thing," Yami remarked. "And you weren't exactly yourself when this tournament started. Tristan told us not to ask about it when you mentioned mental berating…But I can't help but to wonder about you. What is on your mind, Carrie? Please tell me."

_Oh Yami...I can't. If I told you that I was doubting myself and believed I could never let myself be happy and you were too good for me...You would just try to deny it all and then I would be forced to ask you to take me back. I want to tell you everything...and let you know that I regret overreacting to your secret...but my pride won't let me, _Carrie thought morosely. _So I guess I'll have to lie to you. Heh. I bet you'll see right through it and question why I'm lying. Then what? I'll get all defensive and we'll get into an argument...and I'll probably run away from you and Yugi. I can't leave you alone, not with all the danger you're in. Oh...What do I do?_

"…I don't feel like talking about it, Yami. Please…Just leave my thoughts to me and don't ask about my feelings again," Carrie said kindly. She wasn't lying; she was being completely honest. She was in no mood to talk about her feelings or her mind, though her heart wished she was.

"…I understand. I'm just concerned about you, Carrie. That's all," Yami told her, sounding kind of hurt by her response. "Will you at least explain why you looked like you had been crying when Tristan brought you to the tournament?"

"Because I had been crying. Duh." Carrie was purposely trying to deflect him now. He was going into territory she didn't want him to be in. If he kept asking about that day and she found that she couldn't give vague answers, her pride would kill her and she would be forced to admit she wasn't perfect. That was the last thing her stubborn pride wanted.

"I know that. What was the reason for your tears?"

"Mental berating."

"Who was mentally berating you? Your evil…Or yourself?"

"Does it matter whether it was Mirage or me? That's personal and between her, me, and anyone else that's in my head. And Tristan…But that's only because he found me when I was in pieces and made me feel better. If he hadn't done so, then no one outside of my body would know. Okay? Now stop asking so many questions…Please."

"Carrie, I'm reaching out to you and you keep turning me down. Why? Do you hate me that much?" A mixture of anger and hurt was in Yami's voice now. It seemed her deflections were starting to annoy him.

"Do I look like I hate you? Yami, we've been close for nearly a year. If you can't tell what I feel for you by now, then you're blind."

"At one time, I thought I knew. But you keep confusing me so that it's impossible to tell what you feel for anyone."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I can't tell if you love me anymore or if your heart has fallen for another."

"You're a fool. Who could my heart have possibly fallen for?"

"Tristan."

"Tristan? Why the hell would you think that I like Tristan like that? I already explained why I told him what was wrong with me! It's not because I love him! We're friends, nothing more! Got it? God, why are you so jealous? First it was Yugi, then it was Mako, and now it's Tristan! What's next? You're going to accuse me of liking Kaiba?"

**You're sure patching up your relationship quite nicely, aren't you?**

_Shut up, Mirage! No one asked for your input!_

Yami looked slightly taken aback by her anger, and that was probably why he didn't reply. Carrie made an angry sound and turned her back to him.

"If Yugi gets in trouble, find a way to contact me cuz I'm not sticking around you a moment longer! I don't stay around jealous people who have no right to be jealous when they have no girlfriend anymore!" she growled before walking away.

She thought that he would do what he usually did when she got angry—nothing. That was all he was good for in her mind now…because she was pissed at his jealousy and her not being able to admit her faults.

But he pursued her.

So she sprinted from him.

_Don't try to explain your mind. I know what's happening here, _Carrie mentally sang as she ignored Yami's pleas. He wasn't saying what she wanted to hear. _One minute it's love and suddenly it's like a battlefield._

She slipped down an alley and climbed up an emergency ladder, heading for the roof of that building. Yami was about thirty seconds behind her.

_One word turns into a...Why is it the smallest things that tear us down? My world's nothing when you don't._

She nearly lost her footing on the top ladder and could have taken a really nasty fall, but managed to keep from falling. There was no turning back now.

_I'm not here without a shield. Can't go back now. Both hands tied behind my back for nothing...Oh no._

The buildings in this area were very close together, making it easy to run across them. Unfortunately, the one beside this one was practically a twenty-foot drop. Still, Carrie wouldn't allow herself to be caught. She made the jump…

_These times when we climb so fast to fall again. Why we gotta fall for it now?_

She landed softly like she had when Joey was confronting the 'Rare Creeper' and continued to run. Every fiber of her being was screaming for her to stop and let Yami catch her, to give up. But her pride kept her running. Despite the tears streaming down her face, she kept running and jumping to keep away from the spirit.

_I never meant to start a war. You know I never wanna hurt you. Don't even know what we're fighting for! Why does love always feel like a battlefield, a battlefield, a battlefield? Why does love always feel like a battlefield, a battlefield, a battlefield? Why does love always feel like...?_

Carrie ran out of jumpable buildings where she was running. The next closest way out, besides jumping a major distance to the ground, was a different building about ten feet in front of her. She backed up and then sprinted forward to gain momentum. She landed like a ninja before continuing to separate herself from Yami. He was still trying to get her to turn around, but his pride was as stubborn as hers. He wasn't saying the magic word.

_Can't swallow our pride, neither of us wanna raise that flag. If we can't surrender then we both gonna lose what we had...Oh no. Both hands tied behind my back for nothing. These times when we climb so fast to fall again. I don't wanna fall for it now._

No more buildings to run on or jump to, and Yami was gaining ground. The only way out was down. Carrie stopped to catch her breath and think things through. There was no way she would survive a fall like that on her own. So far, it seemed she had been lucky with her drops…Or Mirage was responsible for her lacking injuries. Yami wasn't injured, but that was because the Millennium Puzzle was protecting him. Her pride was still urging her to get away…But how?

_I never meant to start a war. You know I never wanna hurt you. Don't even know what we're fighting for. Why does love always feel like a battlefield?_

Taking a deep breath, Carrie ran and made that seemingly fatal jump.

Yami screamed her name as she slowly descended in the air.

**But he's not saying what you want to hear. Stupid lovesick mortal.**

Carrie landed lightly on her feet on the ground that was so far from the top of the building she had been on, thanks to Mirage. She glanced up at the speck-ish form of Yami that was still standing up on the building before turning on her heel and walking away, knowing he wouldn't dare attempt what she had just done.

_I guess you better go and get your armor..._

**Because this stupid mortal isn't giving in before you do. That's right. Stand your ground by jumping off a few buildings.**

Though Carrie had made it painstakingly clear she wasn't going to take Yami back without him saying the 'L' word and admitting he wanted her back, she couldn't stop the steady stream of tears that were pouring from her eyes.

**Don't think about him. I will make sure he comes back quickly.**

_How will you do that?_

**Let me take over and I'll show you.**

Carrie thought about it.

* * *

Marik was alone in his hideout, sitting in his gold throne that he had no right to have. He was thinking about many things: world domination, getting the Millennium Puzzle and the powers of the Pharaoh, killing those that would get in his way and sending their souls to the Shadow Realm, reclaiming Obelisk the Tormentor, and…Carrie. That girl had been causing him some grief though only one of his minions had actually dueled her. She had been around two before that one because Yugi had dueled them. And from the evil shock he felt after she had taken hold of the one with Exodia, it seemed she had a darkness that rivaled his own.

Someone with that darkness could be a bother to his cause…

Or a great asset to the downfall of the Pharaoh.

His minions had seen the interactions between Carrie and the Pharaoh, so they gathered those two had feelings for one another. If he could put that into play in order to lure the Pharaoh into a duel against the same girl his heart beat for…Then there was no way he could lose. The Pharaoh wouldn't dare harm Carrie…Especially if losing the duel meant certain death.

But what if her evil decided to act on its own?

His plan could fall to pieces.

_It's worth the risk, _Marik thought, too blind by his greed to really consider what Mirage could do. _I shall head out, find Carrie, and have my minions lure her into the trap. And if any of her friends get in the way...Then they'll become part of the ploy as well. I've been meaning to take down Kaiba for some time now since he has possession of my Obelisk. Perhaps Mokuba will be with Carrie when my plan unfolds._

With an evil chuckle, he turned his attention back to controlling his minions that were in duels at that moment, including his lackey Strings who was currently facing the Pharaoh.

* * *

"Well…Not that this isn't fun…But I have to go home now," Tristan told Serenity, standing up from his chair and stretching. The sun was starting to set and if he didn't leave soon, the nurse would be around to tell him that visiting hours were over. The laptop that he had been watching the duels with had been turned off hours ago after the conclusion of Joey's duel against Weevil and Yugi's against some guy by the name of Strings. Carrie hadn't been active that whole time.

"Will you be back tomorrow? You promised to take me to see Joey when my bandages could be removed. And the doctors said I could finally use my eyes tomorrow, so the first thing I want to see is him," Serenity said.

"Of course I will. I never break my promises," Tristan remarked.

"Tristan?" Serenity murmured when Tristan was at the door.

"Yeah?"

"…Thank you for telling me about Carrie. The way you described her made her seem like a very nice person with a rocky past and severe anger issues…But I would like to meet her. Can we possibly find her tomorrow so I can meet her in person? I can't make my decision to move in with her until I do."

"Sure. That sounds like a good idea. With any luck, she and Joey will be in the same place and we won't have to send out the search parties."

"See you tomorrow, then."

"Goodbye, Serenity."

Tristan closed the door behind him and let out the breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. He had told Serenity everything he knew about Carrie…_Everything_. Even the parts about Yami and the mummy Guardians, which even Carrie's sister didn't know about. Serenity had been openly skeptical, but she knew that Tristan would never lie to make his friend look better or more messed up. His feelings somewhat reflected in what he said, but he kept his own emotions out of it as best he could. His honesty must have won Serenity over in the end. She seemed like she might actually take Carrie's offer. That was what he was hoping for…He did, after all, have a minor crush on Joey's little sister and it would be awesome if she lived closer to him.

Outside the hospital, standing next to his motorcycle, he dialed Carrie's number on his cell. He had been doing this since the tournament started to check up on her. Every morning, at noon, and every evening. He wasn't doing this as a guy who had a crush on her. He was doing this as a friend who was concerned about his friend's well-being. The phone rang once before she answered.

"Hey, Tristan. You know you don't have to keep doing this for me," she said from the other end.

"Yes I do. If you don't have someone checking in on you, Mother Nature might send all of her plants to give you a hug. And I don't think being hugged by a cactus will feel as good as being hugged by a tree. Those things have a ton of needles and I hear those hurt like hell if you get poked by them," Tristan teased. "So how was your day?"

"Okay…I guess." The tone of her voice was hesitant, his first clue that things weren't okay like she said.

"What happened?" Tristan asked.

"…I got in a little tiff with Yami and ran away from him," Carrie replied.

"A little tiff? Over what?"

"He was asking what was on my mind and trying to get me to tell him about why I was a mess the day the tournament started. And he accused me of loving you over him."

"Boy, does he have that backwards. I love you; you don't love me."

"I know. I told him I don't stick around jealous people who have no reason to be jealous because they don't have a girlfriend anymore and then walked away from him. Then he pursued so I had no choice but to run…And somehow we made it on top of a building and I jumped down even though the ground was a long way from where I was…"

This caught Tristan's attention.

"Carrie, are you hurt? Where are you? Do I need to call 911?"

At this, Carrie chuckled. "You overreact, Tristan! I'm not hurt. Mirage let me land without even a scratch to show for such a fall. Don't have a heart attack over nothing."

Tristan let out a sigh of relief. "Don't scare me like that."

"I'll try not to, but I can't make any promises…You know, since I have a darkness inside of me and all external evils are trying to get me."

"Just try not to put yourself in situations where you might die that you don't need to put yourself in, okay?"

"Fine…" She actually sounded kind of put out at that. "How was your day with Serenity?"

"It was good. We talked a lot and watched everyone's duels. Congrats on your victories, by the way. And she asked me to tell her about you…So I kinda told her everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything."

"Hmmm…"

"Is that okay with you…or did I just piss you off?"

"No it's okay. It's better that Serenity knows what she might be getting herself into now than to find out later in a way that she is put in danger. Maybe I can get you to tell Jessie everything for me, too, so I don't have to do that."

"Her bandages come off tomorrow and she wants to see you and Joey."

"That's fine with me."

"…So I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Good night, Tristan."

"Good night, Carrie."

Tristan hung up and pocketed his phone before getting on his motorcycle. Carrie really did worry him sometimes, and even talking to her didn't do much to calm his mind. Her pain was masked well underneath the strength in her voice, but he could sense it all the same. Her pain made him hurt, too, and he could only imagine how Yami felt.

_Yami, you're a moron. Why can't you just tell Carrie how you feel and admit that you can't live without her? If you wait much longer, it might be too late. Then what will all this pain you're causing her and what you're feeling yourself be for? Don't be a fool. Be a smart spirit. Swallow your pride. Ask her to take you back, _Tristan thought, wishing the thick-headed spirit could hear his plea. _I can't stand to see her this way...So I know you can't. What's holding you back? Why can't you tell her? What circumstances must you two be put in before you finally let it out?_

_At this rate, you'll both be dead before you're together again._

* * *

Carrie was walking under the cover of night, not feeling like returning home for the night and not finding any duelist with the same mindset as her. Much to Mirage's dislike, she hadn't let her darkness take over to make Yami come back because she feared what Mirage might do. That darkness wasn't exactly a peaceful person and she wasn't known for resolving problems with words. Mirage's way of resolving things was killing and or causing extreme amounts of pain and fear.

She walked down a narrow alley out of sheer boredom while not being completely cautious of her surroundings. Domino City had its fair share of criminals roaming the streets when the stars came out…and there was always the Rare Hunters to look out for. But at that moment, her head was too numb for her to care. That 'little tiff' with Yami had put her in this state; she didn't know how to get out.

Then someone grabbed her from behind and pushed her against a wall, forcing her to return to reality and get some feeling back into her mind. She elbowed the larger person in the gut and turned around to face him, but the pain only lasted long enough for her to do so before the man's hands had her against the wall again. Even in the pale light of the crescent moon, she recognized the face of he who was harassing her.

Bandit Keith.

"Hello, sweetheart. Long time no see," the evil blonde man sneered.

"Yeah. I'm surprised you're not locked up in a loony bin right now. The last time I saw you, you were the puppet of some evil guy and were acting all crazy…and you almost killed me and some of my friends. Did you escape the straitjacket or something?" Carrie growled, but she didn't attempt to get out of Bandit Keith's grasp for once.

"I was never in one, sweetheart. I finally came to my senses and forgot about that man in my head," Bandit Keith told her. "And I'm sorry about that almost killing you thing. You're too pretty to be dead. If anyone was even gonna try to kill you, I'd kill them first. No one hurts my girl without suffering the consequences."

"I'm not your girl," Carrie hissed. "I'm no one's girl."

"That's what you think. But sweetheart, I'm gonna finish what I started on Duelist Kingdom before your brunette friend intervened. And you won't be able to get away this time. You're unarmed, you're alone, and look…You grew your hair out just for me. Without that knife to cut yourself free this time, I'll be able to get you and you won't be able to break free," Bandit Keith said with a sneer. "Why don't we get started now?"

He expected her to flinch away and try to fight back. That was the Carrie he had known for nearly three years, the one he had 'fallen in love' with. She wasn't one to give in. She wasn't one to let him get his way without giving him a really good fight. That was what he was expecting now.

What he didn't expect was for her to laugh evilly.

Which was what she did.

"What's so funny?" he demanded, not finding any humor in the situation at all.

Carrie stopped laughing and turned her dark gaze on Bandit Keith. "I find you believing that you can actually put your filthy mortal mouth and other parts on my host's body funny. That's why I'm laughing, you pathetic wench. I shall not let you touch her like you did that day on Duelist Kingdom ever again. Tonight, foolish mortal, you are going to die. Then you shall cause her pain no longer."

"…S-Sweetheart, why are you talking so weird? Stop it. It's creeping me out." The fool had failed to see that Carrie's hair had changed color as well and was too evil to feel the dark aura radiating off of her even though he had her pressed right up against him.

"She's not your sweetheart. And neither am I."

Carrie shoved him backwards so hard that when he collided with the other side of the alley, part of the wall was destroyed and the rest cracked. He didn't even fall from the place he hit it; the force she had exerted was enough to keep him there. She approached him slowly with an evil smirk on her lips, and it was then that he finally took in the differences between her and the Carrie he knew.

"…Who…Who the hell are you?" Bandit Keith exclaimed as she stole the knife he had hidden away in the top of his steel-toed boots.

"The immortal who shall be your death."

And then she slit his throat with his own blade, not caring about the blood that shot out all over her as she did so. Bandit Keith's eyes widened from the pain and then death came upon him, for he had drowned his own blood. She had been unable to see the fear in his eyes due to the fact he had been wearing his shades, but now the shades decided to fall from his face and reveal everything that he had been feeling in his last moments.

She worked her magic to make the blood disappear from her form and anything she owned and eliminated any evidence that might have placed her at this crime scene. No one would ever know she had been responsible for this murder.

_It's too easy to get away with murder, _Mirage thought licking away some of the blood that was on the knife and savoring its evil taste before making the blade vanish from the world. _I could get used to this._

* * *

_A/N: Carrie has taken another life. Granted, it was another evil life, but it still counts. And Marik has plans for her and Mokuba and her friends that might make Yami lose on purpose. And to top it off, Yami was too stubborn to tell her how he feels. What did you think about this chapter and what do you think will happen next? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._

_And thank you, Azarath235! You were the first to draw Carrie, and she looks great! Anyone else can draw Carrie or the other OCs if you want to. Just be kind enough to share the drawings with this girl who can't draw to save her life. Thanks!_


	35. 35 - Marik Makes His Move

_A/N: I'm back with another chapter. The anonymous reviewer June has recently brought some things to my attention...like how I use passionate make-out session a lot and have kept Carrie and Yami apart far too long. I will address these now. The make-out session thing is so the reader can imagine how far they go without taking their clothes off...and also I can't really describe those things very well because I'm fourteen and have never been in a relationship...so I'm out-of-tune when it comes to describing those. And as for Carrie and Yami...They will be together by the end of this chapter, I promise. Just keep reading and we'll both be happy, okay?_

_One last quick note...I already wrote one of the possible endings for this entire story. There will be multiple alternate endings, but not a single one of them will be the real one. It will be the reader's choice which one they think is best. There will be a lot of sad ones, and some may be longer than others, but it's your choice which one fits the story best._

_We're gonna say everyone dueled everyone they did in the show...except Yugi and Joey. I'm gonna change that thing up...now!_

_Well, happy reading._

* * *

Chapter 35

Carrie was afraid. She had blacked out sometime during Bandit Keith rambling about finishing what he had started and had woken up the next morning on top of a telephone pole…which had nearly resulted in her falling to her death. She suspected that Mirage had taken matters into her own bloodstained hands…What was that dragon Uria good for if that evil spirit kept slipping into control? But waking up on a telephone pole was the least of her worries. She feared that Mirage had killed last night while she was in control of Carrie's body. Those she killed could have been evil people, like Killer and Panik…or they could have been innocent people that Carrie had never met. She had no way of knowing what had happened.

That was what scared her.

She knew better than to tell anyone about this. They would freak out and try to keep their distance for their own safety while she battled it out with Mirage in her head. There was no way she and Uria could keep her darkness at bay alone. She knew what she would have to do in order to maintain control and keep the blood off her hands.

She would have to get Yami to take her back.

Her pride immediately began to protest when the thought entered her head, but she ignored it. It had made her hurt him and had let Mirage take control during her emotional state. Things had gone too far over something so stupid. She couldn't wait for Yami to ask her to take him back for her lovesick mistake. It was time to be the bigger person.

There was no way for her to reach him without actually meeting him since Yugi had lost his cell phone while dueling Arkana, so Carrie had no choice but to search the city for the boy. Along the way, she managed to win her last two locator cards, therefore earning her place in the finals. But that mattered very little to her. All that mattered was finding Yami and apologizing for everything and admitting she wasn't perfect and their separation had been her fault, her stupid mistake. That was all that mattered.

**I thought you weren't going to ask for forgiveness—he was going to beg you for that,** Mirage muttered, though she seemed absolutely happy with what she had done last night.

_That was the plan, but with you taking over, I cannot delay it any longer, _Carrie told her as she turned down a different alley. Everywhere she went, Yugi and Yami were not there. It was almost as if fate was now purposely keeping them apart.

At this, Mirage pouted. **Well, there's a fine thank you for everything I've done. I helped you to survive life-threatening drops, saved your stupid mortal friends when your uncle stole their souls, shocked this mortal who wishes he was evil, killed those who threatened your existence, and saved you from the worst mortal in the world and you still won't grant me any freedom? Mortals are so unfair!**

_Who did you kill last night?_

**Just one man. And I got away with it without leaving any evidence that we had been there. He deserved it after everything he did to you…and planned on doing.**

_...Wait. You killed Bandit Keith?_

**Yes, I did. You should have seen the look on his face when I killed him.**

Carrie honestly didn't know whether to be relieved or horrified that Mirage had killed Bandit Keith.

…**Are you still mad at me for getting away with murder? With you, I've only killed three bad people and no innocents. I have never really done that before. Every other one of your previous lives that I gained control of…I killed everyone in sight. You should be proud of me for improving so much.**

_If you had the chance, would you kill more than just the bad people in this world?_

**What kind of question is that? That's like asking if the sky is blue!**

_That's exactly why I need to get Yami to forgive me...Cuz you're a cold-hearted killer that can't be left alone when lives are at stake._

**You're no fun.**

The blonde girl quickly turned around a corner and ran right into someone, knocking them both on their backsides. She apologized—arguing with Mirage made it very hard to focus on anything else—but of course, she didn't tell the person she had run into that interesting bit of information. She jumped back to her feet and offered a hand to the person she had knocked over. It was then that she became very embarrassed.

She had run into Mako, who was grinning up at her while he took her extended hand.

"Where's the fire, Carrie?" he teased warmly as he stood again.

"There's no fire. It's just that I'm afraid Yugi might be in some trouble and I need to find him," Carrie explained. "But he can wait. I haven't seen you this whole tournament. How have you been? Have you made it to the finals yet?"

"I have been well and happy. But sadly, I was not able to make it to the finals this time. Your friend Joey defeated me in a duel and that was it for me," Mako told her. "What about you? How have you been and will you continue to reign, Queen?"

"I've been okay, I guess. And yes, I will be reigning cuz everyone who made it to the finals will fall to my deck," Carrie replied, flashing her six locator cards in his direction to prove it. "I wasn't planning on going to the location until Joey and Yugi had all six of these things, which was why I was looking for them while running. I thought Rare Hunters might have gotten them while I was gone."

"Rare Hunters? Are those the guys wearing the dark robes that I keep seeing around here?" Mako asked.

"Well, they are a fan of that garb. Please tell me you didn't duel any of them."

Mako shook his head. "I've just seen them hiding in the shadows, watching people. It's actually kinda creepy."

"Did Joey tell you anything about them when you guys dueled?"

"No. We just dueled."

"Well, if you see one, run in the opposite direction. They work for the newest baddie in town, and if you lose a duel with them, you don't just lose your rarest card. Their master takes your soul and sends it to the Shadow Realm, and sometimes he might even make his minions kill you. Yugi almost suffered that fate. I don't want you to be put in the same situation."

"Have you been in a duel against a Rare Hunter?"

"Yeah, but he was a pushover. He couldn't have stolen my soul, let alone my life."

"Maybe I should stick with you. As the Queen of Games, they'll probably be after you."

"They don't just target people based on their skills. These people do seek out rare cards, it's true, but that's not their main purpose anymore. Their master wants the Millennium Puzzle so he can use the powers locked within. If anyone needs protection, it's Yugi now that he has possession of that thing. He's probably been in a thousand duels against those guys…"

Mako put a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down because she was starting to get worked up. "Don't worry, Carrie. Yugi is a great duelist and wouldn't be beaten down by any of these Rare Hunters. Even so, they might have tricks up their sleeves and therefore could be willing to do anything to defeat him. I'll help you search for him, okay?"

"Okay," Carrie murmured, managing a smile. "Thank you, Mako."

He gave her a warm smile. "Hey, what are friends for?"

"Hugs, compliments, teasing, and support, just to name a few things."

Carrie looked ahead and groaned. Joey, Tea, and Mokuba were standing together in the middle of nowhere, a perfect place to be attacked by those stupid Rare Hunters. She could understand why Joey and Mokuba were there, but why the hell was Tea? Tristan was supposed to have told her to stay home where she'd be safe. Did he forget, or was she ignoring him? Whatever the reason, Carrie was not happy. She needed to get the brunette to leave…The sudden sight of the group gave her bad feelings about what could happen if they stayed there a moment longer.

Joey stopped talking when he saw Carrie and Mako approaching and waved at them, a big goofy smile on his face. It seemed he already claimed a place in the finals; why else would he be smiling like that when danger was lurking around every corner? Tea and Mokuba turned to look at the approaching duo and flashed smiles of their own. This just made Carrie's stomach do somersaults. Why were they smiling when the Rare Hunters could come at them?

"Hey, Carrie! How ya doing?" Joey greeted.

"What's Tea doing out here?" Carrie demanded, skipping the formalities.

Tea immediately became furious and put her hands on her hips. "Hey! I'm allowed to come out here to support my friends if I want! I have my rights! And no one has tried to grab me so far, so there!"

"So Tristan did tell you to stay home and you still ignored him? Tea, those Rare Hunters don't mess around. They'll try anything to get at me and Yugi. So what if they haven't got you yet? Marik could be planning something super-huge and just hasn't put it into action. I don't want you being free for the taking when he does. I'm asking you as a friend to please go home," Carrie said, practically begging.

"She's right, Tea. Those Rare Hunters are powerful and cunning. They got Seto and Yugi in a tough spot the last time I checked in with headquarters," Mokuba remarked. "They're dueling on top of a glass roof against two of those minions, and anything could happen up there. I know Big Brother won't lose with Obelisk and Yugi's got a chance with that other Egyptian God Card, but it's still risky."

"I agree with Carrie on this. It's for your own safety that you go home," Joey put in.

Tea sighed and crossed her arms. "So what, every time a bad guy threatens us, I'm supposed to go home and let you guys put your lives on the line? Just because I'm no duelist, I shouldn't try to help? By that logic, I shouldn't have gone to Duelist Kingdom. Had I not done that, you would have had bad things happen to you, Carrie."

Carrie winced as she remembered what had almost happened to her at the hands of Bandit Keith. It was true that he could never put her in that kind of situation again, but it still hurt to think about that. Tea's logic was slightly flawed—she had been kidnapped and the reason Carrie had pursued him in the first place. If Tea hadn't gone to Duelist Kingdom, she wouldn't have been kidnapped. But anyone else could have been and Carrie might have still ended up in that position. It was too confusing to think about, especially given the current circumstances.

"I should be allowed to stay because I have proven to be more than a cheerleader," Tea stated defiantly.

"Yeah, but you can also be a big liability," Joey remarked. "You got lucky when you saved Carrie cuz Yami helped you throw that knife. But you can't fight and you can't duel that well. That's why you got kidnapped by Bandit Keith and that's why Mai creamed you when you faced her."

"I only dueled her because I was trying to prove something to Carrie!" Tea shouted. "And you can't judge me on that one time with Bandit Keith!"

"Guys, guys! Let's not fight," Mako interjected, trying to calm everyone down.

Carrie sighed. Tea just wouldn't understand. It became painstakingly clear when she and Joey started exchanging punches and Mako had to pull Tea away while Mokuba had to help Joey to stand. She saw someone approaching out of the corner of her eye and began to fear for her friends' safety. But this guy didn't look like a Rare Hunter. He was a blonde Egyptian-looking teen wearing a lavender shirt and dark pants and shoes with a lot of gold jewelry. He also had a duel disk attached to his arm. He looked innocent enough…But something inside Carrie turned at the sight of him and made her want to go on the offensive. There seemed to be something evil lurking in his purple eyes…

"Sorry, no one here can duel you. Two of us made it to the finals and the other duelist is out of the tournament," Joey apologized.

"Oh, I didn't come over here looking for a duel. I just wanted to meet the Queen of Games and the third-best duelist in the entire world," the teen told him—something about his voice struck a chord in Carrie's head. "My name is Namu, by the way."

"Hello, Namu. It's nice to meet you," Tea said kindly.

"So what's it you want? An autograph?" Joey asked, his ego boosted from being called the third-best duelist in the world.

"Actually, I was hoping you and Carrie would give me a few pointers. I've only won one of my duels…and even that was too close for comfort. I was hoping I could make it into the finals," 'Namu' explained.

**This guy is not who he claims to be,** Mirage declared suddenly while Joey began to rant about great skills and moves.

_Then who is he?_

**Do not tell me you cannot feel my evil radiating from him. That mortal is the one who is causing you so much grief, the one that I shocked with my darkness to send him a message.**

_Are you saying that he's-!_

Before Carrie could complete that thought, the men in black robes appeared and surrounded the group. A couple of them grabbed 'Namu' and two more grabbed Tea and Mokuba. The ones that went to restrain Joey and Mako were knocked on their backsides. Carrie quickly spun around and punched the Rare Hunter that had been about to grab her right in the face, breaking his nose and making him turn away because of the pain. She took advantage of his weakness to kick him in the back so he would fall down. Then she turned her attention back to her captive friends and those that were still free—the fallen Rare Hunters were quickly getting back to their feet.

**I can take care of these evil wannabes. Let me take over now.**

_No! One evil being here is bad enough! I don't need your help!_

Carrie lunged at the ones trying to grab Mako and Joey and knocked them all back down, but she went down with them. Mirage was trying to force her way into control of her body, which stole away some of Carrie's attention because she had to beat her back down and made her a less-efficient fighter.

"Mako! Joey! Get outta here now!" Carrie shouted, jumping back to her feet as the persistent Rare Hunters rose again. "I'll hold them off and try to free Tea and Mokuba! You go find Yugi and make sure he's not in a similar situation!"

Joey looked ready to protest, but Mako gave him a look that made him swallow his words. The men ran in the opposite direction, just as Carrie had told them to do. With them gone, she had less to worry about. She turned around and kicked a Rare Hunter in his chin, making his head snap up and resulting with him falling down. He didn't get back up, knocked out by her strike but not killed like Killer had been from a similar move back at Duelist Kingdom. She tried to swing backwards and hit the others, but they caught her arms with a vise-like grip. Kicking at them was her last option, but with Mirage trying to take over, she wasn't able to act fast enough. One of the Rare Hunters hit her in the back of the head…and everything went black.

_Damn it...,_Carrie thought before becoming completely unconscious.

* * *

Yami was back in control of Yugi's body…and he was very worried about their friends. He had tried to call Carrie from a pay phone when he first learned that she might be in danger, but all he got was Tea screaming Yugi's name before the other end went dead. Needless to say, that didn't help to calm his nerves any. Before that he and Kaiba had been forced into a double duel against masked Rare Hunters, which they won. One of them had been sent to the Shadow Realm before the other; Marik possessed the last one standing and said their friends were with him now.

That was the only reason he was now flying in a helicopter with Kaiba.

If Kaiba hadn't found a way to discover Marik's hideout, Yami would never have gone anywhere with him.

No, that was a lie. If Kaiba hadn't known where Carrie could be, then Yami would never have gone anywhere with him.

But now that Mokuba's safety was in danger again, Kaiba demanded to know what it was that Marik wanted this time…which left Yami with no choice but to explain the whole story of the Pharaoh and the Millennium Items to him. The young businessman brushed it off as nothing but nonsense, but at least he didn't push Yami out of the helicopter. Perhaps he didn't want to believe what could only be the truth, and yet some part of him understood it was the truth.

Marik's hideout, or what Kaiba claimed was it, turned out to be an abandoned warehouse. It was empty when Yami went inside to look around—it looked like they were too late. But then Mokuba appeared from one of the vents, looking terrified but not possessed. Marik hadn't used the Rod on him. He told Kaiba and Yami what had happened and that their friends were taken away by the Rare Hunters to the harbor.

"Are you going down there with me?" Yami asked Kaiba, who was cold as ever upon hearing this.

"…I don't care about what this guy does to your friends. Mokuba's safe now. Do this on your own," Kaiba muttered.

"But Seto!" Mokuba protested.

"Let's go," Kaiba said authoritatively, ushering his brother away from the evil place.

Yami closed his eyes as he heard the helicopter leave, battling his own feelings about this. He had no doubt that Marik had brainwashed Tea, and that could be very bad. But there were so many things dwelling in Carrie…Was it possible that the Rod could get past those things and grant Marik control of her? He didn't want to find out, but he had to save her. She might have been trying to avoid him because she was still hurting from his secret, but he loved that girl. He couldn't let anything bad happen to her.

_I guess it's just you and me, _he told Yugi via their mental connection as he left the warehouse and started towards the harbor.

_**It seems that way, **_Yugi agreed. _**I hope they're okay…**_

_You know what the chances are._

_**Yeah…But why would Marik just suddenly go after Mokuba and Carrie and the others? So far, he has just been sending his minions after us. Why change tactics?**_

_That plan wasn't working—he lost Slifer because of that. So in order to reclaim the two Egyptian Gods he no longer has, he decided to make those closest to us his slaves. In other words, he's trying to force us and Kaiba into duels where we would lose in order to keep our loved ones safe. A twisted tactic, indeed._

…_**So…Does that mean he's going to make Carrie and Tea duel us?**_

_I do not know. He may do that or something else._

_**I guess we'll find out when we get there…**_

_..._

_**Yami?**_

_Yes?_

_**If you have to duel Carrie…You'll lose, won't you?**_

_If you were in my place, wouldn't you do the same?_

…_**Yes.**_

_Then you have my answer._

* * *

Yami came to the harbor, but he didn't see Carrie or Tea. What he could see was the set-up for someone's duel…Perhaps his. An anchor was suspended by chains over a dueling platform that sat above the ocean, showing that whoever entered that duel would be risking their lives. Only Marik could think of something so dangerous, which meant that his minions shouldn't be too far away.

Then, from the shadows, emerged the blonde-haired girl he had wanted to see, but not like this.

Carrie sneered evilly at him, much like the Rare Hunters that had been possessed by Marik in the past had done. Her eyes were clouded as well, proving it wasn't her in control of her body. Despite having a powerful Duel Monster and darkness inside of her, that evil man had managed to gain possession of her mind. He called her name feebly, but the blonde just laughed and walked towards the dueling platform without saying a word to him. He tried to follow her, but then Tea appeared with a Rare Hunter standing behind her. She, too, was possessed but unlike Carrie, she spoke.

"Greetings, Pharaoh," she said, only her voice was echoed by that of Marik's. "I have organized your final duel today with new minions. Aren't they a lovely duo? I know you will just _love_ to duel them."

Yami glared at the possessed Tea just as if she were really Marik; she might as well have been. She just laughed it off and walked away from him towards a chair that had no right to be there. It was situated underneath a crane holding a crate directly above it.

"This is how this duel is going to work," Tea/Marik stated as she took a seat in the chair. Metal restraints popped out of the arms, securing hers there; the same thing happened down where her ankles were. "You shall duel Carrie after chaining yourself to that lovely anchor. You will have fifteen minutes to decrease her Life Points to zero or have her do the same to you. If you win, there is a box that will open that contains a key that will set you free. If you lose, hers will do that and yours won't. But if neither of you manage to win before time's up…Well, you'll both be dragged down to your deaths. Well, you are already dead…So really, it will be Carrie and Yugi that will lose their lives. The cost of losing under these conditions is so much greater than it was in any of your other duels. And the girl I am now possessing is here for reassurance that you won't back out or get your other friends to interfere. If that happens, my Rare Hunter just has to push a button and she's history. Just don't take too long, now. I might grow bored and make him drop the crate, anyway."

"Why are you doing this?" Yami demanded, pissed.

Tea/Marik narrowed her eyes at him. "You have what belongs to me. Now you shall suffer the consequences."

Then he released his control of Tea, allowing her to be herself again. She blinked a few times in confusion and then tried to get up but found herself restrained. She demanded to know what was going on, but Yami didn't have time to explain. Carrie had already secured the chain around one of her ankles and was looking at him impatiently. He had no choice but to do what she had done…But he knew there was no way he was going to win this duel. He could never hurt Carrie…

"Mirage, I know you're in there. You can break Marik's control," Yami remarked as the timer attached to the anchor began to count down from fifteen minutes.

Carrie's eyes shifted a bit, changing from cloudy green to jet black. "One of us is going down. Just don't cry like a bitch when you feel the pain." Then her eyes shifted again and Marik lost his sneer because that hadn't been him speaking. But even so, it looked like Mirage wasn't going to be helpful.

So they began their duel. Her deck was very strong without Marik putting cards in it, but he had managed to slip in three copies of a Magic Card that took away five hundred Life Points from Yami while also burning him up with fire. Of course, they didn't all come right in a row. These attacks were spaced out. The first one engulfed Yami in flames and he couldn't stop himself from screaming until the flames went out. Marik made Carrie laugh at him, but that laughter was cut short as Mirage took control again. His screams had caught her attention.

"…You don't have to let him do this," Yami muttered through clenched teeth as he struggled to stand against the pain.

Mirage looked at him with a mixture of pity and anger. "Don't cry to me. If you loved me, you would be here with me. If you want me, come find me. Make up your mind." It came out of her like it was a song, which it was. Call Me When You're Sober by Evanescence…Carrie had listened to it before. Mirage was angry at him for not being there to prevent this from happening to Carrie. But what could he have done? Then Marik took over again, even more furious that the darkness had broken through twice now.

The second one came at him five turns later—this time it made his cape disappear because the fire ate it. It caused him even more pain…Not that the attacks from her Monsters were any more pleasant. He attempted to reach out to Mirage again and again while delaying the end of the duel as far as he could without defeating Carrie. She didn't come out until this point.

"Couldn't take the blame, sick with shame. Must be exhausting to lose your own game…," she said, though her voice was full of sadness rather than anger at him. Her lyrics changed suddenly, and Yami thought that it might have been Carrie speaking through Mirage to him. "How do I slow down? I can't relate to my heart now. I've thrown what I've known, is it enough for me, out? I'm running on empty…I've gotta find some way to fumble through this new heartache. It's torn me apart. Oh, lovesick mistake …Turn me away…"

"Damn you! Stop that this instant!" Carrie yelled, Marik now in control of her again.

_**Kami, I feel sorry for her. There are so many voices in her head, **_Yugi thought with a sweat-drop as Marik and Mirage made it look like Carrie was having an argument with herself. He glanced at the hurting Yami with pity before adding, _**And there's about to be one more fighting on her side.**_

_What do you mean? Yugi, what are you-?_

Yami didn't get the chance to finish his question, for Yugi took control of his body and cut off the spirit's thoughts. He removed the chain that held the Puzzle from around his neck and began walking over to Carrie's side of the platform. There was less than seven minutes left on the clock by this time, but it didn't matter to him. He needed to break Marik's control over Carrie and reunite the spirit with her, where he was always meant to be. The boy knew the blonde would never look at him that way…It was better to let his older self be happy.

Yugi put the Puzzle around Carrie's neck just as Marik managed to gain control again. Through Carrie's eyes he looked at the boy with a mixture of surprise and confusion, though Yugi didn't stick around long enough to see that as he returned to his side of the dueling platform. Marik tried to get Carrie to drop the Puzzle and break it into a million pieces because he didn't want Yami meddling—Mirage was enough of a hassle as it was—but this time Carrie wouldn't let that happen.

The duel continued with Yugi receiving the last of the fiery magical attacks that deducted five hundred Life Points from him. All things looked hopeless, what with the time ticking away and Yugi about to lose.

Was this how it was going to end?

* * *

Tristan had been running with Serenity on his back and Duke, who had come out of nowhere when he needed help, at his side from the Rare Hunters that had decided to target them for some time before Joey and Mako found them. Why was the Wheeler girl on his back? Simple: she still had her bandages on. The reason for the sudden black-robed stalkers was not so simple. But with the help of the fisherman and the moron, they were able to lose the Rare Hunters…by knocking them into unconsciousness.

Mai drove up—apparently, Mako had called her to tell her what was going on—and they all piled into her car. Those that weren't in the know were filled in about what happened with the Rare Hunters and Carrie and Tea. As soon as Tristan heard that Carrie had been abducted by those thugs, he almost lost it. But the all-wise fisherman calmed him down, saying there was no point in getting mad over the past when the present danger was more important. Mai mentioned that she had seen people dueling near the harbor on her way to pick them up, though when she explained how they were dueling…It didn't seem like a good kind of duel. People could lose their life that way.

_Marik must have made her one of his minions, _Tristan thought as Mai drove towards that duel she mentioned. _Do I really want Serenity to see Carrie like that? This is already bad enough as it is...Maybe when we get there I should tell Mai to take her back to the hospital. It's for her own good._

"I'm going to take my bandages off for you now, Joey," Serenity said suddenly, grabbing the white pieces of cloth that were wrapped around her head. "This way, I won't be such a liability anymore."

The wind took them from her hands as she opened her eyes for the first time in days. Tristan was taken aback by how full of life those brown orbs were…and how beautiful. She didn't notice his and Duke's gaze—she was too busy being hugged by her big brother. But Tristan knew he couldn't hide everything from those eyes, so there wasn't any getting her to go away when they saw the situation with Carrie and Yugi. She would be there to see Carrie just like the rest of them.

Besides, if he tried to argue, she would find a way to win.

They arrived at the dueling area at the same time that the last Magic fireball had hit Yugi. Tea gave them an awkward smile when they saw the situation she was in. The Rare Hunter at her side, of course, just glared at them.

"Hi, guys," she greeted nervously. "Don't mind me. I'm just sitting here while the crate's hanging out. Just don't make any sudden moves…You might insult it and make it drop."

"What the hell is going on?" Tristan demanded—seeing one friend under a crate and two others chained to an anchor wasn't exactly a pleasant sight.

"Marik arranged a duel against Yugi using Carrie as his slave. They have fifteen minutes to duel and win to save themselves…or if they don't win in that time limit, they both go under," Tea explained. "And as for me, I'm just reassurance that Yugi won't try backing out and that you guys won't try to interfere. Like I said, don't insult the crate or it might get angry enough to hit me really hard."

"What are we supposed to do? Just sit here while our friends' lives are on the line?" Duke shouted.

"Unless you want me to die, then yes," Tea replied. "Look, I don't like this any more than you do, but there's nothing we can do. We're stuck on the sidelines for now until we can find some way to make things better. I don't see any options other than silent observation. Please…Don't do anything stupid."

"…So…Is that really Carrie over there?" Serenity asked, holding Joey's hand but keeping any fear she might have been feeling at bay.

"…It's her…But then again, it's not," Mai told her. Carrie looked as if she was arguing with herself again. "An evil man is making her act that way…And her dark side is retaliating, fighting against his control. The real Carrie is somewhere in that mess, but she isn't saying a thing."

Serenity glanced over at Tristan, who was trembling with his suppressed rage. "It seems that everything you told me about her is true. She really is a mess."

Carrie was taken over by Marik again and she summoned Uria to the field by sacrificing three face-up Continuous Traps. There were no others in her Graveyard, so the Dragon only had 3000 attack. Still, it was enough to destroy Yugi.

_**Carrie, don't do this, **_Yami pleaded, competing with Marik's control.

**Break away from this control, **Mirage urged, siding with the spirit she had feelings for now that he had come over to their side.

"You'll never break free of my control!" Marik shouted, which made Carrie shout it at herself. "Uria! Attack Yugi now!"

Yugi had laid down the Trap Card Mirror Force just in case something like this happened, but now he couldn't bring himself to activate it to reflect the attack back at Carrie. If he did so, she would lose and wouldn't be able to escape being dragged down to the bottom of the ocean. If he was a man of self-preservation, he would have done just that. But he wasn't so he didn't. Yugi just struggled to keep his balance while the fiery attack of Uria's came closer and closer to him…

"NO!" Carrie screamed, finally herself again…but too late.

The attack impacted Yugi like a bomb. He hit the ground face first, and this wasn't visible until after the smoke cleared. Carrie ran towards his body, trying to keep her tears back in her eyes. This was no time for crying. This was time for action. And luckily, she wasn't the only one thinking like this. Kaiba had come after all and knocked the remote control thing out of the Rare Hunter's hand so Tea wouldn't be in danger anymore. That Rare Hunter also got knocked into the water, but he was able to float back to the top. Kaiba somehow made it so the chair released Tea, too.

Carrie looked at the cards in Yugi's hand as well as her own, trying to see if there was some way she could change the outcome of the duel so that she lost instead of him. The duel was technically over, but Uria was still on the field like things weren't so. She quickly played the card Rain of Mercy to give both players a thousand Life Points. This made the box holding her key close again, but she didn't care. Then she, on Yugi's duel disk, activated Change of Heart so he technically had control of Uria.

"Uria, attack me," Carrie whispered, looking into the Dragon's fiery eyes while holding her hurting friend.

The crimson dragon gave a small nod before opening his mouth and shooting the fiery blast at her this time. It hurt like hell, but it did what she wanted it to do. Her Life Points were now at zero. Yugi's key box opened—she hurried to retrieve it. She had less than thirty seconds to save him before the anchor took its plunge. She stuck the key in the lock on Yugi's chains and managed to get them off of the boy she had hurt because of Marik. Her friends minus one were all looking at her, but that didn't matter to her at all.

"…Yugi…I'm so sorry…," Carrie murmured, looking into his half-closed eyes for what she thought would be the last time while she held his hand in hers. She had thrown her duel disk off after 'losing' the duel as it no longer mattered. Besides, if she was going to die, there was no point in having her duel disk anymore.

He somehow managed a small smile through his pain. "…It's okay…Wasn't your fault…"

"You…should have used Mirror Force…Then I wouldn't have hurt you."

"But then…I would have had to hurt you…"

Carrie smiled down at him…

And then time ran out.

The anchor descended into the ocean, yanking her chain with it. Carrie had nearly forgotten about that until she felt herself get pulled to the ground and towards the water. She quickly let go of Yugi's hand to avoid taking him down with her just before becoming submerged. Yugi cried out for her, feebly reaching in her direction like he might be able to save her somehow, but it was in vain. Her name was screamed by a thousand voices, but she could barely hear them now. She attempted to save herself with the key that had set Yugi free, but it didn't work. Marik had purposely done that—he only intended for one person to leave this duel alive, if even that. She had given up that position to Yugi…

She ignored Mirage's pleas to let her take over, trying to block out the dark spirit's claims that she could break the chains. The dark spirit would never do anything so kind…She would try to kill her friends. Carrie wouldn't listen to her anymore. The only voice in her head that she would listen to…was her own…and _his_.

_...Yami...I'm so sorry. I'm not perfect. I was happy with you, and your secret wasn't that big, but I overreacted and sabotaged my own happiness. I'm so sorry, _Carrie apologized. _Can you forgive me and take me back? I know it's kinda too late for this...but I can't die without making up for my mistakes._

_**You're not going to die! You'll make it through this somehow and then we can be together, **_Yami foolishly claimed, his spirit reaching out to her underwater as if he could stop her from drowning.

_We both know...what's going to happen in a matter of seconds. I'm going to die just like you died all those years ago..._

_**Don't say that! There's always hope!**_

_...I love you, Yami..._

_**I love you, too, Carrie. And I need you more than I can say...So please don't leave me!**_

_...I'm sorry..._

Yami came closer to her despite being a spirit underwater. Her eyes were growing heavy but she could still see him a little bit. Only sadness was in his beautiful crimson eyes as he watched her life fading away…She wanted to make that go away, but how could she when she was the cause for his pain? The spirit closed his eyes and placed his lips upon hers for what he believed would be the last time. Carrie was too far gone to take that for what it was worth…She couldn't even react to it. But her heart hurt to think that she could possibly leave him like this.

But they had both failed to notice another person that had jumped in after her and was swimming towards them. She had slipped away from the observers while Carrie's key box was still open and had the key in her hand. The young brunette reached the blonde just in time. This key worked and released Carrie of the dragging weight on her leg. The girl then wrapped an arm around the blonde and helped her to float back to the surface.

Tristan had been about to jump in after the young brunette because he was afraid of losing both Carrie and her in the same day. But less than a minute after her daring move, the girls surfaced, though Carrie's eyes were closed and she looked like she might be dead already. Tristan lifted her body onto the dueling platform and checked her vitals. She had a faint heartbeat…and after a few seconds, she coughed up some of the water that had been in her lungs. Her eyes opened halfway—it seemed that near-death experiences always made her very, very weak.

"…Serenity?" Carrie inquired upon noticing that the girl was the only other one wet. "… You saved me?"

The girl nodded once. "You're too good of a person to die like that…Especially when you have so much to live for. Besides, if you took residence at the bottom of the ocean, then how was I going to live with you?"

"Hehe…That's my little sister! Doing something stupid for the sake of others!" Joey said with a smile, giving her a tight squeeze.

Carrie smiled feebly from where she was lying on the ground. Tristan pulled off his jacket and put it on her before picking her up bridal-style.

"Let's get you home so you can get into something dry and, you know, get over almost drowning," he suggested with a grin.

"Be careful now. You might make my boyfriend jealous," Carrie warned.

* * *

_A/N: The end of a very long chapter. Is everybody happy now? Carrie and Yami are back together. And they reunited in the most romantic way ever...when she was about to die! What did you think while reading this? Please tell me. Thank you for reading!_


	36. 36 - It Was the Best of Birthdays,,,

_A/N: Thank you, peoples who have been reviewing! I'm glad that me admitting my age did not turn you away from this. But sadly...I will not be updating this again until August comes around for personal reasons. July will be busy for me cuz I have to start taking care of myself. And the rest of June, I will spend typing up a story that might be published one day. I'm sorry to leave you hanging like this...I hope you will understand._

_For now, please read on._

* * *

Chapter 36

Tristan borrowed Mai's car to take Carrie home, promising to be back soon with the Queen of Games so no one would worry. She sat in the passenger's seat, still weak and wet but smiling genuinely for the first time in awhile. Tristan couldn't help but smile as well; it was contagious. It was great that she was happy despite almost dying again.

He kept his foot on the gas for most of the way, knowing it was better if she returned to the tournament quickly to take out that Marik before he could hurt anyone else. She didn't mind at all, though she remained silent the whole time. Tristan assumed she was talking with Yami in her mind and that was the reason for her being quiet. He was almost jealous…Almost. He understood he could never be in Yami's place because Carrie could never see him in that same light, so he was just happy those two had made up and were together again. At least she wasn't hurting anymore.

It just sucked that the circumstances they were put in to bring them together were deadly ones…

She put a gentle hand on his arm, taking him out of his thoughts. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Tristan, I just want to say thanks for being there for me when I was hurting," Carrie said with a smile that was directed just at him. "If it wasn't for you, I probably would have been taken down by the Hunters long before today. I didn't take your advice…In the end, it was me that was begging for forgiveness. But what you told me that day…It kept me going, and so did your frequent calls to check up on me. Thank you for being a friend."

The brunette just smiled. "You're welcome. I'd do anything for you, you know that. It would have helped if that thick-headed spirit would have asked for you to take him back before all of this near-death crap, but hey. I guess it's more romantic for you this way."

"Yeah…It might have been easier if I hadn't tried running from him yesterday," Carrie murmured, and Tristan recalled her telling him about jumping off a very tall building to get away from Yami. "And to think, this is still one of the best birthdays I've ever had in my entire life."

"Today was your birthday?" Tristan asked, surprised.

Carrie gave a small nod. "As of today, I am seventeen. If things had gone real badly, my date of birth and date of death could have been the exact same day. But they didn't so they're not."

"Happy birthday, Carrie," Tristan said, giving her a one-armed hug.

"Thank you," she muttered.

"I'll have to get you a gift later."

"No, you don't have to do that. You and the rest of the gang have already given me the best gift of all—your friendship. That's all I could ever ask for. Material objects aren't needed to show your affection."

"I'll feel really bad if I didn't get you anything when I give all my other friends gifts on their birthdays."

"Fine. If you really must _get_ me something, _get_ me home so I can change into something drier and warmer than these soaking-cold clothes I'm wearing now."

"All right, all right!" Tristan chuckled lightly. "Why didn't you tell us when your birthday was in the first place? We could have ditched the tournament for one day if you had and then you wouldn't have been in danger."

Carrie's face fell slightly. "…This day brings back a lot of bad memories from my past."

"…Like what…if you don't mind me asking?"

"…My eighth birthday…I was locked in my room for a week for asking Megan a question…after Carl beat me. There was no presents, no cake, no friends…and the whole time I was locked in there…I wasn't allowed out for anything. No food, no bathroom breaks…Nothing. I was in a lot of pain, filthy, and starving when I became a year older.

"Ninth birthday…Alyssa and Pegasus came over and gave me a gift from the both of them…But that was taken from me after they left and then Carl beat me again for saying 'thank you for my only present' and I was left to baby-sit Jessica while he and Megan went out to party…And it was hard to take care of a seven-year-old when my arm felt like it was broken and I was in a lot of pain. Pegasus came back cuz I called him and took me to the hospital…where I lied and said I had fallen on it and hurt it like that. It was broken …and I had to wear a sling for awhile…but not in front of Megan and Carl, or else that would get me in more pain.

"Tenth and eleventh birthdays…I managed to slip out of the house and escaped to the park where I spent the whole day swinging with Jessica. When we returned home…Our peace was ruined by Carl's fists, but it was worth it…I guess.

"I didn't even get the chance to leave my room on my twelfth birthday. Megan had locked it from the outside to prevent me from escaping with Jessica like we had previously done for the past two years.

"Thirteenth birthday…I was forced to participate in a dueling tournament. Came in second because of one card my opponent played that I hadn't been prepared for…And then I received the consolation prize of being knocked into unconsciousness by Carl and being lectured by Megan about how much of a failure as a daughter I was.

"Fourteenth birthday was one of the peaceful ones. Alyssa had Pegasus's private jet pick me and Jessie up and we stayed with her for a couple days. Carl and Megan didn't do a thing about it and didn't hurt us when we returned. That was the only good birthday I had over there.

"Fifteenth birthday…I was attacked by Bandit Keith and his gang going to and coming from school…And then I hid out in my room while Carl hit Jessica for refusing to cover her bruises any longer and being rebellious. Megan was out of the apartment…Probably sleeping with some man. I cried a lot and drowned out the sounds of what I didn't want to face with my I-Pod that I had gotten from Alyssa behind Megan and Carl's back.

"Sweet Sixteen was not what I would ever use to describe my sixteenth birthday. Beatings, attacks, tears…And my room was destroyed because of Megan's paranoia that I was hiding something. I'm surprised everything I owned wasn't burned, though it might as well have been. A week or so after my birthday, Alyssa came over and gave me the Millennium Puzzle…So yeah…I guess that was okay."

Tristan let out a long whistle. "No wonder you have a bad affiliation with today. I'm so sorry you had to grow up like that."

"Yeah…Me, too."

"But we're your friends. We would have given you the best party and birthday in the world with no beatings of anything except maybe a piñata and no attacks of any kind except hug attacks and the only tears that would be shed would be tears of happiness. And you'd be buried up to your neck in gifts, and your stomach would be bulging from all the cake and party food you'd eat and you could use the bathroom whenever you needed. A party with us would be like nothing you ever experienced before," Tristan claimed.

"Guess that can wait until next year…We're in the middle of something very important right now that can't wait for a party," Carrie remarked.

"You got all of the locator cards and so do Joey, Yugi, and Mai. You can wait to go to the finals for a few more hours. Tonight, I'm going to do at least one nice thing for you before your birthday comes to an end," Tristan vowed.

"What, taking me home doesn't count?" Carrie teased.

"As a matter of fact, no."

Tristan pulled up to her house just then and turned the engine of the convertible off. Carrie insisted that she was strong enough to walk again, but he wasn't leaving her health up to what she said. He came around to her side of the car and opened the door. He didn't pick her up bridal-style as he had done before; this time, he just let her use him as a crutch. She was still wet and a bit tipsy, but she could indeed walk with little difficulty. He helped her to her room which he let her enter alone—he might have liked her, but he minded her privacy. Tristan said he would wait for her downstairs before walking away.

She sighed and went to her closet to find something else to wear. It was about time that she changed, anyway, since she had been wearing the same thing for two days straight. The Puzzle found a place on her bed while she did so…though even the slightest separation kinda hurt her now. Today, Marik had almost separated them forever. She couldn't stand to face that again. Never again…

"We'll never be apart again, I promise," Yami said as Carrie came back over to the bed with a dry set of clothes. He was seated comfortably next to the Puzzle.

"You don't know that," Carrie commented. "With my anger and overreacting, you might end up with Yugi again before you know it. Avert your gaze please."

Yami looked away as Carrie peeled off her soaking wet shirt and bra. "You can learn from past mistakes and know that even though you're mad, you don't need to cast me aside. I respect your wishes. You should know that if you don't want to talk to me, I will not bother you. I would never hurt you intentionally."

"I know that, but I let my emotions control my actions far too much," Carrie told him, slipping into a dry bra and top. "I don't know how to keep my emotions in check…and that's probably why Mirage can take over so easily. I create openings so she can get past Uria and take lives. Last night, she made me black out and…She killed Bandit Keith. I don't know if she killed anyone else, but I woke up on top of a telephone pole and nearly fell to my death. That darkness is messed up…"

"Is that why you wanted me back, so I could help you to keep her at bay?"

"That, and because everything but my pride wanted you to come home. My heart was aching, and every time something reminded me of you, I felt like crying. My tongue and bottom lip are probably covered in sores from how often I bit them and how hard. I should have taken you back a long time ago, Yami, before my and Yugi's lives were put in such a dangerous position. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. All that matters is that you did and Mirage will be put in her rightful place. She will threaten no one any longer."

"Well, at least she did eliminate that bastard Keith."

"…She's only killed those that have threatened you…Does that mean that he was threatening you last night?"

"Yeah, he was ranting about finishing what he started on the island when I blacked out. She told me she killed him and eliminated any evidence that could tie us to that location via the mystical magic she possesses. But that's all she told me about last night. I have no idea what she did between killing him and going to sleep on top of a telephone pole. Though she swears up and down she didn't kill anyone else…But since when has she been reliable?"

"That is true…But she's also part of the reason that you broke free of Marik's control when you did. She may be dark, but if she prevented you from taking your best friend's life, she cannot be all bad."

Carrie sighed. "Yeah. I guess that's true. But I still don't trust her." A pause. "All right, Yami. The coast is clear. You can look at me again."

She hadn't put on anything special—just a pair of jean shorts and a black sleeveless shirt with a different pair of tennis shoes. Her blonde hair, still pretty damp, had been pulled back into a ponytail, something she hadn't been able to do in quite some time. She had also put on earrings that had suspended golden pyramids attached to them that matched the Puzzle perfectly…When had she gotten them?

"Do I look good for a girl who has a giant target on her back?" Carrie asked with a smile, slipping the Puzzle on her neck.

Yami grinned. "You look beautiful, Carrie."

They had been about to kiss…

But someone knocked loudly on the door, interrupting their personal time.

Carrie groaned. "I'll be out in a minute, Tristan! Can't a girl get some time alone with her boyfriend without her guy friends bugging her?" She caught Yami smiling out of the corner of her eye and returned it.

"It's not Tristan…It's Mako," a different male voice said from the other side of the door.

"Mako? What are you doing here?" Carrie asked, hurrying over to unlock the door. She feared that Yami might grow jealous of her urgency to see her older friend like he had been in the past, but he just watched with a smile and no envy whatsoever.

"You forgot something and I thought I should bring it to you," Mako replied, handing over her duel disk that still had her deck and locator cards on it. She gave him a hug as thanks, but he didn't leave. "Carrie…Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, just as long as Tristan and Jessie don't plan on eavesdropping."

"You don't need to worry about them. She's making him watch Twilight with her."

Carrie sweat-dropped. "That poor boy…"

Mako just chuckled warmly at her comment as he closed the door behind him. Carrie took her seat on the bed next to Yami and gestured for him to join her on the other side. He couldn't turn her down, not after what had almost happened, so he did as she wanted …Not that sitting beside her was torture or anything. She was a great girl and a wonderful friend. Why wouldn't he want to sit by her?

"Before I forget, happy seventeenth," Mako said.

Carrie groaned. "Damn! I knew I shouldn't have told Tristan what today was…Please tell me that's not the only reason you came up here…"

Mako chuckled. "Don't worry, it's not. What I wanted to tell you was this…I'm going to be heading out to look for my father again tomorrow. But…I've been looking everywhere and have sailed all over without finding even the slightest sign of him. I'm starting to think this whole journey has been for nothing, that he really did die that day. Everything I have ever been fighting for…could have been gone long ago."

"…There's always hope. And your journey couldn't have been for nothing. You're one of the best duelists I know with a heart that's larger than any I've ever seen. You became who you are today because of that hope of finding your father…We would have never met if you hadn't been so determined and entered the Duelist Kingdom Tournament in hopes of winning so you could seek him out. Mako, even if he did fade away from the world that day, you have become a great man because of him and you should never feel like your search was for nothing. Can you say you regret everything you have done on your journey to find him? Mako, I pray you will find him, but I also pray that you see that even if you don't, your fight was never for nothing."

"Thank you, Carrie. You're the best," Mako stated, giving her a big hug.

"…Mako, when this voyage ends…If you find yourself in Domino again, we have another room that's unoccupied. Kaiba bought this place and it had four rooms besides the master bedroom…and three of those rooms are occupied with one on hold…So, if you wouldn't mind living in a house with a bunch of young women, you could always find a place with us here," Carrie offered.

"I'd like that. I'll see what happens on my last voyage across the world on the Great White, and if the waves should bring me back here, then so be it."

"AAAAHHHHHH! CARRIE! SAVE ME FROM THIS TORTURE!" Tristan screamed from downstairs; it seemed that watching Twilight had finally begun to take its toll on him.

"IT'S NOT TORTURE! IT'S AN AMAZING ROMANTIC VAMPIRE MOVIE!" Jessica yelled at him—Carrie assumed she was probably beating up on her friend for his comment about her favorite movie in the whole world.

Carrie, Yami, and Mako just laughed at Tristan's pain.

* * *

Tristan kept his word and did one nice thing for Carrie before night could separate the two. Mako had tagged along, but the brunette didn't mind because the dark-haired fisherman was going to be leaving tomorrow and wouldn't return for a long time. He remembered that Carrie said swinging was what she had done for two consecutive birthdays in order to get away from her abusive parents, so he drove her to the park just as the sun was starting to set. She had smiled appreciatively at him as she got out of Mai's convertible, understanding why he had chosen this location.

He pushed her until she was way high before taking a seat on the swing to her right. Mako was on her left and nearly as high as she was, but that was because he had a head start. Not that it mattered, of course. This was just a pastime that would be a gift to Carrie for her seventeenth birthday…So this day in her life wouldn't always be remembered as something bad.

She had a sensation that she thought was like flying whenever she was on a swing. In the past, she had always wondered if she let go of the chains on the swing if maybe…maybe she could sprout wings and fly into the sky and never come back down. It might have been silly, but living the life she had lived made her wish for such things. That same wish was in her heart, but not for the same reasons. Flying wouldn't be to separate her from the happiness she was now feeling. It would just allow her to travel with Mako and still be able to go back to the tournament whenever she felt like it. And it would be a very fun thing to do at least once.

Carrie leaned back when she was even higher in the air and laughed despite being afraid of heights as she looked down at the ground. Mako saw her smile and felt one appear on his face, too. He almost regretted that he would be leaving before seeing her reclaim her place as Queen of Games…He would like nothing better than to see his best friend every day. But he had to know the truth. She understood that. And he knew he would be coming back to her in time…Probably for the rest of time until he found a woman to settle down with…

The blonde girl flipped off the swing and landed gracefully…on her ass. She just laughed it off as she caught the swing and stood up, brushing the dirt off her bottom. The boys with her laughed at her klutzy move, even Yami, because they knew a fall like that couldn't really hurt her and also because she was laughing. Mako jumped off his swing and offered to get her back up to where she had been.

They remained in the park until nearly midnight, just laughing and spending one peaceful night together before chaos was due to take over in the finals. Then Mako bid them adieu and Tristan took Carrie home and walked home himself.

* * *

Thief Bakura sent the souls of Bonz and the genius and the moron that had been in Bandit Keith's service during the Duelist Kingdom Tournament to the Shadow Realm after Bonz lost a duel to him. The boys had been playing in the graveyard, popping up when a duelist would walk into it in order to scare them into dropping their locator cards. They had managed to get five that way without dueling, and then Thief Bakura came upon them and beat them down. Now he was guaranteed a spot in the finals to take the Millennium Items as his own, where they belonged. Even the Puzzle would be his, regardless of what Carrie wanted.

"Impressive, Thief. Those foolish mortals were no match for you."

The white-haired spirit glanced behind him to see a dark-haired girl standing on top of a tombstone. She had evil radiating from her that he had felt before, and the face seemed familiar…He had definitely seen those black eyes of darkness before.

"What are you doing here, immortal one?" he demanded coolly, crossing his arms.

"I wanted to seek you out and discover if it was true that you sided with that pathetic mortal who desires to be like us," the girl replied, staring down at him with her own arms crossed. "Someone with your power should not demean himself by aiding such a worthless weakling."

"Marik is not too far off from being one of us, for he possesses an alter ego that is much like yourself. It came to be in him the same day that mortal Yugi's grandfather found the Puzzle…And that was about ten years ago," Thief Bakura told her. "He promised that if I helped him in the tournament that he would give me all of the Millennium Items that he could get in his possession, including the Puzzle that you are wearing. Which brings up the question of how you are in control of that wench Carrie when she and the Pharaoh are both able to suppress you, as well as Uria."

Mirage just sneered. "Those two are in the Puzzle locked in intimacy that is as close to sex as one can get without taking clothing off. Rather disgusting, really. But as they are both distracted and her emotions allow me to find ways around Uria's restraints, I shall not complain. Have you considered the possibility of Yami Marik stabbing you in the back and taking the Ring for himself after sending you to the Shadow Realm?"

"I have, but I planned on doing that to him first," Thief Bakura remarked. "…Why do you care so much about what happens to me? What do you know of me anyway, immortal one?"

"I remember what Iris does, and I see all the great power you once possessed. You almost brought about the end of the world during the time of the Pharaoh's reign. The only reason you failed was because the Pharaoh sealed Duel Monsters and the Shadow Realm away in the Items, which in turn sealed him within the Puzzle and you within the Millennium Ring. You both have forgotten much of your pasts, but your memory is slightly better than his because you know what you must do. As to why I care about what happens to you…Well, you make us look good. You're strong, cunning, powerful…Evil has never been sexier," Mirage said with a slightly seductive voice. "I don't want you to be sent to the Shadow Realm…Especially by some mortal brat with a lame alter ego. The world would be a lonely place if he did so."

Thief Bakura smirked, ego boosted by her compliments. "You are too kind, immortal one. But you need not worry about me being sent to the Shadow Realm. I have sealed a portion of my spirit in one of the pieces of the Puzzle. Even if I were to lose a duel to him in this body, I would not be gone. In fact," as he said this, he came closer to her—she jumped down to stand beside him, "if you think about it, I'm closer to your heart than anyone thinks." He rested a hand over her heart as he said the word.

Mirage smirked and grabbed one of the pointers on the Millennium Ring. "And now I shall be close to your heart…For if you ever wish to find me, the Ring shall lead you straight to my location." Her hand came to rest above his heart as well.

For a moment, they just stood there with a hand over each other's hearts, staring into each other's eyes with a mixture of lust and love. Then Thief Bakura roughly cupped her face and bit her lip, making her open her mouth because of the sweet pain. He took advantage of that small action to slide his tongue in, which she didn't mind at all. He roughly took control and shoved her back into the tombstone she had been standing on. The mixture of pain and pleasure was completely welcome to Mirage, for this was the kind of pain she could stand. She ripped his jacket off; his shirt was quick to follow. Her sleeveless shirt was torn right down the center and he tried to take it off without pulling away from her mouth. They weren't too far off from what Carrie and Yami were doing in the Puzzle, though those two hadn't removed a single article of clothing.

Mirage stopped him from taking off her shirt with just a touch of her hand on his chest.

"No," she panted when he pulled away. "We cannot go that far. We are in other people's bodies and it would not be the same as it would have been back then. If my host found out I made her body go through sexual intercourse with Ryou Bakura's…Her anger at me would render me unable to take control for Anubis knows how long. We can do what we were doing…but no more stripping." She sounded genuinely put out by that fact, but she wanted her freedom.

And he wanted her to have the chances to be free.

So Thief Bakura didn't tear up any more of her clothes. He just threw her to the ground and resumed what he had been doing before clothes went flying. It didn't matter to either of the dark spirits that they were being rough with each other in a graveyard, the final resting place of so many mortals and a place visited by other mortals that missed the dead ones. It also didn't matter to them that tomorrow their hosts could wake up with a torn shirt or without a shirt at all and be left wondering what happened last night. All that mattered to them at that one moment was going as far as they could without actually engaging in that act of sensual intercourse that led to greater pleasure…

Such dirty spirits these were.

* * *

_A/N: Weird chapter at the end, but Mirage did think that Thief was sexy, so it was bound to happen sooner or later. Well, what did you think of this chapter as a whole? Please tell me. Thank you for reading, and I'll see you in August!_


	37. 37 - Battle City Finals Take Off

_A/N: I'm back! Did ya miss me? Well, let's get this chapter underway...This Thursday I go back to school to be a sophomore. Fun, right? At least I'll finally be 15 on August 13. YAY! But enough about me. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 37

Carrie's eyes fluttered open around eight the next morning, greeted by the welcoming rays of the sun through her window. She yawned and stretched, a smile present on her lips as she remembered what she had done with her boyfriend last night in the Puzzle. Talk about make-out sessions…It had practically been sex with the only thing stopping it from being so the clothes that remained untouched on their bodies and the rules Carrie had set when they had officially become a couple. No real sensual behavior until she turned eighteen. No matter what.

_Today I have to go to the finals to find Marik and defeat him before he can do anything stupid, _Carrie thought sadly. _It really sucks to be the Queen of Games and the holder of the Puzzle sometimes. Everyone is out to get me. Or Yami. Or both of us and our friends. My life can never be easy, can it?_

"I'm sorry I'm such a hassle," Yami said with a smile, sitting by her side on the bed.

Carrie returned his smile without hesitation. "It's not your fault. You didn't ask to be sealed away in a really old pendant for five thousand years or for people to seek you out for your power. You didn't ask to be wanted by a bunch of guys…Did you?"

"Of course not. But I do not mind having been sealed away for so long because it brought me to you," Yami told her.

"Oh, don't go saying all that mushy crap to me," Carrie scolded with a teasing smile. "It's completely unnecessary. I already know how much you love me from yesterday and last night. You saying all that lovey-dovey junk is just pointing out what I already know."

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Are you ready for the finals? I mean, I know I don't let you come out and duel as much as I used to, but with Mirage being crazy lately, you're going to have your hands full keeping her at bay during the duels. Are you prepared for that?"

"For you, I am prepared for anything."

Carrie chose not to point out what a corny line that was and only acknowledged it with a roll of her eyes. "I just hope we get Marik out of the finals quickly. He's guaranteed a spot there since all the evil scum of the earth manage to wriggle their way into these competitions. If we don't take him out, he might end up hurting people. More people, I mean. He's already hurt so many. And with so many of our friends in the finals with us… I don't even want to think about what he could do to them."

"Our friends are strong opponents. They could face Marik and take him down…Possibly. But I wouldn't worry about them."

"Fine. Leave all the worrying to me then. I know they're strong and they all made it to the finals of the Duelist Kingdom Tournament, but it's not the same as it was then. There is an evil in Marik that is growing with every passing second. I believe it's even stronger than the evil that was within my uncle when we faced him in our duel. You remember what happened to me…If it wasn't for you being inside of me, I would have lost that duel and then where would we be? If this evil in Marik is indeed stronger than Pegasus, then I can't help but worry what could happen to everyone that made it to the finals. Whoever faces Marik…They're going to be hurting and lost if they manage to win."

"…There are always casualties in the battle of good against evil."

"I know…I just wish those casualties weren't my friends that are caught in the crossfire."

Carrie sighed and stood up. She would need to get going if she wanted to meet her friends and head for the 'secret' location of the finals. She, Mai, Yugi, and Joey were all going to be participating in the finals. Unfortunately, so was Kaiba. The other three finalists were unknown to Carrie, but she did know that at least one of them was Marik. The other two could be anyone under the blue moon. But they would fall to the decks of the known finalists…Wouldn't they?

The blonde shook her head. _This is no time to be doubting the abilities of your friends and Kaiba...and yourself, _she thought. _Every one of them is a great duelist. You know this from the last tournament you were in. Kaiba almost defeated Pegasus even though your uncle had that Eye. Mai was good and only failed to make it to the final duel because Yugi defeated her. Joey defeated Bandit Keith and gave Yugi a run for his money. And there's no questioning Yugi's dueling skills. You faced him and he would have beaten you had it not been for Mirror Force. And you...You're the freaking Queen of Games. You didn't get that title for being a niece of the creator of Duel Monsters. You had to work for it. So it stands to reason that Marik and the other finalists will not stand a chance against you and the others...And that you will keep your title of Queen of Games._

"Carrie! The foreign exchange students are here asking for you!" Jessica exclaimed from somewhere downstairs.

She had almost forgotten about the mummies because of everything that had been going on lately. This brought up the question of whether or not any of them had made it to the finals. The more people fighting for good in the Battle City finals, the better. Carrie had her hand on the doorknob and was about to open it when Yami cleared his throat, catching her attention again.

"I wouldn't go downstairs just yet. There is something showing that I do not believe you would want your Guardians to see," Yami stated.

Carrie glanced down at her outfit. She hadn't bothered changing out of the clothes she had put on after nearly drowning yesterday. Her shorts were fine. The same could not be said for her shirt. Somehow it had been torn straight down the middle, exposing her bra. It definitely hadn't been that way when she had lost consciousness last night. So how…?

"You wouldn't happen to know how this came to be, would you?" Carrie asked Yami.

The spirit shook his head. "Do not look at me. I had nothing to do with it."

She sighed. "That must mean Mirage managed to get control of my body last night while we were…distracted. I just hope she didn't do anything too nasty." Just thinking about what could have happened made Carrie shudder. "Damn. This means we can't be together at night anymore. Thanks a lot, Mirage."

The dark spirit inside of her just snickered, making Carrie's stomach churl.

Carrie quickly tossed the torn article of clothing into the trashcan and put on a different shirt, not even caring about what Yami might have seen because she was in a hurry. She put her shoes on and was out of her room in the blink of an eye. Her Guardians were seated in the living room with Jessica, who was still in her pajamas and watching some cartoon that looked like it was meant for younger viewers. Rath was the first to notice Carrie's entrance, as always.

"Hello, Mistress," he greeted with a small smile.

"Hello, Rath," Carrie said, mentally cursing him for calling her that in front of her sister but smiling to cover up her dismay. She turned her attention to Jessica. "Where's Mai?"

"She already left," Jessica replied. "Said something about wanting to get this tournament over with as soon as possible. Took the car. Guess you'll have to walk."

"Don't you have somewhere to be right now? Like school?" Carrie wanted to know.

Jessica shook her head without looking away from the TV screen. "Kaiba had the school closed until his stupid dueling tournament is over with. You know, since so many kids are participating in it and stuff. He didn't want to have good duelists miss out just because of some retarded school work. So no school for me until you fight for your title and kick some major ass."

"Well, can you please go upstairs and get dressed? I need to talk to these guys without you eavesdropping," Carrie remarked. "And no more TV for you. You watch way too much of it. And this show is for preschoolers. You're almost fifteen, for God's sake. Grow up."

"You don't have to make fun of me just because I'm still in touch with my childhood!" Jessica growled before heading for the stairs. She made a big scene of it all by stomping all the way to her room and slamming the door after getting there.

Carrie sighed and turned the television off. Sometimes, it was really hard to be a big sister. But at least it was better here than it ever was back in NYC. And at least Jessica could still be a kid. She didn't have the whole world depending on her to keep evil from taking over. Carrie couldn't say the same thing.

"Rath, please never call me Mistress in front of her…Or anyone else for that matter," Carrie murmured, sitting on the couch beside him. "Jessie doesn't know about any of this mystical crap, and I'd prefer to keep it that way."

"Of course. My apologies," Rath said.

"So did any of you make it to the finals?" Carrie asked.

"We all had two locator cards," Armon told her. "But then we realized there was no one else to duel…So we decided it was better if at least one of us made it to the finals. So we dueled each other. Ja-Kal beat us all. He'll be in the finals with you to protect you from this Marik guy that tried to kill you and Yugi and Tea yesterday."

"How did you know that? You weren't there when that happened," Carrie pointed out.

"Tristan told us when we ran into him last night," Nefer-Tina explained.

"Will the rest of you be coming with us to the location of the finals?"

"Is that allowed? Seto Kaiba said that only those who collected six locator cards could go there," Ja-Kal put in.

"Yeah, but who really listens to that windbag? My friends always manage to get around the rules. I'm sure he can deal with these guys tagging along, too," Carrie told him. "And Kaiba likes an audience when it comes to winning duels. You'll just have to be careful not to get on his bad side."

"Does Seto Kaiba even have a good side?" Nefer-Tina wondered with a smirk.

"If he is the same man as he was in his past life, it's highly unlikely," Rath commented.

Carrie was aware from having been in the museum that Kaiba had a past life from the time that Yami was a Pharaoh, but she didn't want to really know about him. It would remind her of things she did not want to remember…Like of whom she had been in that time. Iris, sorceress and the Nameless Pharaoh's friend-turned-lover in the end that had died shortly after Yami sealed himself in the Puzzle to save Egypt. Carrie still didn't like Iris despite being the girl reincarnate—it was only natural for her to hate her boyfriend's ex—and she just wanted to forget that that girl had ever existed.

"Let's just go now. My friends will be waiting for me, and the longer we sit here talking about a past that doesn't matter anymore, the longer they'll be kept waiting," Carrie muttered.

The mummies took the hint and went outside into the Volvo they had bought with Carrie's money without permission awhile back. There was no room for her inside, and she was fine with that. She didn't feel like riding with them now since they had brought up facts about their time. She just told them to go on ahead. Once they were out of sight, she took out her cell phone and called up Tristan. Normally at this time, he would have been groggy and still half-asleep. But not today. He was wide awake when he answered. She asked him if he might be able to swing by her place to take her to the place the gang was supposed to meet. Of course he said he would. So she sat on the front steps and waited for him to show up on his motorcycle.

And while she waited, she looked up at the sun and blue sky and thought of her doubts.

Carrie had many doubts about many things. A new doubt had arisen after the events of yesterday when she was possessed by Marik and forced to duel her best friend and her boyfriend. Could she really face someone who had that kind of power over her? Would she be able to defeat him when she wasn't even able to fight off his minions? And what if he decided to use the Millennium Rod on her or her friends again? Would she be strong enough to break through the ancient magic? And if she did become his mind slave again, would her friends think it so, or would they think it was her own words like they had when she first was controlled by Mirage? She hoped not. She didn't want to lose her friends for something she was not in control of. And she definitely didn't want her body to hurt her friends.

And her doubts didn't stop there. She doubted her relationship with Yami even though he had made it clear that he loved her for who she was now, not who she had been five thousand years ago. But she couldn't help but remember how much she looked like Iris when Ishizu had opened the sorceress's sarcophagus. That girl was perfectly preserved by magic and looked like she was just asleep. But she was dead. And yet Carrie couldn't help but remember the emotion that flashed across Yami's eyes when he saw his dead love still looking the same as she had when he had last seen her. Iris had been his first interest all those years ago…Perhaps it wasn't fair for Carrie to judge him for that. A person's first love always has a special place in their heart. But it wasn't every person that had a girlfriend who looked exactly like their first love, either. Who did Yami truly love more, her or Iris? Carrie would never know.

Mirage was the biggest source of her doubts. That dark spirit caused way too many problems when she seized control of Carrie's body. She murdered, she insulted, she flirted, she hurt, she lied, and as of last night, she did questionable things. All of those were done with unauthorized use of a body that was not Mirage's for the taking. Carrie always knew she would have trouble keeping the dark spirit from taking over. Hell, even the almighty Uria had trouble keeping Mirage where she belonged. But now it was becoming too hard. Could Carrie stop her from getting crazy when she dueled in the finals? Or would Mirage take over and kill everyone before Carrie could get control again? There would be so much blood on her hands if that happened. Would Carrie ever be stronger than Mirage? She didn't think so.

Carrie could never live the life of a normal teenage girl, could she?

She doubted it would ever be possible.

Tristan pulled up a minute later before she could doubt herself any further. She was glad that Yami had heard nothing of her mental ramblings. If he had, he would have given her a lecture that was meant to be a pep talk but would just bore her. Carrie was going to keep her doubts to herself this time. It was better not to worry her friends or get them on her case. Even Tristan would know nothing of them. She took the spare helmet he held out to her and climbed on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist so she wouldn't fall off. He took off down the road towards the place they were to meet the rest of the gang.

When they arrived on the scene, Joey was arguing with Serenity. Carrie didn't understand why the little brunette girl was there. It wouldn't be safe for her when they met with the other finalists, considering that Marik was going to be showing his face there. Joey had the same mindset—he was trying to get her to go home or head to Carrie's place. But Serenity was as stubborn as her brother. She didn't want to leave because she wanted to support him. The others were just standing there, watching them or engaged in their own conversations. Mai wasn't with them, so Carrie assumed the blonde woman had already used the locator cards to find where she was supposed to go and left for that place.

"It's not safe for you to be supporting me! That guy that hurt Carrie and Yugi might come after you!" Joey shouted.

"So what? I can handle him! And I want to support you! With this evil guy around and your dueling skills, you need all the support you can get, Joey!" Serenity shot back.

"Serenity, I can't believe you just said that! You know I have great dueling skills! I was the second runner-up at the Duelist Kingdom Tournament! I don't need any support to win!" Joey exclaimed.

"Yeah, all you need is a whole lot of luck," Tea muttered.

"I wouldn't say that, Tea. Joey does have a lot of great cards in his deck," Carrie put in, making her presence known. "Even though he lost Red Eyes, I still say he has a pretty good chance of coming out of this tournament on top…or really close to the top. Who knows? He may even end up beating Yugi this time around."

"I wouldn't count on that," Yugi said with a smile. "My deck has gotten stronger, too, you know."

"I'm aware. I was just trying to make Joey feel better," Carrie told him. "So what's keeping you guys here? You know you could have gone on to the location of the finals without me since I have my own set of locator cards."

"We know that. But friends wait for their friends to show up," Tea remarked. "And these two Wheeler kids have been arguing ever since they came here, so we wanted to stick around to see if it escalated into a full-fledged fight or not. If it did, I bet that Serenity would win."

"Serenity, you know you shouldn't be out here. It's too dangerous where we're going. We don't want anything to happen to you," Tristan pointed out as he came over to the young brunette's side. "Joey doesn't want to lose you again. And I don't want to lose you at all. So why are you fighting so hard to go in the path of danger?"

"I just want to be there for my big brother…," Serenity whispered, lowering her eyes.

Joey pulled his little sister into a hug. "I know you do. And you will be. You have been there for me ever since I started dueling. You're the reason I do duel. You don't need to be at my side to be there for me. You're always there for me, whether you know it or not. Okay?"

"…Okay. Fine. I'll stay back," Serenity murmured. "But the next time you're in a dueling tournament and you make it to the finals, I get to come. Got it?"

Joey grinned. "Yeah, I got it."

"…My sister Jessica is home today. She has nothing to do…But if you would like to meet her and get to know her, I'm sure she wouldn't mind," Carrie put in. "She is the same age as you. I'm sure you guys could become friends in time. Not that I'm saying you have to."

Serenity glanced at her with a smile. "I'm sure that we'll be friends."

"Just a word to the wise…That girl has a crazy obsession with kid shows and Twilight," Tristan warned, shuddering as he recalled having to watch that horrible movie with Jessica the previous night.

At this, Serenity just laughed. "I think I can deal with that. Twilight's not that bad. And we all have our childish moments. Joey still watches Sesame Street sometimes."

The gang looked at Joey with a sweat-drop, and the blonde boy just looked horrified.

"Anyway, I'll be going now," Serenity said quickly, pulling out of her brother's arms. "Good luck with your tournament and beating the bad guys. I'll see you guys later."

"…Sometimes…Sometimes it really sucks to have a little sister," Joey grumbled as his sister ran off in the direction that Tristan and Carrie had just come from.

"Yeah, but it's great the rest of the time," Carrie agreed.

* * *

The locator cards, once put in all of the Monster card slots and the Field Spell one, led the gang to a very, very tall building. They took the elevator all the way to the top where Kaiba and the other finalists were waiting for them. Mokuba was standing with his brother, and Carrie was slightly surprised to see Alyssa was there as well. Slightly. Alyssa and Kaiba were friends for some strange reason, so it didn't take her offguard that the well-known niece of Pegasus was there to support the cold-hearted jerk. Carrie did a head count of the finalists and was surprised to final that ten people—not eight like Kaiba had said—were fitting that position. How the hell had that happened?

The finalists that she did know were herself, Yugi, Joey, Mai, Ja-Kal, Kaiba, Bakura, and Ishizu. She was surprised to see the last two people here. Ryou had been in some tiffs lately that put his health in jeopardy—probably because of Thief Bakura—and he had been in the hospital. But he didn't look ill or weak right now…Maybe he was better? And Ishizu, dressed in something a bit more Egyptian with a hood over her head, didn't strike Carrie as the type to duel. Perhaps the girl shouldn't have judged people based on appearances…That always seemed to get her in trouble. The other two finalists Carrie didn't recognize, but both looked equally likely to be the evil Marik. One was taller than the other and both were cloaking their identity so no one could get a good look at their faces. Suspicious…

A giant airship was docked at the top of this very tall building. It seemed the Battle City Tournament would not be concluded on the ground. Kaiba sure knew how to mix up the traditional with modern technology, didn't he?

"Only finalists are allowed to pass this point," Kaiba grumbled when he saw all of the people that weren't finalists at this place.

"Well, I guess that means you have to tell Mokuba and Alyssa goodbye," Carrie remarked, crossing her arms. "Neither of them participated in this contest, so there's no way that they could be finalists…Unless you pulled something unfair. It wouldn't be the first time. And you lied. You said there'd be eight of us, but I count ten with duel disks and locator cards."

Kaiba glared at her. "I miscounted. And you have no right talking to me like that. I say who comes on that ship because I'm the host. Alyssa and Mokuba are welcome. Your little friends are not."

"I'd like to see you tell them that," Carrie grumbled. "There's five of them and only one of you. And most of them are tons stronger than you will ever be. Face it, Kaiba. You can't get around it."

Kaiba looked ready to snap, but Alyssa interjected. "Oh, just let them come along, Seto. They won't hurt anything. And besides, it wouldn't be fair if you let me and Mokuba come but no one else. Carrie is the Queen of Games, after all. You can't deny her this."

"She won't be the Queen for much longer," Kaiba muttered.

"That's what you think," Carrie murmured under her breath.

And so the finalists boarded the airship, doomed to face evil and Kaiba for who knows how long. If they would still be sane when they touched down again is yet to be seen.

* * *

_A/N: A kinda short first update after taking a break for over a month. What did you think? Please tell me. Also, if you are interested in Mirage, I have written a one-shot story about her called **Creation.** If you get bored, you should check it out. Thank you for reading! Have a nice day!_


	38. 38 - They're on a Blimp

_A/N: I've kept you waiting, and I apologize. I just finished my first full week of school as a sophomore, so I haven't really had time. But here is another chapter. I'm going to have to wing it because the TV lied—it said **Yu-Gi-Oh** would be back, but it's still showing **5D's**. I don't have a problem with that show...It's just that I want to see its predecessor. But anyway, please read on._

* * *

Chapter 38

The airship looked huge on the outside, but it seemed even bigger on the inside. There were rooms for everyone onboard to stay in, since this tournament wouldn't be concluded so quickly, and there was even an area dedicated to medicine in case anyone fell ill. Kaiba sure thought of everything. Carrie just hoped he remembered to give this thing a full tank of gas before it took off. She had a fear of heights and things in the air because she always feared she would fall…

She felt the floor underneath her feet shake and tightly grabbed onto the closest thing to her. Her stomach had already started doing flips and somersaults the moment the airship had taken off. Being in the air always had this effect on her—when she came on the plane to Domino City to work for Kaiba, she had been forced to knock herself out with pills to keep from having a breakdown on the flight. Kaiba probably knew of her phobia and that was why he decided to host the finals in the air.

_That bastard..., _Carrie thought bitterly, cursing him under her breath as she fought to keep her stomach contents in her stomach.

"Are you okay, Carrie?" Joey asked as he had noticed the green tint in her face and how uncomfortable she seemed.

"What? Yeah…I'm fine. Just fine," Carrie lied, trying her best to look fine.

"Then why are you holding onto Tristan so tightly?" Joey wanted to know.

Embarrassed, Carrie quickly released her taller friend. They had been walking down a hall to get to their rooms when her phobia became this strong…She hadn't even realized that she had grabbed onto Tristan until Joey had pointed it out. Her phobia took over completely just like Mirage. She couldn't think straight or anything. How was she going to duel if she couldn't even walk without having to grab onto her friend for support?

She thought she felt the airship surge again and had to lean against the wall to keep from projecting digested food all over the place.

"Carrie, what's wrong?" Tea demanded. All of her friends had stopped and were looking at her with concern now.

"…It's nothing, really. It's just…I'm afraid of heights and being on flying objects in the air…," Carrie told them. "…Feel like I'm…about to fall…or that this piece of crap is going to wreck and…we're all going to die."

"Did that jerk Kaiba know about this? If I see that bastard, I'll teach him to put you on something high up in the air!" Tristan growled.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Yugi asked.

Carrie shook her head. "The only way I can think of is to knock me out, but with this being a tournament and not just a flight, I don't think that will work so well."

"There's no way you can duel like this," Bakura remarked. "You can't even walk down a hall, let alone focus. If Kaiba did set this up, then he was playing unfairly just to regain the title of top duelist. What are you going to do, Carrie?"

She was at a loss. Just a couple of hours ago, she was ready for this tournament. She wanted to take down Marik so his evil would be stopped, beat Kaiba down, and win this thing so there'd be no doubt who was on top when it came to dueling. Sure, she had had doubts, but she was ready nonetheless. But now…She was in the air and encompassed by her fears. Vomiting seemed to be the only thing her body wanted to do, and she was fighting that urge so that Kaiba wouldn't get on her case. Dueling would have been hard enough without her phobia…Now it would be impossible.

Carrie's legs gave out, so she just fell into the seated position with her back leaning against the wall. There was a way she might be able to get away from this. She could let Yami take over and win this tournament all on his own. But if he was in control of her body, then who would keep Mirage from finding a way to take over herself? Yami was strong, but that dark spirit might be stronger. Could she seize control when the Nameless Pharaoh was the one in command of her body? Carrie didn't know, and she really didn't want to find out.

"…I don't know, Bakura," she admitted quietly. "I guess…I guess I'll just tell Kaiba I'm out. You know…Drop out of the competition so I can just get drugged up. Then I'd be unconscious until this thing touches down again. And I wouldn't throw up on everybody. It's a win-win situation for everyone."

"No it's not. At least not for you," Mai pointed out. "You've worked too hard to get here. You've been through so much. You can't give up now. I'll get myself kicked off this thing by making Kaiba ground this before I'll let you give up. You're the Queen of Games, for Kami's sake! I'm not going to let you give in just because that pompous jerk used your weakness against you."

"Yeah, and who will take down Marik if you're out? You're the only one who could possibly have that chance," Tea stated.

"Not true. Everyone that has made it to the finals in the name of good can take him down. So what if I defeated Pegasus? He wasn't that hard…And it wasn't even me that took him out. It was Yami. And Rich Boy came pretty damn close to beating him on his own. Marik might be a little stronger than my uncle was, but I'm sure you guys can beat him without my help," Carrie claimed.

"So you're just going to let Kaiba get that much closer to taking your title? That's the whole reason he's done this, to get at you. Are you going to let him win? Are you going to let him best you?" Joey demanded.

Carrie lowered her eyes. "What other choice do I have?"

The airship moved again, and this time Carrie couldn't stop herself. She turned her head away from the others so they wouldn't see what spewed out of her onto the floor to her side. None of it got on her in any place, but she had made a mess on Kaiba's fancy-smancy airship. She knew she would never hear the end of it even though she had an excuse.

"…Guys, I think we should listen to her," Yugi put in, having trouble keeping his food down now. "She obviously isn't feeling well…And well, it's not like some of us can't beat Kaiba ourselves. We can't force her to go through with this sickness just because of a stupid title and someone who thinks he's evil. We should consider what's best for her right now…Not what we want to be best for her."

At least Yugi got her.

"…I'll go get Mokuba and let him know what is to be with Carrie," Nefer-Tina murmured, disappearing down the hall to locate the younger Kaiba brother.

"The rest of us should give her some space so she is not so self-conscious about her condition," Bakura said. "Only a couple of people should remain with her for safety's sake, but it isn't necessary for us all to surround her."

"We'll stay with her," Armon volunteered, meaning himself and the other two mummies.

"I will, too," Bakura stated quietly. The sight of puke made him feel sick, but Thief wanted to stay, so he had no choice. Something had happened last night, of that he had no doubt, between his dark spirit and the one within Carrie. His first clue had been waking up in the graveyard without a top of any kind. He had to hurry home to get dressed and make it here in time. He was afraid of what might have happened between Thief and Mirage…Though it didn't look like those two had made it too far. But Carrie was his friend, regardless. Thief might have been worried about her for different reasons, but Ryou was just concerned because she was his friend and he didn't want anything bad to happen to her.

Carrie gave the slightest hint of a nod before her eyes flitted over to her other friends. Tristan and Yugi both looked like they wanted to stay, but they also looked like they wanted to be sick because of the projectile from her stomach. They were such good friends…But she really didn't want to put them through the same battle she was already enduring. She told them that; they tried to act like they were fine, but they were as convincing as a watermelon was purple. After a little bit of debating, they finally agreed to leave. They reluctantly headed off in the same direction that Tea, Joey, and Mai had already gone.

The blonde girl sighed, closing her eyes to the world as she wished she could just go to sleep. It wasn't that easy, not when she felt like she was going to fall any minute now. She was surprised that she wasn't in hysterics yet. Maybe it was fear of being humiliated by Kaiba that kept her other phobia from progressing that far…She didn't know. All that she knew was that she wasn't going to last much longer without being drugged.

"…You guys sure got screwed this time around, didn't you?" Carrie remarked quietly, glancing at her Guardians.

"Pardon me?" Rath obviously didn't understand the context of her words.

"I mean…I have a lot of problems and you guys were unfortunate to be stuck with me," Carrie explained.

"You're not that bad, Carrie," Armon assured her. "Iris had her fair share of issues. No one has nothing wrong with them. Trust me."

"No one is perfect," Ja-Kal agreed.

"Perfection is in one's flaws," Bakura murmured.

"Then…I must be real perfect…with all the damn flaws I have," Carrie grumbled, pulling her knees to her chest and moving into the fetal position when she felt the ship shake again. She felt the vomit at the back of her throat and the smell of what she had already tossed up was not helping any, but at least laying on the floor stopped her feeling of nausea a little. "Severe anger issues…A dark ancient spirit…Abusive parents…Bad past…Phobia of heights and being on anything that moves in the air…Low self-esteem… The list of my flaws is endless. If perfection really is in one's flaws…Then I must be one of the most freaking perfect people on the face of this planet."

"There are people worse off than you. You should focus more on the positives in your life than the negatives," Rath stated.

"Oh, stuff it. I'm human and I have the right to whine about the bad things in my life," Carrie growled. "…I bet Iris never had it as bad as me."

"You and Iris are not as different as you may think," Ja-Kal told her.

"I've seen her. We are nothing alike past our looks," Carrie muttered.

"What you saw of her in the vision Ishizu showed you was just a glimpse of the person Iris was. You did not see who she really was like we did," Ja-Kal said pointedly. "She had her flaws about her. She wasn't one to get mad, but if you did make her so…Well, let's just say you did not want to see her angry. You already know she had a dark past, being one of the two survivors of the slaughter of her village. She was also afraid to be in the air, but in our time, that was a minor thing. And she never was truly happy about anything, let alone herself. When Priest Mahado was tutoring her in magic and she failed, she was always so hard on herself. And she was always doubting herself no matter how strong she became or how much praise she received. She could never be satisfied."

"Just like you, Mistress," Rath added.

Carrie had looked away from those two as soon as Iris was brought up. She hated that woman, and they knew it. Yet they still spoke of her in her presence. The blonde understood that they had been Iris's Guardians and were close to the dead girl, but they should have known better than to speak of her around Carrie. Ja-Kal, of all people, should know that. She had told him often enough when they would speak alone. And Rath…She had admitted to him long ago that she hated to be compared to that sorceress. But still he did so. At least Armon and Nefer-Tina weren't so thick-headed when it came to that subject.

_If I hear one more word about Iris, I'm going to lose it, _Carrie thought bitterly.

And Rath just had to open his mouth.

He mentioned something about Iris learning a spell—Carrie hadn't bothered to listen to all that he was saying even if it was directed at her. Just hearing her name set Carrie off. Bakura saw the anger rising in her emerald eyes, but it was too late to warn Rath. A woman's mouth was much faster than any man's could ever be.

"Stop talking about that bitch already!" Carrie snapped, unable to control her language. "She doesn't fucking matter anymore! She's dead! She died because she couldn't live without Yami even though he never really acknowledged her in life! Iris was so stupid! I don't give a damn about her or who she was or anything! And I'm not fucking like her, so stop fucking comparing me to her! All I have is her damn spirit and her damn curse! So stop spewing all this shit at me about the past because I DON'T CARE!"

And then she turned her face away from them and threw up again in the same place where she had vomited before.

Armon glanced solemnly at his fellow Guardians, who looked a little shocked at her outburst. He knew Carrie was bordering hysteria with her phobia taking over, but he also knew that she hated it when Iris was spoken of when she was present so her outburst could not just be blamed on her ailment. Rath and Ja-Kal were aware, too, but they had been too fond of the sorceress to give up talking about her. It wasn't that Armon wasn't fond of Iris—she had given him his golden arm in life after he had lost his real arm in a battle and for that he could never repay her—he just knew where the boundaries were. Carrie was not Iris and she never would be. If she didn't want to hear about her past life, then he wouldn't speak of her.

"I suggest that you guys give her some space," Armon told them, their well-being in mind as well as Carrie's. "It would be the wise thing to do."

"For once, you are right, Armon." Rath sighed. "If you need us, we shall be in the rooms our host has given us."

"No one needs you," Carrie hissed vehemently as Rath and Ja-Kal left her.

"Breathe, Carrie. It will help to calm your anger and alleviate some of your pain," Armon told her.

She didn't look at him, but she did follow his advice. He had never spoken much about things she disliked in front of her, so she had no reason to be angry at him. The only good that had come from her anger was it took her mind off of her phobia. The rest was just bad.

Armon sat down across from her while she breathed to calm herself. Bakura sat on the side of her where she hadn't vomited. They were both wondering what was taking Nefer-Tina and Mokuba, but they said nothing about it. Any word might be misinterpreted by Carrie, so they had to be careful. Wait for her to speak before saying anything themselves. It was the wise thing to do.

She managed to calm down and murmured an apology. "I…I really shouldn't have said those thing to Rath and Ja-Kal. How will they ever forgive me…?"

"I am sure they understand and are not bitter with you, Carrie. Everything will be fine," Armon assured her with a smile. "Your Guardians have heard worse. They should also know better by now than to cross the boundary into the hated topic of yours. And they say that I have a thick skull…"

"Armon, why don't you ever talk about her?" Carrie asked suddenly. "I mean, you do talk about her, but not as much as those two. Why is that? Didn't you praise her, too?"

"Of course I did. But she is dead now, Ra bless her soul. She does not matter so much in these times as she did back then. I really just want to focus on the important things of this time and not dwell on the past. And I do not wish to arouse your anger, Carrie. Speaking of Iris in front of you displeases you, so I don't do it," Armon explained. "Nefer-Tina has the same mindset. That fool Rath just can't move on from the past, and Ja-Kal…Well, he just slips up every now and then."

Carrie managed a small smile despite the pain her stupid phobia was causing her. "Thank you for being such a good friend, Armon."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for."

"So, does Bakura look familiar to you at all?"

Armon looked taken aback by her question. "I thought you said you didn't care about the past. That's a point you made painstakingly clear just a few minutes ago."

"Yeah, well…There's this evil spirit that was sealed in the Millennium Ring who's after the other Items. Mirage thinks he's a sexy beast, but that girl is crazy, so I wouldn't believe her. Anyway, I was just wondering if maybe he's from the same time period as the Nameless Pharaoh and if you've encountered him in life."

Bakura suppressed the urge to shudder when Thief snickered at Carrie's statement. The dark spirit seemed thrilled to be seen as a 'sexy beast' by the darker spirit within Carrie. The white-haired Brit did his best to ignore Thief and just focus on Armon.

"Well, now that you mention it, Ryou Bakura does remind me of someone from the past," Armon said after awhile. "But this guy does look a bit different than the King of Thieves he reminds me of. He didn't ever give his name up, but he was after all of the Items. The thief managed to claim most of them and almost destroyed the world before the Pharaoh sealed everything away. Before he was bad, though, he was the other survivor of the slaughter of the village Iris came from. So, in a matter of speaking, the survivors of that village's massacre are both sitting here in front of me."

Carrie had assumed that Thief Bakura was responsible for everything that had gone wrong in Yami's time, but that last bit of information came as a shock to her. That evil jerk was the other survivor of Iris's village's massacre. Was that why he had turned bad in the first place? Was it possible that everything he had done had been because of that one incident at the beginning of his life? She glanced over at Bakura without losing the shocked look. The survivors from that village had come to live such different lives. Iris had become the Pharaoh's best friend, and in the end, his lover while Thief Bakura had become the Pharaoh's worst enemy. Not much had changed over the past five thousand years and this new life those spirits were now living. True, Ryou wasn't against Yugi or Yami like his previous self had been, but Thief was there to make up for that. And Carrie was still close to the Pharaoh in both of his lives…

"Why…Why did things turn out so differently for those two?" The question came out before Carrie realized it.

She expected Armon to answer it, but was taken by surprise when Bakura spoke instead.

"Iris was the only one the guards found when they came to the village. She had been crying loudly since she was nothing more than a baby when everyone was killed," Bakura muttered, though the voice was too dark to really be the good Bakura. "I was left alone while she was taken to the palace to be raised. I grew up alone because they didn't find me. I didn't want them to find me…Not after they killed everyone to create the Millennium Items."

"What now?" Carrie blinked, confused. Killing people to make the Millennium Items?

Thief Bakura's eyes flitted down to her face. "It took ninety-nine deaths for the seven Millennium Items to come into existence. The Pharaoh that was the father of the Nameless Pharaoh wanted to ensure the safety of his kingdom and his newborn son, so he was willing to do anything in order to accomplish that. His brother convinced him to kill our village. A necessary sacrifice, he said. We didn't matter because most of the people in our village were just thieves and murderers. No one would care if we died. It would be a relief with us dead."

In disbelief, Carrie shifted her gaze to Armon. "Is this true?"

Reluctantly, Armon nodded. "It was one of the few things that Pharaoh did that I disapproved of, considering that village had once been my home, too."

"…Thief…If…If they hadn't found Iris…If you hadn't grown up alone, do you think that maybe…things would have worked out differently back then?" Carrie asked even though hearing the way the Millennium Items came to be had unnerved her.

At this, Thief laughed. "Of course they would have. Iris would have been at my side and then we never would have fallen at the Pharaoh's hand. The world would not be in existence today. Evil would have won."

Carrie felt tears in her eyes. She didn't understand why, but she was now pitying the dark spirit inside of Ryou. She somehow felt connected to him and wished there was some way that she could change him. Had Iris ever felt this way back then?

"What if they had found you and raised you in the palace with Iris? What then?"

"The Nameless Pharaoh wouldn't have lived long enough to claim the throne." Amusement shown in Thief's brown eyes as he listened to her every attempt to get a good answer out of him. "Why are you trying so hard to find a righteous path for me? It was my destiny to be the Nameless Pharaoh's enemy. I was meant to be alone."

"But you're not alone anymore, Thief," Carrie stated. "You have a chance to live a new life, a chance to have a new start. What happened to you was more than five thousand years ago. The people responsible for your pain are long dead. What do you have to accomplish by ending the world now? All you would do is end all life…Including that of Mirage. Why can't you try to be good for once? Please?"

The corners of Thief's mouth twitched. "Mirage wants the world to end, too. You already know that. I think your phobia is messing with your head." He sighed. "Listen, mortal. It no longer matters what happened in the past or who I could be. My path has been chosen. So instead of trying to make me change, why don't you focus on defeating me? Once this evil wannabe mortal is down, I will be your biggest threat. Remember that."

Carrie said nothing in response to that because it was then that her phobia chose to kick into full gear. She turned away from him and threw up again for a few heaves. He looked at her with some pity. No one had ever tried to get him to change since his first encounter with Iris, and even she hadn't tried that hard. This mortal was a peculiar one. Did she believe that everyone could be good despite everything she had been through? Was that why Mirage did not want to get on her bad side, because she was kind of attached to Carrie? With the girl's personality and caring behavior, it was hard not to be.

"…It's a pity that you have to drop out of this tournament. I would have enjoyed watching you squirm in your duel against Marik, though I have no doubt you would have won," Thief Bakura remarked as his gaze shifted to the hall that everyone had walked down not too long ago. "Your friends are coming now. You won't make Mirage suffer for much longer."

_Make Mirage suffer? What does he mean by that? _Carrie wondered, but she didn't have enough time to think because just as the evil spirit had said, help came. Nefer-Tina had returned with Mokuba, but for some reason Alyssa and Kaiba had tagged along. The host of this tournament had come to see her? He was probably going to gloat about her not being able to defend her title anymore.

"…Well? What are you waiting for, Kaiba?" Carrie growled. "Aren't you…Aren't you going to boast about how victory is going to be yours now? Laugh at me because I'm so weak I can't even stand to be in the air? Taunt me about this setback? Go ahead…I'm ready for it."

But Kaiba said nothing and there was nothing in his expression to even suggest that he felt like gloating. Carrie found this odd. He was usually boasting about such things. What was different now?

_It's probably because Alyssa's in the room, _she thought as her cousin helped her to stand on wobbly legs. _He doesn't want to insult her by insulting me. If it was just the two of us in this hall, he would have already issued so many condescending remarks, it wouldn't be funny. But it doesn't matter, I suppose. I have complete confidence in my friends. They'll be able to take Marik down and one of them will claim my title. And I'll be fine with that ...Just as long as I get knocked on my ass soon. I really don't want to end up throwing up on Aly or Rich Boy because I'll never hear the end of it._

"…See you guys when this tournament is over," Carrie murmured as she glanced at Armon and Bakura, who were both standing now, one last time. "And Armon, please tell Ja-Kal and Rath that I'm sorry because I won't be able to for a long period of time."

"…I didn't want to win like this," Kaiba muttered.

"Yeah, I know…You wanted to try and humiliate me," Carrie grumbled as she was led past him towards the medical part of the airship.

* * *

Carrie was left waiting in one of the medical rooms while the nurse went to get some tranquilizing drug that would knock Carrie on her ass for the next twelve or so hours. She was curled up in a ball on the hospital bed, hoping that she wouldn't throw up again because that was the last thing she wanted. The taste of vomit was already present in her mouth and she didn't want it to get any more potent. All she wanted was to get away from all of this and hope that Yami and Uria could keep Mirage from taking over again. She didn't have any spare shirts to make up for Mirage being promiscuous this time.

As she waited for the nurse to return, she thought about the duels that were about to take place.

Despite her phobia rendering her very unstable and hardly able to focus, Carrie had been listening to those that escorted her to this room. Alyssa and Kaiba had been talking about the finals along the way while Mokuba just tried to keep Carrie calm so she wouldn't be sick. Her bowing out had thrown off the numbers a bit, but they were going to find a way around the problem…somehow. Her cousin had suggested someone playing in Carrie's place with her deck, saying that it would be like Carrie was dueling only it wouldn't really be her. But Kaiba said that would be breaking the rules. So they were going to randomly choose someone to eliminate right off the bat to make everything even again. The computer would decide that, and then it would decide who would duel who in the first round. She wanted to know who would be eliminated and how the duels would turn out, but that wouldn't be possible as of now.

The nurse came back with a needle in her hand. Carrie wasn't fond of shots, but she was even less fond of the fear she felt while in the air. She didn't even flinch as the nurse stuck the thing into her arm and injected the tranquilizer into her system. A sigh was the only result of this action. Soon, she would be at peace. Just a few minutes longer…

And then Ishizu appeared in the doorway.

The Egyptian woman was told that Carrie wouldn't be awake for more than a few minutes, but Ishizu wouldn't leave. She obviously had something to say, something that she would not be dissuaded in saying. So the nurse left them alone. Carrie wondered what would put her to sleep first—the drugs or Ishizu—as she lay down on the bed. Her eyelids were already starting to feel heavy and she didn't feel so sick or dizzy anymore.

"What do you want to tell me?" she asked tiredly.

"First, I want to apologize for you not being able to participate in the finals. It is a pity that the Pharaoh and you shall not fight for your title," Ishizu replied. "But of course that is not the main reason why I have come here. I wish to disclose some things to you… Things concerning the Pharaoh's past and the evil that is Marik."

"…Why tell me about Marik if I'm not going to be able to fight him?"

The slightest hint of a smile appeared on Ishizu's face. "You don't know that for certain. My brother has a way of…manipulating people into doing what he wants."

At this, Carrie cocked an eyebrow. "Your brother? Marik…He's…"

"Yes. Marik is my brother," Ishizu revealed. "And he has not always been the evil person you have faced in battle. He wasn't so until ten years ago. Being the son of the family that was meant to protect the Pharaoh and the Millennium Items had left him with a yearning to see the outside world. We weren't allowed out of the underground home where we were forced to live. But Marik convinced me and Odion, our servant who was more like a brother than anything, to go out in the morning before our father awoke. Odion stayed behind to cover for us if Father awoke, though we promised to return before then. But Marik got carried away as usual. We returned late to find Father beating Odion. Odion and Marik were always so close…and seeing him in such a state made something snap inside of him. I'm not sure how he managed to get hold of the Rod, but he did and I felt the evil radiating from him. He killed Father and probably would have done the same to me and Odion, but the good in him took over again. The day he turned evil…It turns out the Millennium Puzzle was found by Solomon Muto. We have no idea if the two events are related."

So, Marik had been innocent until circumstances had brought out the evil in him. All of this wasn't really his fault…And his evil might have been linked to the Millennium Puzzle being unearthed. Huh.

"As to things concerning the Pharaoh's past, I thought you should know that all of the Millennium Items are on this airship, along with every Egyptian God Card," Ishizu continued. "Before you ask, yes. That means that Shadi is lurking about. These conditions might grant the Pharaoh visions of his past…And it may have the same effect on you. I am unsure if this will come to pass, but…Consider this a warning since you hate Iris so much."

Carrie thought her heart would stop. So many things were happening now that she was on this airship. Her phobia, bowing out of the finals, losing the title of the Queen of Games, facing evil, and now seeing the past? Would she ever catch a break?

Ishizu turned to leave. "I see that you are about to slip into unconsciousness. I hope nothing befalls you while you are unable to defend yourself. I shall see you when you awaken again. Pleasant dreams, Carrie."

_My dreams won't be pleasant if I remember the past,_ Carrie thought as her eyes closed and refused to open again.

* * *

_A/N: This chapter was pretty much a weird filler. I'm sorry if I disappointed you all by forcing Carrie to bow out of the Battle City Finals, but every hero has a weakness. Hers just happens to be being in the air. Just a heads-up, I'm probably going to focus more on Carrie and less on the Battle City Finals just because she's the main character and the finals won't apply to her as much until Marik really gets involved. Well, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. And please, check out **Creation** for me, will ya? Thanks again._


	39. 39 - Remember Who You Were

_A/N: Once again, I have kept you waiting. It's all the school's fault for giving me homework and keeping me away from the computer for eight hours of the day for five days. But anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy going down memory lane with Carrie and Iris!_

* * *

Chapter 39

The duels were decided quickly by the computer, as was the duelist who would not be participating now that Carrie had bowed out. The duels would be as follows: Bakura vs. Yugi, Kaiba vs. Ishizu, Joey vs. 'Marik', and Mai vs. Mystery Man. The Guardians' actions had been for nothing, but Ja-Kal and the others didn't seem to mind not being able to participate in the tournament. Much like Carrie, they believed the others could take care of Marik and Kaiba just fine.

Bakura's duel was first on top of the airship, and he knew that he would not win because Yugi was not a simpleton like almost everyone else he had ever dueled. Thief wanted things to be played differently, but he was no fool. That dark spirit knew just as well as his hikari that the chances of them coming out on top were about the same as the world combusting spontaneously. But he wouldn't let the odds hold him back. He wasn't afraid of anything, least of all a shrimp with strange hair and eyes that took up half of his face. Even if he had to force Yugi into a Shadow Duel, he would find a way to win.

_You'd better not hurt him, Thief, _Ryou told him as he took his position across from Yugi.

_**I take orders from no one, **_Thief Bakura retorted. _**And I'm evil. I have to hurt people.**_

_It's bad enough you hurt me and do promiscuous actions with my body. You don't have to attack Carrie's best friend, too._

_**Are you really still sore about where you woke up this morning?**_

_I woke up shirtless in a cemetery! Of course I'm still sore about it!_

_**If Mirage's freedom hadn't been put in jeopardy, you could have awoken in a worse position, so stop whining about it.**_

Ryou shuddered just thinking about what Thief had hinted at. _Would you at least not go into the Shadow Realm? My mind and body are weak enough as it is. Going into that dark place might send me into the same place that Carrie is right now. Then how are you supposed to get the other Millennium Items? If my body's out of order, then you will be, too. And I'm sure you don't want that._

Thief sighed. _**Fine. For your sake as well as mine, I'll try to restrain from going into the Shadow Realm. But if that little brat pushes me into a corner, then I have no other choice. I will do what it takes to win and get my hands on the Millennium Rod and the other Items present on this airship.**_

_You'll never take the Puzzle from Carrie, _Ryou thought, but luckily it went unheard by his darker half as the former thief seized control of their body. The good one sighed. _I wish I was unconscious right now and not sharing a body with this malicious numbskull. Carrie is so lucky right now...I wonder what she's dreaming of. With all of the Items on this thing and one being around her neck, I can imagine she might be remembering things left buried in the past for over five thousand years..._

* * *

Carrie was just floating in darkness for awhile, something she didn't mind. She didn't want to remember anything about Iris…Not really. She hated that woman that had been Yami's friend and first/only lover in life. But Ishizu said the conditions would grant her and the Nameless Pharaoh the chance to remember their pasts. The past for him would be good. Her…Not so much. The past in this life sucked, but she would have preferred seeing that again than looking back five thousand years ago to see how Iris had been when she had walked the earth before Yami had died. Couldn't she catch this one little break? Couldn't it be just Yami that saw his ancient past and not her?

Of course not. That would have been too easy.

_She found herself standing at the doors of the very palace that she had seen in her last glimpse into Iris's life, but something was different this time. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Something had changed. Perhaps it was the timing of this place, like this was before her last flashback. This thought was proven to be true when she heard approaching horses behind her. She turned to see about ten soldiers coming towards the doors. At the same time, the doors of the palace opened to allow someone to exit. From the way he was dressed, Carrie assumed he was the Pharaoh before Yami...His father._

_A wail reached her ears when the horsemen came closer, one that sounded like it was coming from a baby. It wasn't a loud shrieking sound...but a much quieter one that made it seem like the baby was just a little scared and feeling alone. The lead horseman dismounted, cradling something in his arm that Carrie couldn't see yet. He approached the Pharaoh and gave a quick bow._

"_Pharaoh, this was the only survivor of the Kul Elna massacre," the soldier told his ruler as he turned the bundle in his arms so the face of the little girl could be seen. "We searched the whole village, but this girl was all we could find. What do you want to do with her?"_

_The Pharaoh's eyes took a shine to them that could only be caused by tears when he heard the news and the little girl's wail. He took the blonde-haired, green-eyed child from the soldier's arms and held her just as he had held his son only a few minutes ago. She stopped crying and looked at him with a trembling bottom lip. She looked to be a few months old, but she would still need a woman to raise her. She was an orphan, and usually he did not care about orphans individually. But her becoming so was due to an action he had taken, so he felt responsible for her now._

"_She shall be raised within the palace," the Pharaoh said. "It is the only way I can make up for what I have done to her and her home."_

_The soldiers knew not to question the Pharaoh's words or actions, not that they would have if they were allowed. They knew why their ruler was taking in this little girl. She wouldn't have been left alone if the Pharaoh's brother had not convinced him to let the village of Kuru Eruna be massacred in order to bring forth the Millennium Items. He was trying to do right by giving her a place in his home. They would never condemn him for it, only admire him for his kind heart._

_The Pharaoh went inside again with the little girl in his arms and headed towards his wife's bedchambers. She was attending to their son, but she did not fail to notice her husband's entrance. He explained everything to her about the little girl, even his guilt about having put her in such a situation even if it meant the protection of his kingdom and his child. Without him even having to ask her, his wife took the child from him and promised to raise her just as if she was their own daughter._

"_What shall we call her, husband?" the wife asked as she laid her sleeping son and the girl in what was the crib of their time._

_A simple name was spoken. "She shall be Iris, for she was the only bud that survived the cruelty of nature and will have the chance to bloom the most beautiful flower."_

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_Iris grew up alongside the Prince, but they were nothing like brother and sister. They were just best of friends and practically inseparable. The Pharaoh did everything within his power to make her life easy—he even granted her privileges that he denied his own son. Iris would tease the Prince about it, but she was always so kind that she rarely took advantage of her special privileges._

_At four, she asked if she could leave the palace and explore the village for a bit. The Pharaoh granted her this, but only with an escort of four guards. He was always so protective of her because he didn't want to risk anything bad happening to her than had already happened. The Prince wanted to come along, too, but he was forbidden. Iris, being the kind little girl she was, promised to bring something home to show him since he wasn't allowed to see even the village right in front of the palace._

_Her escort was Armon(who had both of his arms at this time), Ja-Kal, and two other nameless guards. Nefer-Tina was too young to have been in the Egyptian army at this time and Rath was working elsewhere. Armon and Ja-Kal were young men at this time as well, both in their middle twenties when they took little Iris out of the palace. Her big green eyes and bright smile captured their immediate liking, and they understood why the Pharaoh guarded her so. She slipped her small hand into Armon's much larger one and they led the way into the village._

_Her amazement was endless. She had never seen so many people in one place, and everything she saw them doing amazed her to no end. She asked so many questions about this and that, something that would have gotten any other child scolded. But her guard liked her, so they had no problem answering her questions and experienced no irritation. They actually enjoyed her company. And the villagers were so kind to her, too. She really liked being in the village._

_They were about to return to the palace when Iris remembered her promise to the Prince._

"_I need to bring something back to my friend. I told him I would," Iris told Armon sadly as she felt stupid for forgetting it until the last moment._

"_All right, Iris. We'll find something for you to give the Prince," Armon promised._

_She ran right to the place where she wanted to get the Prince's gift. It was a tailor shop that she had visited before and had spoken with the seamstress. The kind lady was just about to close her door when she saw Iris. She smiled at the little girl, who told her exactly what she wanted. The seamstress went into her shop to look and see if she had it, and came back out a few seconds later holding a dark blue cape that would fit a boy of four years. She handed it over to Iris free of charge...Well, the only cost of it was a hug, which Iris had no trouble giving. Then she ran back towards the palace without stopping for her guards, who just laughed at her enthusiasm and followed after her._

_Iris found the Prince in the throne room with his father and his sister, who had been named Bastet because of her love of cats. He was playing some sort of game with Bastet, but he immediately gave it up when he saw his best friend come charging in. Iris hid her present for him behind her back and told him to close his eyes. He did so. But just before Iris could put the cape in his arms, Bastet snuck up behind her and stole it. Typical mean older sister._

"_Give it back, Bastet! That's the Prince's present!" Iris shouted, trying to get it away from the princess, but the girl was taller and could hold it just out of her reach._

"_My brother doesn't need this. He has his own clothes and could get a much better cape than this trash," Bastet remarked bitterly. "He's the son of the Pharaoh, for Ra's sake. He doesn't need his short little orphan friend to grab things off the street and give them to him. And he doesn't need you, so why don't you go crawl under the dead rock you came from and leave us alone?"_

"_Bastet!" the Pharaoh chided as soon as the words had left his daughter's mouth. "Silence that wicked mouth of yours this instant! Iris belongs here just as much as you do and she was just doing something kind for your brother. Why don't you try to follow her example for once and be kind, too? Now hand over the cape or I shall inflict so much punishment on your backside you shall not be able to sit for a week."_

_Bastet muttered something under her breath before handing the dark blue cape over to her brother. She walked away from sight of the others into a corner and sat down with crossed arms, muttering more inaudible things. The Prince really liked the cape, but Iris was hurting from what Bastet had said. The tears in her eyes were proof enough of that._

"_Do not worry about what Bastet said. She's just jealous because she doesn't have any friends that are as nice to her as you are to me," the Prince stated. "And it may be true that I am the son of the Pharaoh and could get other capes...But none of them would be as good as this one. You know why?" Iris shook her head. "Because this one was given to me by you. That makes it the best cape in the world."_

_Iris managed a teary smile. "Thank you, Prince. You're the bestest friend in the world."_

"_I try," the Prince said casually as she hugged him and he returned the gesture._

"_...Pharaoh," Iris began after pulling away from her friend. "What...What did Bastet mean by me going to crawl under the dead rock I came from? I thought my parents just died and you took me in from the village. Did I come from some other place that's all dead now?"_

_The Pharaoh shot a warning glance in Bastet's direction so she'd keep her mouth shut before looking back at those innocent green eyes of Iris's. "I cannot answer that question right now. You are too young. When you are a few years older, I shall tell you all that you wish to know, all right?"_

"_...Yes, Pharaoh," Iris murmured._

_And then she went off to her sleeping chambers without even saying goodnight to the Prince or the Pharaoh._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_Four years later, he came true on his word. The Pharaoh pulled Iris away from her friends into his private quarters, where he told her everything about where she had come from and why she was brought to the palace. Iris had cried a lot when she heard of Kul Elna's massacre, but she didn't get angry with the Pharaoh for his choices on that day. She was only grateful for him raising her as one of his own and treating her with such kindness even though she was nothing more than a peasant._

_She had other friends than just the Prince now. There was Mana, a rambunctious little brunette who was too hyper for her own good. Then there was reserved little Teana, who was kind unless someone did something wrong in front of her. And finally, there was Mahado, protector of the Prince who was about eight or so years older than they were. He knew magic really well and offered to teach her some. She jumped at the opportunity early on...with Pharaoh's approval, of course. And she was a quick learner._

_Iris loved visiting the village, so she went there as often as she could. This particular day was no different. Armon was chosen to guard her again for the first time in months, as he had been out recovering after receiving his life-altering injury fighting off some would-be invaders from a different nation. She noticed right away that his right arm was gone and frowned._

"_What happened to you, Armon?" she asked, looking intently at the grotesque remains of his shoulder._

"_I was injured in battle protecting Egypt," Armon replied vaguely. He didn't believe a child needed to hear the details of such a gruesome battle._

"_Does it hurt?" Iris touched her own right shoulder, trying to imagine what it would be like to lose one of her limbs._

"_A little," Armon admitted. "But I am a warrior. I can withstand the pain for my Pharaoh. My duty demands it."_

"_But how can you fulfill your duty if you've only one arm?" Iris wanted to know._

"_I am as strong with my left arm as I was before. I will be fine," Armon assured her._

"_...I don't believe you," Iris stated. "So I'm going to do something to make things easier for you. I'm learning magic and I can do anything now. So if I make you another arm, will you accept it and use it? Please, Armon?"_

_Armon tried very hard not to smile or laugh at what Iris said. She was still just a child that believed in the perfect world. She believed she could just create an arm, a task that only the gods of creation could perform, and though he knew she wouldn't be able to accomplish it, he wasn't going to put her down by shooting down her desires. So he agreed to accept the arm she made even if it would never come into being, and then they along with the other three guards went into the village._

_For weeks after that day, Iris stayed within the palace walls in her room. She had collected materials she needed to accomplish her goal—making a new arm for Armon. She knew she could never make a flesh-and-bone limb for him, especially not when she was still just an apprentice where magic was concerned. But she could make an arm out of gold and certain precious stones. All she needed was time and patience. Her friends came calling, wondering why she was always in her bedchambers instead of playing with them, but she never stopped to play while she was working._

"_Come on, Iris. That thing you're working on can wait a few minutes while you come out here with us," Mana remarked, standing in Iris's doorway with the Prince and Teana._

_The blonde smiled and shook her head as she used her magic to start forming another finger for the golden arm. "I promised Armon that I would make him another arm so he could be the same warrior he was before and so he won't hurt anymore. I can't keep him waiting any longer than necessary. Sorry, friends. I have to work."_

"_Can't you take even a small break? You've been working for so long...Aren't you tired?" Teana asked as she was concerned about her friend's well-being._

"_A little," Iris admitted. "But there will be plenty of time to rest when this arm is completed. Do not let me keep you from having fun, though. We are just children, after all. Before you know it, these years will be gone and we'll be thrown full force into this cruel world. So do not waste your free time waiting for me. Have fun. Live without me for now, okay?"_

"_Okay...Just as long as you make up for this later," Mana grumbled as she turned on her heel and started walking away. "And it'll take a long time to make up for this, you know! Hours and hours of tag and hide-and-seek and Freeze Play and all my other favorite games! I'll never let you sleep until you make up for ditching us!"_

_Iris rolled her eyes with a smirk at Mana comments before looking down at the incomplete arm in her hands. Teana had followed after Mana, but the Prince was still in the doorway watching her as she formed another part of the finger. She pretended to not notice him for awhile, but she knew that if she left him there for too long, Mana would come back and drag him away by his ear or do something else overly dramatic. So her emerald gaze flickered up to his face. The immediate response to that was his blushing and looking away quickly._

"_Prince, shouldn't you be going with them?" she asked._

"_Yes, but...There is something I wanted to say to you first," the Prince replied. "I admire what you are doing for that warrior. It is a noble deed...and I just want to say...You're going to make a great sorceress someday that the people will truly respect. And you've made a wonderful start filling that position."_

_Iris smiled and felt her face grow a little warm. "Thank you, Prince. That is very kind of you to say. And I know you are going to make a great pharaoh. You already make such a great prince."_

_The Prince's face flustered again. "Yes, well...I've got to go."_

_He quickly left in the same direction that Mana and Teana had already gone off in, and Iris just laughed at his nervous behavior._

_A few days after this, she finished the golden arm and summoned Armon to her bedchambers to present it to him. He felt a little strange entering that place to receive an arm he didn't think would work, but he had agreed to accept it and he wasn't one to go back on his word, especially when it came to this girl. She was sitting on the edge of her balcony with her back to him when he walked in. Her blonde hair was blowing gently in the wind along with the light folds of her dress. She turned her head and smiled at him, and even from where he was standing he could see there was something in her lap._

"_Come here, Armon. I have something to give you," Iris said._

_He came over to her side and leaned against the balcony, not knowing what to say or do right then since he hadn't expected Iris to go so far for him. She lifted the thing out of her lap, struggling a bit to hold it with her strength, so he could see it. He was amazed at her craftsmanship. She had created a golden replica of the arm he had once had, and it looked perfect even if it wouldn't work. He never respected anyone more than he respected that girl for doing something so kind for him._

"_It's not perfect, but it's the best I could do," Iris told him as he took the arm from her with his left hand. "Place it where your right arm was and it shall connect as if it has always been a part of you."_

_Armon didn't know if that part would be true, but he wasn't about to be dubious of a girl that had made a golden arm in a matter of weeks. He placed the part of the arm that was supposed to be connected to his shoulder there, and was a little surprised to feel it doing ...something...up there. He glanced at his injury sight to find that the golden arm had indeed attached itself to him. He flexed his right arm in amazement. Iris had actually done it! She had created him an arm that worked!_

_Iris smiled as she watched the warrior work his new limb. "I'm so glad it works. Now you can't lose it again and you'll still be the great warrior that we know you are. Do you like it, Armon?"_

"_Yes. Thank you for this, Iris," Armon said, hugging her tightly with both arms, though he was careful not to crush her with his new limb. "How can I ever repay you?"_

"_I do not want payment. I just did it out of the kindness of my heart. Just consider it a gift from me that will be with you forever," Iris stated. "Now, if you will excuse me...I have to be tortured at Mana's hand for ditching her and the others while working on your arm. May the gods take pity on me. I'm going to need all the pity I can get now."_

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

"_No! I refuse to do that!" Iris exclaimed, crossing her arms and glaring at Mahado._

"_It's just one spell. Master it this once and I promise you'll never have to do it again," Mahado told her calmly._

"_Humans were not meant to float! If we were, we would have wings!" Iris shouted defiantly. "I prefer to have my feet on the ground, not high in the air! Just thinking about going up there is making my stomach turn!"_

_Mahado sighed, holding his head in his hand. "Why do you have to be so difficult, Iris? Mana and Bastet did this without any complaints. It's not that hard. And I'm only asking you to do it once. It's not like I'm asking you to carry the world on your shoulders or make it rain or anything difficult. Can you not at least attempt to levitate? Just this one time? Please?"_

"_...I can't, Mahado. I'm not good enough...and...I just can't," Iris murmured, shaking her head furiously._

"_You are good enough. If I didn't think you were capable of this, I wouldn't have asked you to do it," Mahado remarked. "Is there another reason you don't want to do this? You can tell me, you know."_

_Iris shook her head. "No I can't. You'll make fun of me. Or you'll just brush it aside and force me to levitate, anyway."_

"_I'm about to do that right now if you don't tell me what is making you hesitate."_

_Iris's eyes widened and she backed away from Mahado. "Please don't! If you do I'll get sick all over the place! You don't want me to throw up, do you? Look, I fear high places and if I go high I get sick, especially if I am not standing on solid ground! There! Are you happy now?"_

"_...You could have just told me that and saved us all this trouble," Mahado pointed out._

"_Well...It's a little embarrassing to admit my weakness," Iris muttered. "...So, can we just skip this part and move on to a different spell? Please, Mahado? For my sake?"_

_Mahado sighed again. "All right, but do not expect me to go easy on you."_

"_You never go easy on anyone. Why would I expect that of you now?"_

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

"_You can't catch me!" Mana shouted as she ran from her friends through the halls of the palace where they were forced to dodge servants and other people. "I'm too fast for you suckers!"_

"_It's not fair! You cheat with your magic!" Teana claimed, struggling to keep up with the Prince and Iris._

"_It's not called cheating! It's called using what you got to get ahead!" Mana told her._

"_Then you won't mind if I do this," Iris said before murmuring something under her breath. A few seconds later, Mana was frozen in mid-run. The only thing she was able to move was her head, though she did try to move the rest of her body. Her pursuers easily caught up to her now._

"_Iris! That wasn't fair!" Mana growled, glaring at her blonde friend._

"_You were doing the same thing, so how is it unfair?" Iris countered. "Do not worry, Mana. You can do the same thing to me soon because I'll be it. Fair enough for you?"_

"_Fine. But you'll regret taking that place. I'm not afraid to use painful spells on you," Mana told her. "...I'd start running right about now."_

"_You won't catch me so easily, Mana," Iris stated as she turned and ran from her friends this time._

_Five seconds after she did so, her spell on Mana wore off and she was quickly pursued by the others. She dodged around a few servants and used her magic to poof out of their sight only to reappear at the end of another hallway. Some would say she was playing unfairly, but they were evenly matched since her pursuers also had a sorceress on their side. Mana could keep up with Iris if she wanted to. And she did, so Iris was not surprised to hear them closing in on her location. She quickly took off again, heading for the doors that would lead outside to a place the Prince was allowed to be._

_She heard Mana casting a spell and maneuvered herself out of the way of an energy blast just in the nick of time. Iris burst through the doors and appeared to keep running straight. Mana and Teana followed her...Or so they thought. The real Iris had turned off to the side of the doors. She had just used a spell to confuse her friends. She stopped to catch her breath when they were out of sight, then she smiled._

"_That was easy," she said to herself with a small smile._

"_Easy for who?" the Prince asked, suddenly at her side._

_She tried to run away, but he tackled her to the ground. They were in a very awkward position when they landed, what with him on top of her and all. Iris pushed against him to try to get him off of her, but he was much stronger since he was a boy and she was just a girl. The Prince just smiled at her feeble attempts._

"_All right, all right! You caught me! Now get off!" Iris shouted. "We're eight years old, for Ra's sake! It is inappropriate for you to be on me like this. Especially since you're going to be the pharaoh someday. You do not want to shame your title, do you?"_

"_There's no one here to see anything, remember? You sent Mana and Teana away," the Prince pointed out, though he was blushing from Iris mentioning their positions._

"_Yeah, but unless you're going to tell me that you love me, get off," Iris growled, trying once more to push him off herself. "My gods, you're heavy. What do your parents feed you?"_

"_I'm all muscle, thank you very much," the Prince told her._

"_You won the game. What more do you want from me, Prince?" Iris demanded._

_He didn't answer and Iris couldn't help but to groan in frustration. Sometimes, the Prince could be so difficult. Why couldn't he just let her go already? Her spell to confuse Teana and Mana would be wearing off soon, and then they'd come back to find them like this. What would she say then? Iris closed her eyes and just waited for something to happen, something that would probably humiliate her for the rest of her life._

_And then she felt something touching her cheek._

_Her emerald eyes flashed open and she was surprised to see the Prince was the one who was touching her cheek...with his lips. Her face immediately grew warm, but she could not find any words to say to him. He pulled back again and smiled; his face was crimson, too. Then he finally got off of her and offered his hand to help her up. She took it reluctantly as she was still in shock from what the Prince had done._

"_Let's leave the others," the Prince said._

"_...But...But they're our friends. That would be rude," Iris stammered, feeling foolish now because of that stammering._

"_They can get over it. And we can always make up for it later," the Prince remarked. "I'm it. See if you can catch me, Iris."_

_And then he was running away from her, going a little slower than he could because Iris was still in a daze. But she found that she wanted to go after him, no matter where he led her and what happened next. She couldn't have explained it even if she tried. Something inside of her wanted to be with him, to follow and trust him with everything she had. So she broke into a sprint after him. With a smile, he sped up to keep ahead of her._

_She followed him even when their surroundings changed into that of a place the Prince was forbidden to go—the village. Her mind made her slow down. The Prince would be in danger out here without a guard to keep him safe. Someone could hurt him out here. She didn't want to lose him because of some feeling in their chests. The Prince noticed that she was no longer running and stopped himself. His questioning gaze was clear enough, but she couldn't be stupid now. She needed to get him back in the safety of the palace walls before someone could hurt him._

"_What's wrong, Iris?" the Prince asked, coming within an arm's length of her._

"_...You...You're not supposed to be out here. We have to...We have to get you back inside now," Iris stated._

"_Why? What's so bad about the village that I can't come here but you can?" the Prince wanted to know._

"_I'm not even allowed out here without guards for good reason. There are criminals and thieves hidden amongst the people, as well as those that would wish harm to the Pharaoh," Iris explained. "You are the Pharaoh's son. Being out here is just asking for someone to attack you. Do you see? This place isn't safe for you. We have to get you back into the palace before someone notices you."_

_But she was too late in warning the Prince. A man with an evil gleam in his eye was approaching the duo, and he had a knife in his hand. Iris quickly moved protectively in front of the Prince to put some space between him and the thief. If he wanted to hurt the Prince, he would have to go through her first._

"_Give up the gold on your person, Prince, and I'll let you and your friend live," the evil man hissed._

"_He doesn't have to give you anything! Now go away before the guards come and get you!" Iris shouted._

_The man just laughed. "By the time the guards find you, you'll both be food for the flies. Unless you give up your valuables, of course. Now do you value your life or your belongings more? Choose wisely and quickly. My patience runs thin."_

_Iris glanced at the Prince over her shoulder. He wasn't showing any fear on the outside, but she could see in his crimson eyes that he was afraid. She needed to get him out of this place...Now._

"_Prince," she whispered so only he could hear. "When I tell you to run...Head for the palace...And don't look back."_

_He was probably going to ask about her, but she didn't give him enough time. She charged at the man and knocked him to the ground before screaming for the Prince to run, which he did without hesitation even though he was very worried about his friend. The man knocked her off of him, getting to his feet again with his knife still withdrawn. He slashed at her with the knife, slicing her right arm wide open. Her scream ripped through the air as she clutched her bleeding wound, reaching the ears of the Prince. When he turned around, she yelled for him to keep going. He was really close to the palace by then, so it wasn't hard for him to get the guards. The man kicked her knees, making her fall to the ground on her stomach. He kicked her again to turn her onto her back and held the blade right at her throat._

_Tears fell from her eyes as she closed them to him. She was going to die here because of some man's insanity and greed. At least she had saved the Prince. At least he was going to be fine. She just hoped he would be able to move on without her in his life anymore... And that her death would be swift._

_Then someone tackled the man that had hurt her, knocking him and his blade away from the girl. She opened her eyes again to see Armon grappling with the evil man...and he was obviously winning. Another guard, a dark-haired blue-eyed female, was kneeling at her side to inspect her injuries. Iris glanced at the doors that led to the palace to see that the Prince was still standing there. His crimson eyes were shining with tears...Was he crying because he thought she was going to die? Iris didn't know, but she couldn't really think now with all the blood that was leaving her. The woman, who she later learned was Nefer-Tina, realized this and quickly lifted her off the ground. Armon had taken care of her attacker by then—the man was never going to get up again—and they ran into the palace calling for help._

_The Prince stayed by her side the whole time she was being led to a healer, still crying. Iris kept telling him that everything would be all right, but her weak voice was anything but convincing...as was her bleeding right arm. Nefer-Tina laid her down on a bed in the healer's room and the Prince still remained at her side. He even sat on her left side on the bed and held her hand. The pain she felt was making her body tremble, but she wouldn't let herself cry anymore in front of the Prince. All she did was keep assuring him that everything would be fine even when she could no longer think and could barely keep her eyes open._

_Armon had gone to get the Pharaoh and Nefer-Tina had to find the healer, which gave the two some time alone to talk without being overheard._

"_I'm so sorry, Iris. This...is all my fault. If I hadn't run out into the village, you wouldn't be...I'm so sorry," the Prince apologized as tears continued to fall from his eyes._

"_It's okay...Prince. I...I...don't blame you. I was the one that tackled the man...He was the one that hurt me. You are just a kid...wanting to have fun. You did one thing wrong... because you did not know any better. What happened to me...was not your fault," Iris told him feebly as she squeezed his hand._

"_Don't talk like that. You're barely older than I am." The Prince closed his eyes for a long time; Iris could only imagine what he was thinking. "...I don't want to lose you, Iris, over something that happened because of my foolish decision. We've grown up together... You are my closest friend. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."_

"_You won't lose me...Everything is going to be just fine. You'll see," Iris tried to assure him, but failed due to her weak voice._

"_How can you say that when you're bleeding to death?" the Prince asked, looking at her again._

"_Because I have faith in everyone in this building...and with everything I have endured thus far...I think the gods will spare me again," Iris replied. "Even if they don't...Just know that I do not regret saving you. You are my prince...and I'd gladly die for you."_

"_Iris, please don't say that. I don't want you to die," the Prince sobbed._

"_...I feel so tired...," Iris murmured as her eyelids started to feel way too heavy._

"_No, Iris! Don't go! Please! Don't close your eyes!" the Prince begged._

"_...Goodbye, my prince," Iris whispered in a barely audible voice. "I love you."_

_Then her emerald eyes closed and she didn't say anything else no matter how much the Prince pleaded._

_: : : :_

_Iris awoke hours later when night had fallen with her arm bandaged and not hurting as much as it had when she had lost consciousness. Hesitantly, she moved herself into the seated position, cradling her injured limb to her body as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She was not alone. The Pharaoh was there with Bastet and the Prince, as well as Armon, Nefer-Tina, and two of the Pharaoh's priests. One was Shimon, a kind old man, and the other was Aknadin, a mean old grump. The Prince was seated on the floor by her bedside...How worried about her he must have been! His crimson eyes immediately lit up when he saw her awake at last, but he restrained from hugging her in the presence of so many others._

"_How do you feel?" the Pharaoh asked._

"_...Dizzy...Light-headed...A little bit of pain...But I shall recover in due time," Iris replied without meeting his gaze._

"_Why were you and the Prince out in the village?" Aknadin demanded. "Whose idea was it to go to such a dangerous place without guards, especially since it is forbidden for the Prince to be out there at all?"_

"_It was my idea," Iris lied before the Prince could speak. "We were playing a game. I was it and I had lost Teana and Mana, but he was still chasing me. So I went to the only place he wasn't allowed to go, thinking he wouldn't follow me anymore. I was wrong. Then that man came up and demanded the Prince hand over his valuables or we would both die...And I protected the Prince so he could get help. It's my own fault that I'm hurt. Do not blame the Prince."_

"_Why would we blame him when you are clearly at fault?" Aknadin shouted. "You stupid little wench! After all the kindness the royal family has shown you, you go and put their only son in harm's way! You should be put on the streets for this!"_

_Iris was struck hard by his words almost as badly as if he had hit her. She hid her eyes in the shadow of her hair to keep him from seeing the tears that were welling up in them again._

"_Don't you think that's being a bit cruel? She's only a child, for Ra's sake! She doesn't know any better!" Nefer-Tina exclaimed._

"_She knows the Prince is not allowed in the village. She led him there. For all we know, she could have been in league with that man and the attack was planned. Things went a little wrong—the Prince managed to get away to get the guards. That's why she was injured, because the man was angry at her for failing him," Aknadin stated._

"_Those are nothing but lies! I heard Iris screaming for the Prince to run!" Armon snapped. "And she is his best friend and would never betray him! She tried to save him and nearly died doing so! How could you accuse this girl of such a thing? You heartless bastard!"_

"_Peace, gentlemen. Peace," Shimon said, coming between the warrior and the priest. "You mustn't fight now. You are in the presence of the Pharaoh. Let him be the judge of all of this."_

"_Fine. But if you're not going to throw her into the streets like she deserves, at least separate her from the Prince. Let her be raised elsewhere to finish her training in magic so she cannot distract your son or put him in danger. She can return when she reaches womanhood and is smart enough to not lead your son into dangerous situations," Aknadin suggested, glaring at Iris who was still looking at the floor._

"_Father, please don't send her away," the Prince pleaded quietly as he looked away from Iris to stare at the Pharaoh._

_The Pharaoh sighed like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I am sorry, my son. But she has put your safety at risk, and though she risked her life to protect you, I cannot risk you being put in that situation again. At sunrise, she will be escorted to a different location that you shall never know and where she will not return until she reaches womanhood. It is for your own good."_

_The only one that looked happy about what the Pharaoh had said was Aknadin._

"_A very wise decision, my Pharaoh," he commented._

"_Oh, be quiet, you miserable hag," Iris hissed, glaring at him with tear-filled dark eyes. "You do not know anything about me. You know nothing of what I've done in life or who I am. You accuse me of wanting my best friend dead and call me a wench. I may not know what a wench is right now, but I do not like being insulted. Just admit that you want me dead, that you never wanted me to be brought into the palace, that you wanted me to die in the empty streets of my massacred village. That will save us all from listening to your stupid comments...And it'll save me from the hurt you inflict upon me every time you open that wicked mouth. You've gotten what you wanted. I'll be separated from everyone I've ever known and my best friend. Can you not stop gloating already?"_

_Aknadin, as well as everyone else in the room, was taken aback by her words. Such a strong statement from a girl only eight years into life..._

"_Leave, priests and warriors. I need to speak with Iris alone," the Pharaoh said before any more words could be spoken by that miserable hag named Aknadin._

_Iris lowered her gaze as the people that were not in the royal family filed out of the healer's room. What was the Pharaoh going to say to her now? She feared that he might rebuke her further for what she had supposedly done...and for what she had said to Aknadin._

"_You covered up for my brother, didn't you?" Bastet asked, though the tone of her voice made it clear that she pretty much knew the answer._

_Her emerald eyes looked at the brunette girl in shock. "How did you-?"_

"_We have been around you for your entire life. We can tell when you are lying," the Pharaoh replied. "You can tell us the truth now. How did you end up in the village?"_

"_...The part about losing Mana and Teana happened, but he wasn't chasing me. It was the other way around," Iris admitted. "He didn't realize how unsafe it was for someone like him to be in the village without guards to protect him until I told him, and by that time, that man had already come at us with the knife. You know the rest."_

"_Figures my brother would be foolish enough to go into the village," Bastet muttered._

"_I'm sorry, Father. I didn't mean for anything bad to happen," the Prince murmured._

"_I know you didn't, but something did. You were told to never go into the village for good reason. I just hope you learned that today," the Pharaoh said._

"_...Do I still have to leave at sunrise even though I did nothing wrong?" Iris wanted to know._

_The Pharaoh reluctantly gave a small nod. "You did nothing wrong, but I believe it would be best to separate the two of you for awhile. I don't want something like this to happen again. Perhaps when you both have matured, you'll be able to think a little straighter so that you don't get hurt like this again."_

_Iris felt like crying again, but she didn't want to do that in the presence of the Pharaoh. "...If that is your wish, then I suppose I have no choice but to follow through with it."_

"_...Go to your bedchambers and prepare yourself for the morning. You shall have a long journey ahead of you," the Pharaoh said. "Son, would you escort her? She may have trouble walking with all the blood she has lost."_

_Without a word, Iris stood. She let the Prince take her hand in his and lead her out of the healer's chambers, never raising her eyes from the floor as she went on her way. In her room was a bag for placing her belongings in—she assumed that Armon had put it there—and she grabbed it with a trembling hand. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to leave the Prince. Something in her chest was aching just from thinking about what life would be like without him. But it was the Pharaoh's orders, orders that had to be followed through to the letter._

_So with tears in her eyes, she went over to her chest of drawers and began putting her few belongings into the brown sack._

_The Prince watched her without saying anything because no words would form themselves through the tears that he was shedding. It wasn't like packing for her was a long process...Even though she had lived in the palace, she had never asked for much and therefore did not own many things to her name. The bag was filled and tied shut much too quickly. Then she looked down at her blood-covered dress. She couldn't wear that wherever she was sent. So the Prince was told to turn around while she changed. When he looked at her again, she was wearing the only white dress she owned...The only one made by seamstresses in the palace out of the best cotton...The one that he had given her._

_He couldn't stop himself from taking her in his arms and embracing her tightly. They were only eight years old, but already they knew what heartbreak was._

_The Prince did not leave her room the rest of the night. He held her in his arms while she lay in her bed for one last night, though the both of them were too sad to sleep. Armon came in to get her when the sun began to rise, and seeing them made tears well up in his own eyes, though he managed to keep them from falling. Iris knew it was time for her to go and pulled on her shoes. Together, she and the Prince walked hand-in-hand towards the doors of the palace where her escort of guards awaited to take her away from everything she had ever known. She hugged her friends and Bastet and the Pharaoh one last time before she turned back to the Prince. She didn't know how to say goodbye to him. So he did it for her. He pecked her on the lips and then hugged her without fear of what the others would think. Then she turned away from him and got on the horse behind Nefer-Tina without looking back as she was taken away from him._

_She didn't want him to see her cry anymore._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_Six long years went by before Iris entered womanhood and was granted the chance to return to the palace. She had changed much in that time. Loneliness could do that to a person. But it wasn't like the Prince hadn't changed, either. They had both matured. Feelings might have changed._

_Iris rode back to the village on a black mare—she had learned to ride on her own while separated from most of civilization—with her guard escort. Ja-Kal, Nefer-Tina, and Armon were amongst them and none of them had seen her since that fateful day when she had been forced to leave. She had grown much taller since then, reaching the height of the average woman. Her blonde hair was long enough that it reached the small of her back, and her once gentle emerald eyes had become hard. Even without her speaking, the change in her personality was obvious. She wore a simple beige dress with the boots of the time and nothing else. No jewelry or head covering or anything._

_The ones she had left behind were awaiting her where she had left them, only they had changed like she had. Bastet had grown to be even taller than Iris, and her hair was just as long—she wore the same outfit the court dancers wore for some strange reason. Mana was about the same height as Iris, with her hair still pretty short, and she was dressed similarly to her blonde friend only with a visor-type thing on her head. Teana was slightly shorter than her female friends, though her hair was just as long as Mana's, and she was wearing a simple white dress. Mahado was nothing new as he had been the one to train her, but he had become a priest and dressed the part...complete with a Millennium Item. The Pharaoh looked a little older, but was otherwise the same. After looking over those people and greeting them, she transfixed her gaze on the Prince._

_He was a couple inches shorter than she was, but his strange hair more than made up for that. His crimson eyes were harder than they had been the last time she had seen him, so it was more difficult to see any emotion there like she used to do. He was dressed more elaborately than he had been as a child, wearing more jewelry than any man had a right to wear. And one of those things he was wearing was the Millennium Puzzle, the Item his father had intended for him as protection._

_They stared at one another for several moments without saying anything, and the whole world seemed to hold its breath._

"_...Hello, Prince," Iris murmured._

"_Hello, Iris," the Prince murmured with a voice that was on the deep side now._

_Awkward silence. Then the Prince took a few steps forward and encompassed her in his arms. She returned the gesture with very little hesitation._

"_You have been away far too long, Iris. This place has not been the same without you," the Prince said. "I have missed you more than words could ever say. Never leave again."_

"_You have my word, Prince," Iris promised. "I shall never leave here again so long as I can help it. I have also missed you more than words could ever say. I have missed everyone more than words could ever say. It was very lonely where I was. There was no one to talk to and nothing to do besides learn magic. So many years left in solitude..."_

"_No longer, Iris. You shall never be in solitude again," the Prince stated, pulling away. "I swear it."_

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_Two years later, the Pharaoh passed away. The Prince took his place, and Iris swore to protect him with her life. By taking this oath, she also took the eye that was on the Millennium Items onto her right shoulder. It was a painful process to have that mark put into her skin, but she had no choice. Bastet had done the same, only her mark was on the opposite arm._

_Iris was able to wander the village without the protection of guards now. She was old enough to defend herself, and she made it her duty to keep the people of Egypt safe. The Prince could not recall how many times she ended up hurt by taking on wicked people who were trying to hurt others. She would keep him informed on the conditions of every village under his rule, but she became too involved with her work. He was always so worried about her big heart, so he assigned four people to keep watch over her whenever she was outside the palace. One of the people had been a priest under Aknadin's control, something that horrible old man hadn't approved of. But he had no say anymore over what happened to Iris's life. He had ruined it enough as it was. He wasn't going to ruin it anymore so long as the Prince, or rather the Pharaoh as he now was, ruled._

_He approached her with her four Guardians when she was out in the palace gardens with one of her pet hawks on her arm. She sent it off and stood to greet her ruler and friend._

"_You need not be so formal to me, Iris. We have been friends much longer than I have been Pharaoh," he remarked with a small smile._

"_Forgive me. It's a habit from when your father was in your place," Iris apologized without meeting his gaze. "Why have you come here, Pharaoh?"_

_She had grown rather distant from him since returning to the palace, but after being separated so long with so many changes have taken place, no one could have expected anything different. Neither was sure if the other still felt as they had when they were children, so they never acted upon their feelings._

"_You have such a big heart and you are always getting hurt for the sake of others. I fear that in doing so you may one day lose your life, so I have assigned these four to protect you whenever you set off from the palace," the Pharaoh explained. "You have met, I am sure."_

"_Of course." Iris gave her Guardians a small smile as she looked upon their faces. Armon, Nefer-Tina, and Ja-Kal were the ones she knew best from her childhood. Rath she had never met before returning to the palace as a woman, but she knew him and was fond of him. And she had pitied him every time she had seen Aknadin pushing him around. At least now he would be free of that old hag's control._

"_Please try not to let yourself be hurt anymore," the Pharaoh said._

"_I never intend to be hurt, Pharaoh," Iris murmured. "It just happens."_

"_Well, don't let it happen," the Pharaoh told her. "For all our sakes."_

_Then he walked off back towards the palace. Iris watched him go until the doors closed behind him before looking at her Guardians again. She wasn't sure yet how she would feel about being followed everywhere she went outside of the palace, but then again, she had been followed before under similar circumstances. At least now she would never be alone like she had been for all those years...And two of these people had tried so hard to keep her from being sent away..._

"_Come. We have work to do," Iris stated quietly as she walked from her Guardians in the direction that would eventually lead her to the village._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_Two years later, he appeared in the palace in the form of a common criminal. Iris had been standing by Mahado's side in the throne room where all the other priests were when the guards brought him in. As soon as she looked at him, she sensed something familiar about him...Like he was from her distant past. But she could never remember that white-haired, brown-eyed man no matter how hard she tried, and yet she could also not shake the feeling that he was connected to her somehow._

_That point became clear when the man admitted he was a thief from the massacred village of Kul Elna._

_Iris's eyes widened as she heard her old village's name being spoken by this criminal that called himself Thief Bakura, and many heads turned her way as they all knew of where she came from. Thief Bakura sneered—he recognized her even if she had just been a baby when they had last seen each other. With that distraction, he managed to escape from the palace without leaving behind any trace of himself._

"_Are you all right, Iris?" the Pharaoh asked, standing up from his throne and coming over to her side._

"_Yes...I...I am fine, Pharaoh," Iris lied, looking down at her trembling hands and wishing her body would stop shaking so much._

"_No you're not. Just look at you. You're quivering like sand in the wind," the Pharaoh remarked. "You are in shock from seeing the only other survivor of Kul Elna become evil. It is all right, Iris. Everything is going to be all right."_

"_I...I need to get some air," Iris said quickly, turning away from the Pharaoh and leaving the throne room._

_She stopped when she came to the gardens of the palace and collapsed to her knees from sorrow rather than exhaustion. All this time, she had believed she had been the only one spared from death that horrible day when the Millennium Items came into being. But then this thief came and claimed that he, too, had been a survivor of that day. Could it be possible? He did appear to be just a few years older than she was...And she couldn't shake that feeling they were connected. Perhaps he just hadn't been found that day by the warriors like she had. Perhaps fate had just played him a bad hand and he had no choice but to become evil._

_Iris picked herself up off the ground and moved instead to sit on a bench in the area, resting her face on the palms of her hands as she looked at the gardens. The foliage the people managed to grow here through an irrigation system was beautiful, but today staring at the beauty did not make her feel any better. She had lived a life of luxury while Thief Bakura had grown up on the streets with thieves. How could the gods cause two people with the same beginning to live such different lives? It didn't seem fair._

_She heard approaching footsteps behind her, but did not need to turn around to know who was there. Her heart contained all the answers to that mystery. Now if only it could answer her other questions in life...Like about Thief Bakura._

_The person sat down beside her without saying a word, and she continued to stare straight ahead as if nothing had changed. Six years of solitude made her always feel alone now even with the company of others. Iris could easily ignore things she didn't want to face. Her heart wanted to face the person, but she was too stubborn to give into her heart like a foolish little girl...Like she had all those years ago when her life had been put in danger to keep this person safe._

"_Iris, please talk to me," the familiar masculine voice said after awhile of sitting with her in silence. "You used to do that so easily back when we were children. You can't have changed so much that you cannot speak with me anymore. Please...Tell me what is on your mind."_

_She sighed and sat up straight, but still did not turn to look at him. "Pharaoh, you could not possibly understand what I am thinking. You wouldn't know the pain of realizing you were not the only one to survive a village's massacre and the only other survivor has turned to darkness. It is not fair that I have lived such a leisurely life when he has grown up in the streets with only thieves to support him. Why was I found that day? Why could it not have been him instead? It would have saved us all so much trouble had things turned out that way..."_

"_Do not say that. Never say that. You have never been any trouble for anyone," the Pharaoh claimed._

"_If that was true, I never would have been sent away," Iris muttered._

"_You know just as well as I do that was my fault for being so ignorant and Aknadin's for suggesting it," the Pharaoh remarked. "Things turned out the way they did because it was the will of the gods. You were destined to be here and Thief was destined to be evil. What has happened cannot be undone. Can you just move on with the future and try to be happy like you once were?"_

"_What I was before is not who I am now, Pharaoh," Iris stated bluntly. "I am not the foolish little girl that followed you into the village or the one that smiled and laughed so often. I have grown, and I cannot just let go of the past when something from it suddenly appears in my life. I knew there was something familiar about Thief Bakura as soon as he was brought in. I am connected to him through our past. I cannot just move on because he has chosen evil. That would be cruel and I would never be able to live with myself if I just gave up on someone. I...I need to speak with him alone."_

_The Pharaoh stiffened beside her. "That man was not brought in for his thievery. He was caught after killing a man in cold blood in front of many people. If he could do that without any trouble, then he would have no trouble taking you out. I shall not allow you to face him, especially not alone."_

"_I'm not asking for your permission," Iris snapped without raising her voice. "I am not a weakling that can easily be killed. Sure I have been injured too many times to count, but that is only because I choose to not use my magic on regular criminals. Thief Bakura is no ordinary criminal. I would not take him lightly. And I will speak to him, whether or not you approve of it. Even if you are the Pharaoh and order my beheading for disobeying your commands, I am going to find him and talk to him. So unless you plan on striking me dead now...You can't stop me."_

_Iris abruptly stood up and walked away from the Pharaoh without saying another word or looking at him even once. She did not care if he followed her or commanded every guard under his control to follow her. She was going to find Thief Bakura...and she was going to speak to him. The Pharaoh could hate her for it later._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_She found Thief Bakura seated on a rock out in the middle of the desert, almost as if he had been expecting her to show up. He greeted her with a small smile as she stopped in front of him. His brown eyes told stories of his evil deeds and no guilt was intermingled with those tales. The way he had been raised had corrupted him; it was more than obvious. But Iris still held hope that she might be able to make him see the light, that she might be able to correct the mistake the former Pharaoh's soldiers had made back when they were searching for survivors of Kul Elna's massacre. Very few people were so far gone unto the dark side that they could not be brought back into the light of righteousness and Iris believed that she might be able to accomplish something with this man._

"_It has been a long time since I've last seen you, Tawaret," Thief Bakura remarked. "What has it been...? Eighteen years, give or take a few? You have matured well, if I do say so myself."_

"_My name is not Tawaret," Iris told him. "I am Iris."_

"_So you go by Iris now? Hmm...Your mother would be surprised to hear that. That is, if she wasn't killed all those years ago just to create the Millennium Items," Thief Bakura muttered. "She and everyone else that lived in that village...They all died to create some mystical objects that are supposed to keep Egypt out of the hands of invaders. But we're always at war, so that shows how well that idea worked out. I am curious as to how you managed to survive this long, considering that you were not even a year of age when our people were slaughtered."_

"_I was found by warriors who went in search of survivors," Iris said, recalling what the Pharaoh's father had told her when she was eight. "The former Pharaoh took me in and raised me alongside his son. I have lived within the walls of the palace for a great deal of my life."_

_Thief Bakura did not seem surprised by what she told him. "It figures that oaf would have taken in a girl right after one of the women in his harem gave birth to his only son. He was probably trying to play matchmaker and intended for you to be his son's future queen. But that plan went into the chamber pot when he sent you away for six years. What a fool that Pharaoh was. I do not believe he had all of his wits about him that day he chose to send you away."_

"_...How do you know so much about me?" Iris asked. "You just said that you did not know how I managed to survive so long. How could you know so much about me if you thought I was dead?"_

"_I never said I thought you were dead. I've known you were alive since we went our separate ways," Thief Bakura replied. "But enough about my knowledge. Tell me...Why have you come to find me? What do you hope to gain from this encounter?"_

"_Bakura, I have lived a life much easier than yours has ever been...in some ways. I have never known a day of hunger or true suffering whereas you must have experienced that much of your life. I say that with many regrets. I can see why you have become evil...and I do not blame you. But there is still hope. Please...Will you return with me to the palace? I promise I shall not let them kill you. You shall be granted the chance to redeem yourself and live the life you never had the chance to. Please, Bakura? You have suffered enough as one of the survivors of such a bloody massacre and living among thieves. You need not suffer anymore. Just come back with me...Please," Iris pleaded._

_At this and her not referring to him as a thief, the white-haired man shook his head. "It is far too late for me, dearest Tawaret-Iris. I serve the Immortal One now in order to make the world suffer its end. Once all the Millennium Items are in my possession, there shall be no more life in this world, and therefore there shall be no more people put in the same situation as we were. Do not get me wrong, I am touched that you want to save me. But I am too far gone and there is no hope for me. I was destined to be your Pharaoh's greatest enemy. There is no changing fate."_

_Iris lowered her gaze. "...So that's it, then? You will not reconsider?"_

"_Would you ever consider leaving the Pharaoh's side to fight with me?" Thief Bakura asked, answering her question with another question._

_There was no need for her to answer that aloud; they both knew what her response would be. They just stood there in silence for awhile as Iris gathered her thoughts._

"_Then I suppose this is it," Iris murmured. "I shall return to the palace and inform the Pharaoh of the pending attack even though I have been warning him for weeks that evil was destined to befall Egypt. Perhaps he will listen this time." She said this with slight sarcasm. "May I ask one favor of you, Bakura?"_

"_You may, but that does not mean I shall grant it to you," the King of Thieves replied._

"_Can you not start going after the Millennium Items until the next moon cycle? It shall give you more time to grow strong enough to take out the priests...And there is something I must do before the end of the world begins," Iris said._

_Thief Bakura understood what she meant by that. "...All right. When the moon becomes full once again, your time will have run out and I shall be coming to the palace to fulfill my destiny. But in return, I ask one thing of you."_

_Iris focused her emerald gaze on his face without hesitation. "What is it?"_

"_Something simple. I know you do not love me as you love the Pharaoh...But all that I ask is that you embrace me one time. Nothing more, nothing less. Just one simple kiss."_

"_...Will you harm me when I come near you?"_

"_No, I promise. You want to give the Pharaoh time to understand your feelings for him, do you not? What I ask is a very simple request compared to what you want. I am unarmed and you have my word that I shall not harm you."_

_Iris took a deep breath and quickly looked around. There was no one about in this desert as only the foolish would stray from the Nile River as far as she and Thief Bakura had gone. Not even the Pharaoh would follow her here. Knowing him, he was probably worrying about her as he sat comfortably on his throne. She sighed. No one would ever know what transpired between them. What was she afraid of? If one little kiss gave her time to be brave and admit her feelings to the Pharaoh, then why not?_

_She stepped towards the King of Thieves with a bit of hesitance as she remembered that this man had killed someone, maybe even more people than just that one person. He noted her cautiousness with a small amused smirk. He understood everything she was feeling, and she had a right to be so wary. He was a criminal...A thief and a murderer. If she wasn't at least a little afraid of him, he would have been afraid for her. He stood to meet her as she finally came face-to-face to him. Her actions had been the only sign that she was even a little afraid. Her beautiful emerald eyes and lovely face showed no fear whatsoever despite being just inches away from a criminal. He would forever admire her for facing him so bravely, even when his spirit had left his body only to be sealed within a Millennium Item for the rest of time._

_And then he pressed his lips against hers. She reacted only because she wanted to be sure he was satisfied and would keep his word on not attacking Egypt until the next full moon. She moved against his gentle lips like she would have a certain other man and let him touch her with his hands in the same manner. He gently bit her bottom lip, which made her open her mouth long enough for his tongue to get in. Hers intertwined with his, and she could almost feel how lonely he had been and how much pain he had endured throughout the duration of his life. The poor man...He had never had a chance to truly live, and she couldn't help him now. He was lost._

_He was the Pharaoh's enemy._

_The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like it had lasted much, much longer. Iris pulled away and turned her face away from Thief Bakura so he wouldn't see the tears that had started to fall from her eyes. The hot sun beat down on her, as if Amun Ra himself wanted to punish her for being the one to live so peacefully while the other survivor became evil...And to punish her for being intimate with the Pharaoh's enemy just to make a deal. She had been out in the sun too long...She felt so warm._

"_You must go now, Tawaret. A flower as lovely as you will not last much longer out in this desert...and the Pharaoh awaits you," Thief Bakura remarked._

"_...Goodbye, Bakura," she murmured before using her magic to travel a distance she would have been unable to cover otherwise._

"_We shall meet again soon, Tawaret," the King of Thieves whispered before he, too, disappeared from the area._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_The Pharaoh was where she had left him when she reappeared in the palace gardens. His eyes shifted up from the ground to her face when he realized he wasn't alone anymore. Iris immediately looked away from him like she usually did. Her eyes were still brimming with tears, so there was no way she was going to look at him now. Even though she was no longer being pounded by the damaging rays of the sun, the effects of being there so long were still weakening her. The Pharaoh noticed how flustered and tired she was and knew what the only reason for that could possibly be._

"_You need to get inside where it is cooler and you can be taken care of," he said calmly and kindly as he stood and came to her side._

"_I need not be taken care of," Iris lied, and her lie became obvious when her legs practically gave out under her. The Pharaoh was quick to catch her before she could hit the ground, and she felt the coolness of his body against hers for the first time. The only reason for that was her being extremely warm, but it still felt so nice and comfortable..._

"_Do not lie to me. In your pursuit of that man, you went into the desert and spent too much time out there. You need to be cooled down before you die of heat stroke," the Pharaoh stated. "Do not shy away from me now, Iris. Allow me to help you when you need it for once."_

_Iris was too tired to argue, so she let the Pharaoh 'degrade' himself by carrying her, a simple girl, into the palace. Somehow she ended up in a tub of cool water, with her clothes still on, in the Pharaoh's personal chambers. After being exposed to the heat of the sun, the water was refreshing...But she felt completely foolish to be lying there in her clothes with the Pharaoh standing in the room after she had failed to save Thief Bakura from himself. Going out after him had been foolish...Why hadn't she listened to her friend? All that she had gotten out of that encounter was more time with her Pharaoh and the King of Thieves' taste in her mouth...and very, very warm._

"_...Going after Thief Bakura proved to be pointless," the Pharaoh assumed._

_Iris sighed. "Not entirely. It seems he has always known about me...He even remembers what name my mother gave me. I tried to get him to change, but...He was too far gone. He serves a higher order now, the dark Immortal One that will prove to be a threat in your future. The only other person to survive the creation of the Millennium Items is lost to us. He shall become...your greatest threat."_

"_I believe you," the Pharaoh said, and for once, Iris actually believed him._

"_You have until the next full moon until he will begin to act on the end of the world," Iris told him. "But I believe that we may already be too late."_

"_I believe you," the Pharaoh repeated._

_Iris sighed and looked away from him. "If only you had believed me before. Then we would not have to worry so about Bakura because we would be prepared for his evil."_

_She stood up and removed herself from the water as her temperature had gone down and it was unnecessary for her to remain submerged. Her clothes were dripping wet, but that was the last thing on her mind. All she could think about was how thirsty she was now... and how her time with the Pharaoh was slowly starting to slip away. She took the jug one of the servants had left for her and drank it to replenish her liquids before her hands grabbed the dry garment that had been meant for her, too. She glanced hesitantly at the Pharaoh since he was still in her presence._

"_...Please...Can you leave me alone for a few moments?" she asked, and as she said the words, it brought her back to the night when she had been preparing to leave the palace for those six years. The tears she quickly blinked back—she didn't want him to see her cry anymore. He had seen enough of that when she was younger._

"_Of course," the Pharaoh murmured, and he left her alone in his bathing chambers._

_Her hands shook as she slipped off her wet dress and took off her wet shoes. She couldn't understand it, why she was trembling so much over just a memory. But it wasn't just a memory. It was a recalling of the most painful day in her life that she could recall, the day when she discovered her best friend liked her only to be torn away from him because of some mishap. One simple question had brought her back to that day, and now she was a wreck because of it. She couldn't keep the tears back any longer as she pulled on her clean beige gown. She hated herself every time she cried so close to the Pharaoh's presence because she had grown to believe tears were a sign of weakness. Would he think her weak now that they were no longer children?_

_Iris thought she might be able to get past him if she moved quickly, but he had anticipated her wanting to leave and was in front of his bedchambers' door when she emerged from the bathing chambers. She immediately hid her eyes behind her hair in an attempt to stop him from seeing her cry, but it was in vain. Very little escaped his viewing, and this wasn't one of those things._

"_What troubles you, Iris?" he asked with pure concern._

_Iris shook her head furiously. "...Can I just leave...Please?"_

"_Iris, what happened to us? We used to be so close...and that day you were forced to leave, I thought we had grown even closer. Why do you try to avoid me? Why don't you ever talk to me like you used to? Why have we grown so apart?" The Pharaoh had so much emotion in his voice now that it nearly broke Iris's heart._

"_Please...Just let me go," Iris practically begged. She didn't want him to see her crying anymore._

"_I can't. Can you not see that I can't let you go? I have tried ever since you were taken from me, but it is impossible to do," the Pharaoh stated. "I could never let you go, Iris. Never again."_

"_...Do you really want to know...what happened to us...? Those six years of being separated from everything I had ever known and loved...and having solitude as my only constant companion. I thought...I thought you might have moved on and...found someone else by now, and...and those thoughts made me distance myself from you. There are plenty of other...better...women in the world, like Teana and Mana and others...Why would you want me, a simple little orphan girl...that you wouldn't get to see for another six years? My solitude is what happened to us...and there's no changing that now."_

"_There is always time for change," the Pharaoh claimed. "I can see why you would believe that I might have moved on from you, but I never have. There is no woman better than the one that stands before me. She may be just a simple orphan girl, but I still cherish her with all my heart."_

_The tears fell faster now, and the urge to run was greater than before._

"_Please, Pharaoh. I beg you to move...I need to go."_

"_If you really wanted to leave, you could have done so by now."_

_This was true. She could have used her magic to leave if she had really wanted. But she didn't. She didn't use her magic and some part of her didn't want her to leave no matter how much the rest of her was hurting. Iris gave up on her futile pleas and just stood there in front of the Pharaoh with her head hanging as she continued to cry. She felt his arms encircle her—the warmth of his body touching hers was welcome despite everything that had come to pass in her memories and this day. She did not shy away from him this time. Rather, she let herself grow comfortable in his arms even though the last time she had been there had been when they were eight years of age...Nearly ten years ago._

"_...I...I never wanted for you to see me cry again," Iris murmured as she kept her eyes just out of his view._

"_I never wanted for you to have to cry again, but sometimes there is need for it," the Pharaoh told her in a whisper. "I would never condemn you for your tears. Do not be afraid to let your emotions show. Not in front of me, at least."_

_His hand cupped her chin and tilted her face up so that she was staring right at his face with tears still falling from her eyes. He gently wiped some of them away without Iris making any move to stop him. She didn't want to stop him. She didn't want him to ever stop touching her or making her feel like she actually mattered. He was her best friend... and perhaps even more than that...if she wasn't so afraid of being hurt._

_He moved closer and their lips meet for the first time in years. Back then, they were just innocent children that would not have known where to go next if their relationship had progressed, but now they were full grown. She did not hesitate to react to his touch, and unlike with Thief Bakura, there was real passion in this intimate embrace. She truly loved the Pharaoh with all of her heart, and he loved her with all of his. Their feelings had been hidden well for ten years...but no longer. There was no reason for it anymore. No need to be afraid, no need to be brave, no need to hold it in any longer._

_She did not leave his room until the next morning._

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_Iris watched from the shadows as the Pharaoh sealed the darkness of the Shadow Realms and the Monsters and the Immortal One and Thief Bakura...and himself. Her face was wet with tears as it had been for much of recent days. She had barely begun to know what love was, and it was stolen from her right under her nose. Slowly, she emerged from the shadows to approach the spot where her lover had been standing, holding a golden box in her hands that bore the same eye as all the Millennium Items. The Millennium Puzzle lay shattered in a million pieces in resemblance to her heart. There was no sign of the Pharaoh, but she knew he was not gone...Not entirely. He had been sealed away in the Puzzle, where he would remain until someone put the Item back together._

_And she was not destined to be that someone._

_She knelt down and began to pick up the pieces like she was unable to do with her heart. So many people had died since Thief Bakura struck...The only priest that remained was that Seth person, and he was told to take the Pharaoh's place when he sealed away the darkness. Bastet still lived, too, as did Mana and Iris's Guardians...But everyone else that she had ever known was dead. Thief Bakura had done everything he could to bring the end of the world, but he had failed because of the Pharaoh._

_But he had managed to cause so much pain to Egypt...and to Iris._

_Iris returned to standing once all the pieces of the Puzzle were within the golden box in her hands. There was something she had to do now...Something that could not wait for others to find her. The Millennium Puzzle needed to be taken to a place where only the destined one would find it...A place set apart from the other Millennium Items that were still within the sarcophagus-shaped tablet where they had been originally created. She disappeared in the blink of an eye to reappear in the exact location where Solomon Muto would find the box five thousand years later._

_Bastet awaited her when she returned to the palace, and from the look on the older woman's face, she knew what had become of her brother. Iris could not remain in the palace any longer, and she told the future queen of Egypt that._

"_Do not send my Guardians after me. I do not need protection where I am going," Iris murmured._

_Bastet nodded. "I understand. I shall not keep you from what you desire. When you are no longer in need of the air you breathe, I shall find you. We shall meet again someday, Iris." With this, she hugged the blonde Egyptian one last time before the girl returned to solitude in an underground cavern._

_It took a few weeks for Iris to wither away down there. Her magic prevented her from being able to kill herself, as it would always heal her to the point that she was just injured and not in danger of dying. She ate and drank nothing the whole time as to deplete her energy, keeping herself busy only by recording her past and that of the Nameless Pharaoh onto the tablets that were now in the Domino City Museum. Her beauty faded long before her heart failed to beat and her breath finally stopped coming. But her memories of her time spent with the Pharaoh never left her...Not entirely, even when she was reborn._

_Bastet found her with Iris's Guardians just hours after Iris closed her eyes for the last time. Her Guardians were in pieces to see her like that, but Bastet fought her emotions to use her own magic to restore Iris to what she had been for the rest of time. Then she brought a sarcophagus down to the blonde woman and put her in her final resting place...And the Guardians joined Iris there as her eternal protectors in hopes that she might return one day and give them someone to protect._

_This was the end of Iris's life._

* * *

_A/N: Finally, this chapter is done! This is the longest chapter I have typed for any story thus far, and though some of you may have thought it was boring, I hoped that everyone found a part of this story that they enjoyed. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	40. 40 - Darkness Defeat

_A/N: ...I won't lie to you. I'm a little upset. I worked so hard and so long on that last chapter, and only one person reviewed? Why? Not that I'm ungrateful or anything... Thank you very much, Serenity Lhane. You are a very kind person. The rest of you are, too. Just prove it this time around, okay? Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 40

Someone was calling a name repeatedly, a name that sounded so familiar to her yet seemed so far away now. Their voice was quiet, but they were probably talking normally or yelling. She couldn't tell because she was still deep inside her own mind, trying to avoid something she could no longer remember. All she knew was the sadness that had filled her from watching those memories move through her mind, and for some reason, she didn't want to leave them behind to return to the real world. Even if it meant she forgot her name or that she would never wake again.

The name was spoken again, only it sounded louder. There was no fighting it; she was going to wake up. Realizations from this time came pounding back onto her, reminding her that she was not that girl in those memories. Not anymore, anyway. She was a different person entirely…Maybe. Iris's soul was her soul and their personalities were not too far apart. The only real thing that separated them was time.

Time alone.

Nothing else.

Reluctantly, her eyes fluttered open to the lights of the room that she had been in when she had been tranquilized. She blinked a few times as she adjusted to the bright lights and remembered where she was. The finals of the Battle City Tournament. Airship. Nausea. Medical quarters. Bowed out of tournament. Knocked out. Marik was Ishizu's brother. She sat up and glanced at the person that had awoken her. She didn't know how this person had done it—maybe the drugs had worn off or they had injected something else that made her wake up—but they wouldn't have done it without good reason.

"Ishizu? What are you doing in here? And how long have I been out?" she asked.

"There is little time to explain, Carrie. We need you and the Pharaoh to face Marik as he refuses to face anyone but you," Ishizu said, deflecting the questions entirely.

Carrie huffed and crossed her arms. "You woke me when you know being in the air makes me sick. I expect to get some answers before I go on wobbly legs to face your evil brother. So unless you want to have the world going to hell in a hand-basket, you'd better tell me everything that I have missed. And before you start telling me how urgent it is that I get out there, Marik has waited ten years to get his hands on the Puzzle. I'm sure he can wait a few more minutes."

Ishizu sighed. "All right. You have been out for two days, and many things have happened in this time span. Yugi faced off against Bakura and won, but it was not an easy victory as the duel had taken place in the Shadow Realm and Ryou suffered greatly after his loss. He is in another room unconscious with no sign as to when he will awaken. Joey dueled Odion who faked being Marik for our brother's sake, and that fool played a fake copy of the Winged Dragon of Ra, which sealed his doom. He and Joey were both knocked down, but Joey managed to stand first and he was declared the victor. Odion is also in a coma for now." There was much pain in Ishizu's voice as she spoke of Odion, the man she had said was much like a brother to her and Marik. "I lost to Kaiba, which allowed him to keep Obelisk the Tormentor…and my Necklace has failed to work since then. Mai and Marik dueled against each other, but that was the most tragic duel there has been in these finals. They, too, faced off in the Shadow Realm. If they took damage to their Life Points, parts of their memory would fade away. Mai lost that duel only because she could not read what was written on the Winged Dragon of Ra card…and now she cannot remember any of you because she has forgotten a good part of the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. She is also in the medical ward…Joey is taking it pretty hard."

_I bet he is, _Carrie thought sadly as she recalled how her friend had looked at that woman.

"Yugi dueled Kaiba again and won, and Joey lost to Marik, but somehow he managed to stay out of the Shadow Realm and keep his memories intact," Ishizu went on. "The final duel of this tournament was supposed to be Yugi versus Marik, but the evil in my brother refuses to face him. He says that he wants to duel you and only you, and if we do not comply he shall start sending people to the Shadow Realm. He has captured Alyssa and Mokuba, and I know he will not wait much longer for you to come out before he sends their spirits to the Shadow Realm. You must duel him, Carrie, and you must win."

"But how can I face him? As soon as I stand, I'm going to realize I'm in the air and start feeling sick again," Carrie pointed out as that feeling was already starting to rise in her.

"Try not to think about it, and once you enter battle with my brother, allow the Pharaoh to take over," Ishizu suggested. "And I shall be here to support you with my strength. Your other friends shall be as well."

"All right, Isis. Let us get this over with, shall we?" Carrie muttered, standing on the floor of the airship with little reluctance. Then she felt something hit her and quickly ran towards a different room. "After I…You know. I've been asleep for two days and I never went to the bathroom!"

Ishizu was taken aback for a moment by what Carrie had called her, but only for that moment. Carrie had been living in the past for two full days, the life of Iris. All of the people that she had seen then were still fresh in her mind, and considering how many of those people had been reincarnated and were amongst her, it was easy to be confused. She would probably be calling everyone by the name they had five thousand years ago… except the Pharaoh, as his name had been a mystery to everyone. Did Carrie even really know who she was anymore?

After Carrie was done in the bathroom, Ishizu helped her towards the top of the airship where all the duels had been held. The blonde girl started feeling sick the farther they walked and had to lean on the Egyptian woman to keep going. This girl was brave and strong in the mind as well as the body. She was willing to face the enemy on terms that benefited him and hindered her without complaining. Ishizu wasn't sure if she could have been that strong if she was at a similar disadvantage, but she doubted she would ever find out.

On the top of the airship waiting for them was everyone save those that were in comas… and Marik with his hostages. Her Guardians were also missing for some reason unknown to the girl that had been lost in memories for so long. Carrie tried her best to smile for her friends, but it was hard when she felt like passing out to escape it all. Tristan rushed over and took her from Ishizu, who let her go willingly. Her friends would support her better than Ishizu ever could, and their strength would grant her the power to stand strong against the evil that had consumed Marik.

"Hey, guys," Carrie greeted as her friends and Kaiba surrounded her. "You guys look absolutely terrible."

"You don't look so good yourself," Joey shot back, but his voice lacked the teasing demeanor she was used to hearing.

"Well, you look a lot worse than I do and for good reason. What with two of our friends being in comas and an innocent man also in one and you having to witness it all," Carrie remarked. "Ishizu told me everything…Briefly. As I understand it, we didn't have much time until Marik hurt more innocent people. So I got my butt out of bed and decided to face my fears to take out another bad guy."

"I wouldn't have had you woken up unless it was absolutely necessary," Kaiba told her.

"I know. If I was in your place, I would have done the same," Carrie said. "Then again, if I was in your place I might have actually just kicked Marik off the side of the airship and let him fall to his death for everything he has done to everyone. Just as long as I wouldn't get charged with murder…He did try to kill me and my friends, so he would deserve it. I just can't see why he couldn't be happy with dueling Yugi. Next to me, he's the best duelist in the world."

At this, Kaiba glared and Yugi gave a small smile.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Tea asked.

"Of course she is. If she wasn't, she wouldn't have come out here," Joey claimed.

"Even if you're not, we'll all be here to support you," Tristan stated. "Even Kaiba here since it's his friend and brother's lives that are at stake right now."

"All right. Thank you all for this," Carrie said with a grin. "But if I beat him, I want one thing to happen. Well, two things actually."

"What?" Kaiba wanted to know.

"First, I want this airship to touch down on the ground. And second, I would like to take his place in the duel against Yugi. It's true that I did not participate in the rest of the finals, but if I had, it would have come down to this duel, anyway. Why not see how a duel against Yugi and me would go down this time around? He might beat me this time for all you know. What I'm asking for is little compared to what I'm doing to save Aly and Mokuba."

Kaiba sighed and looked away from her. "…Win and I'll allow it."

Carrie smiled. "Thank you, Seto."

This surprised the brunette business. Carrie had called him many things since he had known her, but she had never addressed him by his first name alone. Something had changed in her…Had she matured since being knocked on her ass two days ago? Was that even possible? Or was she just being kind because of the position they were in now? He would never know…

"Yugi, you'd better be ready. After I take this wannabe down, you're next," Carrie told him with a teasing smile on her face.

The short boy returned her smile. "I look forward to that."

"Don't make plans that will not come to fruition," a dark voice warned.

Carrie turned in Tristan's arms to find that Marik had magically appeared in the center of the top of the airship. Alyssa and Mokuba were not with him, but that was the last thing on the blonde's mind as she looked at the man that was Ishizu's brother who was holding the Millennium Rod in his right hand. He had been the boy that had gone under the alias of Namu before she and her friends had been attacked by the Rare Hunters, that much she could tell. But the evil had changed his appearance. His light blonde hair had grown larger and seemed to have an evil mind of its own, and his face had a more manly and sinister look to it. He was even wearing a cape now, just like Yugi had decided to do at some point in this tournament. She was not staring at a normal boy anymore…She was looking at a darkness that wanted her demise.

She went to step towards this evil force, but Tristan's arms were still wrapped securely around her to keep her from falling.

"Let me go, Tristan. I must face him alone," she stated.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She nodded once. "I am sure."

He released her reluctantly, and she found that she could stand on her own without feeling too dizzy or weak. Carrie walked towards the malicious spirit that had taken Marik without hesitation, holding her head high and meeting his evil gaze with her own unwavering one. She wasn't afraid of him. She had faced evil before.

"Well, look who decided to get out of bed after all," Yami Marik sneered. "I hope this altitude doesn't make you feel too sick. I would hate to win your Puzzle with it covered in your vomit."

"Where are Alyssa and Mokuba?" Carrie demanded, ignoring his words.

"They are inside and they are free now that I have what I want," Yami Marik replied as if he had already won the duel.

"You better not have hurt them," Carrie growled—she could feel Mirage pressing against the back of her mind and seeping into partial control as Yami tried to keep the dark spirit at bay. "If you did, you pathetic wannabe, I swear you shall face the wrath of hell and all the darkness there. Not even the righteous mortal in you will be spared."

At this, Yami Marik just laughed. "I don't fear the likes of you, bitch! I have conquered you before with the powers of my Millennium Rod, and I can easily do it again! I shall crush you and then claim your Puzzle as mine! You and that darkness inside of you shall be trapped in the Shadow Realm forever!"

"SILENCE, YOU FOOL!" Mirage's voice boomed as she seized full control of Carrie and it became obvious to everyone. Yami Marik fell silent and looked at her with mild interest. "You have never conquered me. I merely allowed you to use this mortal to force her into making a decision. I am stronger than the Millennium Items. I severed your control over my host several times and broke it entirely right before you tried to take her life and that of the mortal Yugi. You've no idea what you are up against. You are foolish to be unafraid, as I could kill you so easily and torment your soul for all eternity. But then again…You are a madman and therefore see no reason."

Yami Marik laughed hysterically again. "If you were stronger than the Millennium Items, you would be free from that mortal girl's control and be able to beat back the Pharaoh! You're nothing but a weak spirit that needs to be destroyed!"

"I SAID BE QUIET!" Mirage snapped, sending a Shadow Monster out of her palm to seal Yami Marik's mouth shut and cause the malicious spirit a great deal of pain that he unfortunately enjoyed. "May Carrie and the Pharaoh tear you apart. I cannot stand to be in your presence anymore."

"Wow…Not even Mirage can stand him," Joey murmured in shock.

And then Carrie took control of her body again. The Shadow Monster disappeared with Mirage, leaving Yami Marik able to speak.

"I shall not duel you. I wish to destroy the Pharaoh in order to destroy you," Yami Marik stated.

"What do you mean by that?" Tristan wanted to know.

"You shall see when we begin our Shadow Duel," was Yami Marik's vague reply.

_He must mean that in hurting you, it shall hurt me...Or something like that, _Carrie concluded. _I'm starting to feel really dizzy now...Are you ready to face this maniac?_

_**Yes, and I will defeat him, **_Yami vowed.

She switched places with him so that he was in control of her body and she was not. He and that crazy spirit Yami Marik took their positions to being the duel. As soon as it began, they were taken into the Shadow Realm and things became clear. The spirit form of the true Marik appeared suspended in the air beside his dark side with his arms and legs chained as if to a wall. Carrie was put in a similar position, only she was in the air beside Yami.

"When damage is done to our Life Points, not only will it hurt us, but a portion of our hikari will be consumed by the Shadow Realm," Yami Marik told them, therefore explaining what he had meant by what he said before. "When one of our Life Points hits zero, their spirit will be gone."

_So this is what he meant by destroy the Pharaoh to destroy me. He might as well said he would be destroying Yami by destroying me, because if Yami survives this duel and I don't, he is going to be destroyed, _Carrie thought as she looked down at the concealed fear in Yami's eyes. She turned her gaze towards the seemingly unconscious Marik. _No matter how this duel goes down, an innocent person is going to disappear. I just hope Yami can keep his head in the game even when it's my spirit on the line again. We can't lose this duel because of him being unfocused. We just can't._

Yami did his best to 'keep his head in the game' and put up a good fight. Yami Marik had a hard deck to beat. He was the leader of the Rare Hunters and therefore had some of the rarest and most powerful cards ever made for Duel Monsters. Their Life Points took a beating, which resulted in Carrie losing portions of herself. Sometimes, she was able to keep the scream from coming out, but other times, she was not so lucky. Carrie's best cards were played and Yami Marik's own Life Points took a beating. Marik disappeared until only his head remained. Victory became assured for Carrie and Yami then because not only did they have Uria and Beast King Barbaros on the field, but they also had the Winged Dragon of Ra. Yami had played Monster Reborn and brought the sphere that was the Egyptian God onto their field. He had planned on reading the words to finish summoning it, but surprisingly, Carrie beat him to the punch. Somehow, she found she could read the words. Perhaps it was because of Iris…?

"You may have defeated me, but I am still the victor here! Without that stupid little bastard to hold me down, I shall become stronger and be able to flood the Shadow Realm with souls! Victory is mine! And when we meet again, I shall defeat you! The Millennium Puzzle shall be mine!" Yami Marik exclaimed.

"I fear that shall not be the case here," Yami said, bursting the malicious spirit's bubble as he used the powers of the Millennium Puzzle to switch the positions of Marik and Yami Marik. Now only an eye remained of the dark little wannabe and Marik was whole and also awake. Carrie was glad to see he was no longer wearing that stupid cape and was instead dressed just like he had been when she had met him under the alias of Namu.

"Forgive me for everything, Pharaoh. I forfeit this duel," Marik murmured.

"NO!" Yami Marik screamed though he was just an eye. Forfeiting would result in him being consumed by the Shadow Realm with no escape.

Too bad for him that no one would miss him.

The Shadow Realm faded away, taking Yami Marik with it. Carrie took control of her body again and faced Marik for the first time without seeing him as the enemy. He stood awkwardly in front of her, perhaps remembering all the trouble he had caused her with that dark spirit in control of his body. She had thought she would hate him when she faced him under such terms, but she did not. She couldn't even muster up any blame to place unto his shoulders. He was innocent of everything. The darkness had caused it all.

"…You should go see Odion with your sister. They need you now," Carrie said before turning and walking away from him towards the door that would lead her back inside the airship.

Surprisingly, she did not feel even a little sick.

* * *

Alyssa and Mokuba really had been safe and unharmed inside the airship. They were found locked inside the room that Marik had been staying in by a couple of guards with keys to every room. Carrie had been sure to check on them before heading back to the medical ward of the place. The nurse she had seen before asked if she needed to be sedated again, but Carrie just shook her head. Her stomach was handling being in the air pretty well now for some strange reason she didn't know. Maybe she had lost the portion of her soul that controlled that in the duel against Yami Marik?

She entered Ryou's room first, as he had been in his coma a little longer than the others and his health hadn't been particularly well for some time now. It surprised her how peaceful he looked for a teenager in his place. An evil spirit always taking over him was bound to do a number on his physical well-being. Then she recalled Iris's memory of that one somewhat calm encounter with Thief Bakura. He was not evil because he wanted to be. The massacre of Kuru Eruna had turned him into who he had become. It had been his unfortunate destiny.

"You have suffered enough, Bakura. You need not suffer any longer," Carrie said in a voice more mature than hers had ever been, resting her hand on her friend's forehead. Her eyes glowed gold for a moment before she removed her hand from him. His eyes fluttered open as she left his 'hospital' room and he sat up as she closed the door behind her.

Mai came next and she was a harder person to face. She recalled none of her friends that she had met on Duelist Kingdom, not even Carrie whom she had been living with for a good long while. She didn't look as peaceful as Ryou. Rather, she seemed to be searching for something that was no longer there due to Yami Marik. That troubled look on the unconscious woman's face hurt Carrie in a way she never thought it would. If Carrie wasn't there to change fate, would Mai have ever opened her eyes without finding that thing that was no longer there in her mind? If she did, would their lives have ever been the same as it had been before?

"Remember all that has been taken from your mind, my friend. Let what the evil has purged from you come back as if it has never left, and return to the cruel world that we all must face," Carrie beckoned in the same voice as before, performing the same action that she had with Bakura. Mai's eyes fluttered open a little quicker than Ryou's had, but Carrie had something else she had to do and could not stay to explain things to her.

Odion's room was not empty—Ishizu and Marik were in there like Carrie had told them to be. They stood up when she entered, but she paid them little heed. She focused her attention on the Egyptian man that was like their brother. He had a tattoo of hieroglyphics on the right side of his face, and he was taller than those he protected. He had very little hair—the amount he did was dark and pulled up behind his head in a traditional Egyptian fashion. Even without him having to be awake, she could tell he was willing to risk everything for his family despite not being related to them by blood. Ishizu's story of their past had helped her to realize this, but him just lying there further proved the point. He knew what Marik had been doing was wrong, yet he was willing to follow his path and put himself in the line of fire for him. What a brave man.

"Brave warrior, your brother has been cleansed of his evil. Rise from your slumber renewed and be at peace knowing that you need not suffer any longer on the path of darkness," Carrie declared in that mature voice as she again placed her hand on someone's brow and her eyes once again glowed gold. Odion awoke just as quickly as Mai had done and sat up, looking at Carrie with a hint of surprise in his eyes. Did he recognize her despite them never meeting before this?

Carrie turned to leave, her job completed with everything the way it had been before Yami Marik had messed with the order of things. But she was stopped by someone she hadn't expected to do so.

"Wait, Carrie," Marik said, causing her to turn around and face him again. "About everything I did to you and your friends…I'm really sorry for all of that. The darkness…I couldn't control it…and the thing with the anchor…I never meant to…I'm so sorry."

Carrie gave him a small smile. "It wasn't your fault. Darkness is all-consuming and very difficult to defeat. Believe me…I know. The Immortal One could only be beaten by the Nameless Pharaoh sealing it away in the Items along with himself…and Mirage presents a great problem all day every day. You need not worry about this any longer, Marik. No one blames you and the darkness is gone. Everything will be just as it was before."

"Even so, you saved me after all that dark spirit put you through. Let me repay you," Marik told her. "Here, take the Millennium Rod and the Winged Dragon of Ra. You will need them if you are ever to restore the Pharaoh's memory and help him to be where he belongs."

"And as a token of gratitude for helping me get my brothers back, I want you to have the Millennium Necklace," Ishizu put in, taking the Item from her throat and handing it over to Carrie as well. "It may not grant visions of the future any longer, but you should still hold onto it. I had the Millennium Scale in my possession, too, but it disappeared around the same time that Marik went evil."

"…I have it," Odion said quietly, speaking for the first time. He unearthed the said Item from inside his robe and handed it over to Carrie without saying anything else. He didn't have to—from the look in his eye she could tell he was grateful for all she had done for his family and in giving her the Scale he was saying his thank you.

"Thank you for these, Marik. Isis. Kalim," Carrie murmured, once again using names that were from a different time. "I shall leave you alone now. Excuse my presence."

And she left, leaving the Ishtars to wonder how much she really remembered about one of her previous lives.

* * *

_A/N: Much shorter chapter than the last one. I really made the duel between Yami and Yami Marik short...But that's only because it wasn't too important and I hadn't seen that thing in forever. Anyway, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	41. 41 - Facing Life

_A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I know I was a bit ungrateful with my last set of author's notes, and for that I apologize. But anyway, here's another chapter. Please read on and enjoy._

_And just so you know, bold typing at the beginning of this chapter will be typing, okay?_

* * *

Chapter 41

**Login: Performance of Sword 13**

**Subject: Battle City Tournament**

**I have the latest scoop on the events of Kaiba Corporation's dueling competition! It's all over now, but if you think you know how things went down, think again! I didn't even see this coming until it did, and if you wish to see it for yourself, click this link to view video footage of it all.**

**So, as you know from my last entry, it was down to 'Marik' Ishtar and Yugi Muto. The dark little loser refused to duel Yugi, saying he only wanted to duel Carrie West for the title of King of Games…and also he wanted to win her Millennium Puzzle. To learn more about the Millennium Items, click this link.**

**As I have also mentioned before, Carrie was forced to bow out of the finals due to a phobia of being in the air that made it impossible for her to duel. But 'Marik' made an offer no one could refuse, as he kidnapped the gorgeous Alyssa Pegasus and Mokuba Kaiba. He threatened to send their spirits to the Shadow Realm if Carrie was not woken up. A former finalist, Ishizu Ishtar (Marik's sister) retrieved the unconscious girl to get this duel over with. Amazingly, Carrie was able to face him with the support of her friends, her spiritual helper, and her dark spirit.**

**Things get a little freaky, as you will notice with the video if you chose to watch it. That little brat 'Marik' forced them to duel in the Shadow Realm with the cost being the spirit of either the real Marik or Carrie, depending on who won the duel. Yami Marik was a fool. No one like him could ever defeat the Queen of Games and her spiritual helper. A little magical mojo and it was Yami Marik that was sent packing with the duel won on Carrie's part.**

**A few hours later, Carrie was granted the opportunity to defend her title against Yugi since it was only fair. You know…She hadn't been able to participate in the finals and Yugi's chance of actually winning this tournament was put on hold because of the tactics of Yami Marik. So Seto Kaiba landed the airship at Carrie's request and these two top duelists faced off.**

**Who do you believe won?**

**[View 137 comments]**

**No! Carrie lost! She was beaten by a single draw of fate in one of the closest duels I have ever seen. It was anyone's duel until the very last card was played. Yugi has now claimed his place as King of Games, dethroning Carrie.**

**But if you ask me, she's still the Queen of Games since she didn't get to participate fully in the finals.**

**And Seto Kaiba is just a windbag who got shown up again.**

**Performance of Sword 13, signing off.**

"Alyssa, what are you doing?" Kaiba demanded, standing behind the brunette woman as she signed out of her blog site.

"Working. What does it look like?" Alyssa retorted as she looked over at him.

"What do I look like, a moron? I know you were just updating that stupid blog site," Kaiba grumbled.

"Aw, are you still sore because Yugi kicked your butt again?" Alyssa teased.

Kaiba rolled his eyes and chose not to answer that pride-hurting question. "Just get back to work. I don't pay you to tell everyone all the crap that goes on in tournaments. Especially all those stupid magic tricks those losers pulled."

"Hey! Those so-called losers are my friends!" Alyssa shouted. "And I was doing my job. I am your secretary and you hired me to get people interested in this company. Your tournament was the most interesting thing Kaiba Corp. has done in awhile, mostly because of the duel disk. People wanted to know what happened with it, so I told them everything without editing it. Freedom of speech, Seto. Freedom of speech."

"Go to America and you can use that excuse," Kaiba muttered.

Alyssa sighed and returned to looking at her computer screen. "That tournament ended over a week ago, Kaiba. You should really get over not being the victor again. Be happy for what you got. You are one of the greatest duelists in existence and had in your possession one of the three strongest Duel Monsters, Obelisk the Tormentor. You own a very profitable company. And you're friends with me. Isn't that enough for you? Or do you really want me to go to America and never see me again?"

It was Kaiba's turn to sigh. "No, of course not. But you know how I am. I can never accept defeat, especially not to that scrawny little geek and your cousin."

Alyssa smiled. "Of course I know. I'm your best friend. But I also know you'll grow stronger in your quest to defeat Yugi and Carrie and before you know it, you'll be hosting another dueling competition. If you'll win that one…Well, I guess we'll have to wait and see."

Kaiba smirked. "Yes, we will."

* * *

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and a short period of time to get to the next one. Carrie sighed as she made her way towards the gym, the only class she could partially stand. She hadn't missed going to school during the dueling tournament, but it was inevitable that she would have to come here for a little over a year. Alyssa and Kaiba were lucky…They had graduated last year. They didn't have to deal with this stuff anymore.

_I thought American math was difficult, _Carrie thought as she tried to forget about what her last class was about. _But this Japanese crap is ten times worse! What I wouldn't give to go back to those easy classes...Everything in this country is far too hard!_

The only response she got from Yami was chuckling since he thought her reaction to learning was humorous. She rolled her eyes with a smile; she could never be mad at him …or at least, stay mad at him…for too long. Except for that one time…

Her friends were all in her next class, which was physical education. This was the one of the only reasons she could stand it here. The only problem was everyone was always bugging her for one reason or another ever since she came to Domino City High. She hoped that today might be different as she went into the girls' locker room to change out. The chances of that happening were slim to none. At least she had learned to keep her anger in around people. They were just fans because she was the Queen of Games, that's all. No need to get angry at the fans.

She changed into the gym uniform that every girl was forced to wear, something that would have definitely been deemed inappropriate back in the United States. A white T-shirt and a pair of dark blue shorts that were entirely too short. The school was definitely run by perverts. The boys' uniform was just like the girls', only the shorts were at a proper length. She pulled on her knee socks and tennis shoes to complete the ensemble. Every other girl in the locker room was dressed just like her…Except for the fact that Carrie never took the Millennium Puzzle off. Exercising was a tad bit difficult with the pendant around her neck, but she had grown accustomed to it. Besides, she didn't want to risk it being stolen or someone trying it on only to discover the secrets of the Item.

"Hey, Carrie," one of the popular jocks said, catching Carrie's attention. "Why don't you ever take off that weird necklace?"

It was an innocent question that Carrie couldn't be offended by, especially since this girl had never been mean to her or any of her friends. No one had ever been mean to them, probably because of who she was. But it didn't matter. Carrie would have answered her no matter what since she was a nice person.

"I don't want to risk anything happening to it. It was given to me when I was at my lowest and it's very important to me," Carrie told her and everyone that was listening.

"Oh. I thought you were just trying to make a fashion statement," the girl murmured. "Not that it's a bad one or anything. You pull it off really well."

"Thank you, Aimi. You look really nice, too," Carrie complimented. "Now let's get out there and show those guys they're not so tough."

The whole class of thirty was forced to run laps around the gym to warm up for whatever the teacher planned on them doing. Carrie wasn't a showoff, but having to run from so many dangers back in NYC had made her able to keep up with even the fastest athletes from Domino City even with the Puzzle beating against her chest and occasionally her face. Her friends weren't as fast but they didn't mind her speeding ahead of them so long as she was enjoying herself. She slowed down and sprinted beside them for the last lap just to be kind, though, because she could never forget them.

After they had warmed up, the teacher split them up into three teams for soccer. Carrie had Tea and Yugi on her team while Tristan and Bakura were on a different one and Joey was all on his own. She would have preferred to have all of her friends on her team, but life never worked out that way. Yugi went to be goalie, as usual, while the rest of the team would face down the one with Tristan and Bakura. Joey's team would sit out for this one—whoever won would go against his.

"You're going down, West!" Tristan shouted in friendly competition.

"Yeah right, Taylor! I'll have you beat before you know it!" Carrie yelled back.

The ball was theirs to start off with. One of Carrie's teammates kicked the ball to her and she ran it down the gym floor towards Bakura, who was playing goalie for his team. Tristan tried to steal the ball from her, but she just passed it to Tea. Tea in turn kicked it past Bakura into the area that was supposed to be a goal. Bakura tried his hardest to get it, but he was too slow.

Another boy on Tristan's team started down the gym with the soccer ball. He passed it on to Aimi, who was confronted immediately by Carrie. Distracted by the blonde girl, a boy on Carrie's team stole it from Aimi and sent it back in the other direction. Tristan stopped him in order to get the ball back. Tea tripped him up and kicked the ball back to Carrie, who shot it towards Bakura again. This time, Bakura managed to block it. He sent it towards a different member of their team, who in turn passed it to another person. The ball went flying towards Yugi, who managed to knock it back out just in time.

This game continued much like this until Carrie and Tea worked together to get their team their fourth goal. The teacher called the game and gave them a few minutes to catch their breath. Then they'd have to face the team that Joey was on. His team was mostly boys, including Duke Devlin, while Carrie's was mostly girls. This would be a tough game, but Carrie knew they could take them.

Joey had the ball at first, but he wouldn't have it for long. Tea stole it out from underneath his feet and passed it down to Carrie as usual. The blonde girl easily avoided the opposition and went for a goal only to be tackled—literally—by Duke. The other team got the ball and managed to get a goal while she fought to get the dark-haired boy off of her. It wasn't because he liked her or anything; he had just been trying to slow her down. She was frustrated because of this, but she wouldn't let it keep her from trying her hardest.

Tea got the ball to her and Carrie became a freight train, unable to be stopped or tripped up. She even managed to get around Joey and Duke without any real trouble. The goalie couldn't stop her ball when she kicked it, so now they were tied. Carrie smirked triumphantly in Duke's direction. He just rolled his eyes with crossed arms and remained that way even when the ball went back into play and the rest of his team headed in the direction of Yugi's goal. The girls and the two guys on Carrie's team that weren't Yugi slowed down the progress of the ball long enough for Tea to steal it again and pass it down to Carrie. Duke was still pouting and he was the only person on the half of the floor, so no one could stop her from trying to get a goal. She kicked it with all of her power. The goalie blocked it, but not without consequence. He was hurting greatly from such a powerful kick that he had to sit out for awhile with Bakura replacing him.

This game lasted slightly longer than the previous one, but the outcome was the same. Carrie's team won with one of the other girls managing to get the fourth goal in on Bakura. It was definitely close as the opposition had managed to get three goals and almost made the final one many times. Joey's team now had to face Tristan's; Carrie's team was free to change now.

"Phew!" Carrie sighed as she grabbed her regular school uniform in the locker room. "Why do I like this class?"

"I don't know. Maybe because your team always wins," Tea suggested.

Carrie shook her head as she tried to catch her breath. "Nah. I would still like it even if I didn't win. This makes very little sense because I used to hate gym class back in the States. Why would I like it now?"

"Why did you hate it back then?" one of the girls on their team, Honoka, asked.

"Because I was always picked last, no one ever included me, and everyone sucked at the games," Carrie replied without hesitation.

"Then those Americans must have been stupid, because you rock at these sports," another girl, Izumi, commented with a warm smile.

"Maybe you like it now because it's much more demanding and therefore much more fun," a third girl, Emi, put in.

"If that was true, then I'd find math class to be the most thrilling thing on this planet," Carrie grumbled. This comment resulted in the other girls giggling.

_What a change, _Carrie thought as she pulled on the top of her school uniform and put the Millennium Puzzle around her neck again, now fully dressed and smelling of flowers. _In the States the girls never got along with me. No one got along with me, really. But here, everyone accepts me. This new start I got over a year ago has been good for me. And it's all thanks to you for giving me the strength to face down my father. Thank you, Spiky._

_**You are very welcome, **_Yami told her with a smile. _**I would do it again if the need came.**_

_Well, I doubt I'll ever see Carl again, not with all the charges he's got to his name. He'll be rotting in that jail cell for the rest of his life._

"Hey, Carrie," one of the most popular girls in the school, Kanon, said as she came over to the blonde. She was also dressed in the normal uniform…and very pretty. She had to be. She was the captain of the cheer squad. "May I speak to you outside?"

"Uh…Sure," Carrie murmured, glancing over her shoulder at Tea. The brunette was still changing, and without her the blonde was worried. Not that she thought Kanon would be rude to her or anything. It's just that Tea didn't have the same status quo that Carrie carried around and though it hadn't happened yet, the Queen of Games didn't want to risk her friend being insulted. Tea nodded once in reassurance, and Carrie reluctantly followed the beautiful Kanon out of the locker room.

The other two teams were just about finished with their game as Carrie and Kanon made their way to the bleachers where the rest of their belongings were. She stuffed her gym clothes in her backpack quickly before facing the cheerleader.

"Carrie, how gifted are you when it comes to athleticism?" Kanon wanted to know.

"Pretty gifted, I guess," Carrie replied.

"Could you do most of the things I can?" Kanon didn't even give Carrie a chance to ask her three-lettered question.

"Maybe. W-?"

"Do the splits, flips, and cartwheels?"

"Yes. Why?" Carrie finally managed to ask her question, but only by speaking very quickly and starting when Kanon was finishing her inquiry.

"Because someone as pretty as you and as gifted at sports as you should be a cheerleader like me," Kanon told her.

This statement left Carrie taken aback. Cheerleaders were often stereotyped as the pretty people with no brains and bad attitudes. Most fit the bill back in the States, but not so much here. Still, Carrie couldn't picture herself wearing a short skirt and waving pom-poms in the air. Not with her busy schedule.

"I appreciate the offer, Kanon, but I'll have to pass," Carrie admitted with an apologetic smile. "I have to work at Kaiba Corp. after school, and weekends are when I hang out with my friends since I barely have any free time during the week. I'm really sorry."

Kanon didn't get angry for being turned down. She just smiled. "It's okay. I understand."

"Thank you for doing so." Carrie spotted some girls leaving the locker room, some of which where Kanon's friends. "Well, I'll see you around, I guess."

"Yeah. Good luck with your fame," Kanon remarked in a kind manner as she walked towards her friends.

Carrie let out her breath as Tea and Yugi joined her over at the bleachers. Tea didn't look like she had been picked on after her departure, so everything was fine. Or so she tried to make it seem. Too many people had been asking Carrie to do this, that, or something else lately. The soccer team, the basketball team, the volleyball team, the tennis team, the track team, the chess team, the academic team…So many teams wanted her! It was probably just because she had the title of Queen of Games hanging over her head, but even so, the publicity was starting to get to her.

"Fitting in at high school is so hard!" Carrie whined, sitting down with crossed arms.

Tea laughed. "Well, at least everyone likes you here."

"And no one has made fun of you lately," Yugi added.

"Why are you saying that? Has someone made fun of you guys?" Carrie demanded.

"No, no. I haven't been put down since you became the Queen of Games," Tea quickly stated. "The same is true for all of us. Everyone is afraid to insult your friends because they don't want you mad at them. Of course, it did help that you fought that one loud-mouthed bully after school when he was picking on Yugi that one time. Seeing you fight that guy probably scared the crap out of most of the students so they'd keep their mouth shut around us and you."

"Yeah," Yugi agreed. "But like any other teen, they probably talk bad about us behind our backs."

"Who doesn't talk bad about someone? Even we do it sometimes." Tea pointed out.

Carrie sighed. "High school will never be easy, will it? At one I was an outcast because no one liked me and I was always fighting people that had the nerve to insult me to my face. At another I am adored by everyone because of my dueling status and hardly ever fight and have to watch myself to not make this school like my last one. At neither am I truly accepted. High school…is just one giant test with no study guide that every person has to complete. God, I wish I could just throw this one away. But then I wouldn't get to see you guys that often, now would I?"

"Nope. So that's why you need to keep trying at this test with your friends. Cuz if you fail, then we'll all fail right beside you," Tea stated with a smile.

"Good. Because I'm going to fail Pre-Calculus and I don't want to be the only one. Seriously, this is not the stuff I remember being in the text books. What does the government force you people to learn?"

"A lot of things you Americans would never understand," Yugi replied with a teasing tone. "There aren't as many opportunities with our colleges as there are in the United States, so we have to learn all of this to get the best shot in life. The best jobs and everything can only be acquired if we do the best we can in school, get into college, and graduate. That's why our school hours are a bit longer than those of American schools and we learn much more advanced curriculum."

"Great…Too bad I'm a Japanese-American and not just full-fledged Japanese. My brain is so American it's not even funny," Carrie muttered. "I'm going to fail Domino High School and not graduate until I'm fifty-seven. By that time you guys will be so rich and famous that you won't even remember who I am."

Tea laughed again. "Well, don't feel too bad about it. Tristan won't be graduating until he's sixty, and Joey won't be out until he's seventy-two. So in comparison, you'll be better off."

"Hey! I heard that!" Joey and Tristan shouted in unison as they and Bakura joined them.

"I didn't intend for you not to," Tea grumbled under her breath.

"Now Carrie, don't ya worry about a thing. If ya are really having that much trouble in your classes…I'm sure Yugi here wouldn't mind helping you out. He is one of the smartest people I know. I copy his homework every night and I haven't failed yet. And if he isn't willing to help you out, Bakura is just as smart cuz them British learn things just like we do. 'Course, you'll have to watch out for that dark spirit of his. He could come out at any time. But then you have Mirage and the Pharaoh to help out with him, so you'll be fine," Joey said, wrapping a friendly arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks, Joey. I'll take your advice to heart," Carrie murmured awkwardly as the bell rang again. "Well, I'll see you guys later."

_I hate high school so much, no matter where I am,_ she thought as she made her way through the halls.

* * *

Kaiba worked her like a dog when she came to his office, but she expected nothing less from him. He had done the same thing every day she had come to work ever since the finals had concluded. Carrie knew why he was doing it, too. He had lost his own tournament at the hands of Yugi _again_ and had to depend upon her to save him and Mokuba and Alyssa _again._ He couldn't take his anger out on Yugi, but he could sure as hell take it out on Carrie. It was a fine thank you for saving him for the umpteenth time.

She had to run documents to several department heads on practically every floor this afternoon, and they were all out of order. Any normal person would have stopped to put them in order before going to take the papers to the right people. But any other person wouldn't have been yelled at by their boss for trying to be more efficient. Carrie had no choice but to run back and forth, up and down the stairs of a sixty-story building since taking the elevator would have only slowed her down. Luckily, she had learned quickly to wear flats instead of heels to Kaiba Corp. to save her feet the pain.

_And I thought gym class was demanding, _she thought as she made her final trip up to the sixtieth floor, on the elevator this time while trying to catch her breath and blowing a strand of her blonde hair out of her face. _Rich Boy should really consider getting a position as a physical education teacher...or a military sergeant...or a little league coach._

The last document she had to deliver was a folder containing all the reports from every department head in the building. After regaining her composure, she casually walked towards the double-doors of his office. She passed Alyssa and her blue-haired friend Kathy on her way there, who both smiled in acknowledgement before returning to their jobs as Kaiba's better-treated secretaries. Carrie took a deep breath and pushed open one of the doors to her boss's office before walking in.

She wasn't surprised by any of the things she saw in his office. Not the pathetically hidden bottles of booze or the stray piece of women's clothing. She had known what kind of man he was long before she had become one of his secretaries. That was part of the reason why she didn't like him, because of his illegal alcoholism and his sleeping around. Today seemed to be no exception to at least one of those things. He had a shot glass on his desk…and she saw something off to the side that _might _have been a woman's blouse. She didn't try to examine it as she didn't want to feel any more pathetic for working for this man than she already did.

"Mr. Kaiba, here's the reports you asked for. All of those documents have also been delivered to the right people," Carrie informed him as she set the folder on his desk right next to the empty shot glass. "Anything else you want me to do, sir?"

_I half-expect him to say 'me,' _Carrie thought as she tried to keep herself from shuddering.

_**If he says that, I'll have to hurt him,**_ Yami stated.

_There's no need for that. He's just a sad little drunk manwhore. And if he did say that, then that would just prove my point about him being a drunk. A sober Rich Boy would never in his right mind hit on me. You know that._

_**Yes, but I'd still have to do something to him if he even suggested you engaging in sexual acts with him.**_

_Mind Crush him and you'll be fine._

_**I did that already back when he hurt Yugi's grandfather. There is no more evil to send away. All it would do is hurt him.**_

_Exactly why you should do it._

"That is all, Carrie," Kaiba grumbled, his breath smelling lightly of alcohol. "There is one more thing I wish to say to you, though."

"Yes, sir?" _Get ready, Yami. Here it might come._

"Alyssa has suggested that I throw a party Saturday night. She wants me to invite other rich snobs, company heads, and the duelists that managed to make it to the finals. Sadly, that would include you," Kaiba muttered, proving that he wasn't that drunk. "It will be at my mansion around eight. Pass the word on to your friends and let them know they can bring one guest only. And it's a black-tie event, so don't show up in jeans."

Carrie suppressed the urge to groan. She had been to these kinds of parties before when Pegasus had thrown them and chose to invite her because she was his niece. Jessica had been to them, too, for the same reason, but neither sister really liked them. Dresses were horrible and uncomfortable. High heels could kill. Makeup was stupid. And they didn't really know what was appropriate to say to rich people, especially in the position they had been in at home at the time. She finally asked Pegasus to stop inviting them when she was fourteen because she couldn't take it anymore. Now she was getting pulled into it again?

"Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Kaiba," she said politely without saying if she would show or not.

"Will you attend?" Even a little drunk, Kaiba was still quick as a whip.

"If I have to, sir."

"You have to," Kaiba stated bluntly. "That is, if you want to continue to work here."

Carrie forced a smile onto her face. "Then I guess I'll see you Saturday."

"You may leave now."

_I hate you, Rich Boy, _Carrie thought vehemently as she left his office.

_**You are saying that a lot about things today.**_

_That's because I hate a lot of things. And I only have two days until Saturday. That manwhore really knows how to make a deadline, doesn't he?_

_**What is the big deal about it being two days away?**_

_You want to know why it's a big deal? Because I don't own a dress, that's why! I haven't needed one in years! Now this jerk is forcing me to go to one of his boring parties in one! That means I have to go to a thousand stores to find one that doesn't make me look like a slut and fits me right and isn't pink and then I'll have to find a pair of shoes that matches the dress and won't kill me and won't cause my feet a whole lot of pain. Damn it sucks to be a girl!_

_**You worry far too much, Carrie.**_

_And you worry far too little, Yami, for someone who was once Pharaoh._

_**During these times of peace, it is not necessary for me to worry so much.**_

_Speaking of times of peace, I think we should go to the museum before we head for home._

_**What does that have to do with times of peace?**_

_Absolutely nothing._

_**You are strange.**_

_I know. That's why you love me so much._

* * *

The museum was closed by the time that Carrie came to it, but with four mummies living inside and Ishizu always being there to watch over them, she knew she wouldn't be turned away. She gently knocked on the glass door and waited for someone to come. She expected Ishizu, but that was only because she was used to the Egyptian woman being able to foresee things. It was no longer the case since the Millennium Necklace ceased to see visions and was now in Carrie's possession. The blonde was mildly surprised when it was Marik, not Ishizu, that came to let her in.

He was still awkward around her even though that had spoken a few times since the end of the Battle City Tournament and she had made it clear that she did not blame him for anything that had happened. His real personality was starting to come out, one that was much like a combination of Yugi's and Joey's in a good way. Alyssa liked him already. Carrie was still just warming up to him. But he did seem nice enough.

"Hello, Carrie," Marik greeted with a grin. "What brings you to the museum at this hour …and dressed so professionally?"

"I just got off of work at Kaiba's and thought I'd drop in to see people," Carrie replied.

"Oh, yeah. Those mummies that were the Guardians of Iris, right? They've been wondering when you'd come see them since you haven't been here in so long. They can be really annoying sometimes," Marik remarked with a hint of irritation in his lavender eyes as he recalled all those days of questions about Carrie from the Guardians.

Carrie laughed. "Yeah, that's them all right. And I'd watch out if I were you. They managed to get hold of my bank account info once and bought a Volvo…and probably other things I don't know about. And they read my little sister's diary, too. So if you have any notable currency or private writing material, I'd keep it hidden."

Marik flustered slightly, but otherwise showed no signs of worry about what she said. "Allow me to show you back to the Egyptian exhibit. My sister and Odion are still here, too, so this should be an…interesting…visit."

Carrie groaned. "They're going to bug me about what I remember again, aren't they?"

"You're quick as always," Marik commented with a smirk. "You could still run now and I'll lie. It'll be like you were never here and you'll be spared from the questions."

"Thanks, but if I do that, then the mummies will just continue to complain about how I haven't been here in three days," Carrie pointed out. "For your sake, I think I can handle an hour's worth of questions about Iris's past. Even if it does make me feel bad that I remember more about the Pharaoh's time than he does."

Unfortunately, that was true. While Carrie could recall practically all of Iris's life, Yami had only been able to recollect a few events of his life. Mainly the important things, but still not enough for him to be satisfied. And he shouldn't have been, for any other man in his place would have gone on trying to find what he could no longer remember. And Carrie planned on helping him to find what he could not remember no matter the cost.

The mummies were out in front of the tablets behind glass with Ishizu and Odion. Someone had pulled out a couple couches from the backroom and placed them in the exhibit instead, almost as if they had been expecting Carrie. Armon, Rath, and Ja-Kal sat on one with Nefer-Tina perched comfortably on the armrest of the same couch while Ishizu and Odion sat on the other with appropriate distance between them. The Egyptian woman's gaze shifted over to the approaching duo. The look in her eyes made it seem like she really had been expecting Carrie.

"Good evening, Miss West," she said respectfully as she stood with her brother.

"Hey, Carrie!" Armon greeted rather loudly, turning around to see her without getting off the couch and in doing so knocking the other Guardians off of it. "You finally came back! We were worried that you forgot about us!"

Carrie smiled. "How could I forget you guys? There's been no one else in this world quite like you in the last five thousand years. If I forgot about you, then the world would end."

"See? I told you so," Rath told the other mummies as if he had claimed something similar at an earlier time.

"Well anyway, we're all glad you came. We enjoy your visits…Even if they have been a bit stranger lately," Nefer-Tina put in.

"They've only been strange because the priests of this time won't stop questioning her about her memories of Mistress Iris's life. I still can't understand how she came to remember so much of her first life when the Pharaoh can hardly recall any of his," Rath mused out loud though he might have been talking to himself.

"It may have to do with Iris's spirit. It is a part of Carrie that laid dormant much like the body of Iris has been doing for the past few millennia. Perhaps when the Millennium Items and the Egyptian Gods were gathered in the same place as she was, it allowed the spirit of Iris to awaken and flood Carrie's mind with memories of the distant past. The same could not happen to the Pharaoh because his spirit was sealed in a way that would prevent him from remembering the same way," Ja-Kal suggested.

Ishizu nodded once. "I have been thinking the same thing."

"Well, I kinda wish I didn't remember so much about her life. I've called so many people by their old name it's not even funny," Carrie grumbled. "Once I slipped at work and called Kaiba by Priest Seth. Oh, how I suffered the rest of that day. Everyone else has been okay with it, though they have given me questioning looks. At least I don't ever call anyone Mana or Teana. It seems those two were not reincarnated like a lot of people from our time were."

"Isn't your friend Tea that girl Teana reincarnated?" Armon asked.

Carrie shook her head. "They do look a lot alike and their names are similar, but Teana's spirit was never reborn. She died a peaceful death with a somewhat happy life fulfilled and therefore had no reason to be reborn. No, Tea is Teana's sister Amisi reborn."

"If you truly remember most of Iris's life, then you must know the meaning of this tablet," Ishizu said, walking over to the one with Egyptian-carved versions of Yami and Priest Seth. "I seemed to have mistranslated it from what you have told me about the time where these two come from. I told Seto Kaiba once that this meant there was an epic battle to decide the fate of the world between Priest Seth and the Nameless Pharaoh and it was his destiny to be Yugi's rival. But in the past, it seems those two were not enemies."

Carrie approached the tablet and stood at Ishizu's side, looking up at the hieroglyphics that Iris's hand had carved five thousand years ago. The others watched her study it for a moment before speaking.

"It does not depict the battle between the Nameless Pharaoh and Priest Seth. Those two were not friends, but they were allies and had a family bond that bound them together. Only once did they fight during the Immortal One's coming to Earth, but that was because the darkness manipulated Priest Seth. It was not a large-scale battle like you made Kaiba believe. It was quickly resolved because the Blue Eyes White Dragon set him free of the Immortal One's control. The writing on this tablet explains the great battle between the Immortal One and the Pharaoh, and the missing piece down here…" At mentioning the worn away piece of the tablet, she pointed to the place. "…I left it that way because there was no winner. The battle is still going on and shall only be concluded when the Pharaoh returns to his time and defeats the Immortal One without sealing anything away, let alone himself."

Carrie was speaking in a voice much more mature than her usual tone, and it almost sounded like it was Iris speaking instead of her.

"As for the carvings," Carrie continued. "…The three Egyptian Gods are placed with the Millennium Puzzle above them because only he who possesses the Puzzle has the right to wield these great Monsters. The Pharaoh is shown at the right of the fire with his most loyal servant the Dark Magician to show that he has gone, for the left side was seen as best in the times when we were alive. Priest Seth and his faithful Blue Eyes are at the left of the fire to show that the power of pharaoh has been transferred unto him. The passing of the flame, if you will. The Pharaoh knew what needed to be done and returned the flame of the pharaoh to who it would have belonged to in the first place had his father not been given the position by Priest Seth's father."

She looked at the rest of the tablets with a faraway look in her eyes. "I see that a few of my carvings are not here. I assume they were stolen, destroyed, or you did not believe they would be safe here, Priestess Isis."

"…A…combination of the three, I'm afraid," Ishizu stammered, slightly shaken by the change in Carrie's behavior.

"See? This is what comes of you bugging people!" Marik complained. "Now not only does she have the voice of her mind, the Pharaoh, her dark spirit, and the sacred Uria in her head, but now she has Iris there, too! Everyone is going to think she's crazy now! Way to go, Ishizu! Way. To. Go."

"Silence, Marik. This is no time for your jokes," Ishizu remarked with a glare in his direction. "Carrie? Are you still there? Or am I speaking only to Iris?"

The blonde girl blinked once, then twice, before responding. "What, Ishizu? Of course you're speaking to me. Why would you be speaking to Iris? She's dead, remember?"

"She's having way too many out-of-body experiences," Armon commented.

"Carrie, I think you should go home now," Odion said quietly, speaking for the first time since she had arrived.

"Aww…But I just got here!" Carrie whined.

"Yes, but with what has been happening to you lately, I believe it wise for you to go home and get some rest. This is the fifth time you have become Iris, and we need time to think about what this might mean for you," Ishizu explained. "There will be time later to return here, I promise. But it is late and you have school to attend."

Carrie sighed and crossed her arms. "Just say it. You want to get rid of me just because I went all crazy on you."

Marik smirked, but before he could say it, Ishizu's hand flew over his mouth. "It is for your well-being that we want you to go."

Carrie sighed again. "All right. I'll see you when I see you."

And then she headed home, wondering what it was she said that left the Ishtars wanting to be alone and Yami so shaken.

* * *

_A/N: End of another filler chapter. And there will be many of these with a sub-plot throughout it all. What did you think of this? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	42. 42 - Preparations within Shadows

_A/N: School and books keep me away from things I'd rather do. I apologize for taking so long to update. Please read on and enjoy...though you may not like what's going to happen to Carrie in chapters coming up._

* * *

Chapter 42

That night, Carrie had a hard time sleeping, and for once it wasn't any spirits' fault. Not Mirage, not Iris, and certainly not Yami. It was her own mind's unintentional doing. She tossed and turned the majority of the night, unable to drift away into the realms of dreams. And when she finally did fall asleep, she was plagued with nightmares she couldn't understand. Nightmares of blood and death…and full of pain.

Carrie sat up, coated in sweat and breathing heavily from one particularly bad dream. It was around three in the morning—the rest of the house was still sleeping. Carrie envied them and their normality. She kicked away the tangled sheets that had been around her, pulling her knees up to her chest. The sounds of night flooded in through her open window along with the moonlight, but they did not make her feel any better. She didn't know why she was having these nightmares. All she knew was that she probably wouldn't be getting any more sleep that night.

_There was...so much blood, _she recalled, shuddering as she did so. _And there was... someone that looked a lot like Mirage...She was laughing like a madwoman as those people died...though it was obvious that she was in a lot of pain herself. She killed all those people...men, women, and children...Blood was everywhere. And then...then she shifted into a normal girl...or rather...me. She was covered in blood-stained clothes holding the bloody blade that took all those lives. She...dropped the knife...and she recognized the dead. They were..._

Carrie's eyes filled with tears. _They were my friends!_ _Mirage made me kill them all!_

"It was just a dream. It didn't happen," Yami told her, appearing at her side.

"…But…It felt so real…," Carrie sobbed, burying her face in her arms that rested on her knees. "All the blood…All the death…It felt so real. And it hurt, Yami. It hurt so badly. I felt not only the pain that Mirage did…but the pain of all those that she hurt. I know… that it's not real…But why…Why did I dream it?"

Yami remained silent, unable to answer that question because no one knew why dreams came to people. It was a mystery that couldn't be solved.

**Just don't try to pin this on me. I had nothing to do with your nightmare,** Mirage muttered from somewhere deep in Carrie's mind.

_I know you didn't,_ Carrie whimpered.

**Perhaps it's a sign from the past after I came into existence, of the lives that followed Iris's. I didn't come into being until after she died.**

_My friends weren't alive back then, though._

**No, of course not. But perhaps they were just a symbol to represent those that I killed in your former lives. You know, people that were close to you before. It could be just another memory, only this time from after your first life.**

_...What about the pain?_

**Didn't anyone ever tell you? I am not just a dark spirit. Long ago before I became this darkness, a part of me was cursed at creation to feel the pain of every living thing on this planet. This was long before Iris was conceived, perhaps a thousand years or so, and thus I wasn't truly whole then. But ever since, I have felt the pain of the world. The people I've been forced to live inside's pain is magnified, of course. But I've become accustomed to it…For the most part.**

_...It sucks to be you._

**Indeed.**

_And you kill to relieve pain?_

At this, Mirage laughed. **I kill because it's fun and I'm evil! It doesn't stop the pain as death is a pain like no other! And even if that life fades and there is no more pain coming from that person, more lives come into this world every minute to create even more pain! There will be no end to the pain until the world ends! And it will, in due time!**

_Okay, this conversation has officially taken a turn for the worse. I'm pulling out of this before it gets any creepier._

**Too late.**

"I feel sorry for you," Yami muttered when Carrie turned to see if he was still there.

"…You heard all of that?" Carrie asked, sniffing.

Yami gave a small nod. "You two aren't very good at keeping your thoughts shielded."

"Guess that's just another thing I have to work on," Carrie murmured.

"I think Mirage was right when she explained your dream. I know that doesn't ease your fears or your pain any, but it's the truth. Your friends aren't dead. And you won't end up killing them. Mirage is under control and we won't let it be otherwise," Yami assured her, placing a spiritual arm around her shoulders. "I would sooner give myself over to evil than let her destroy the world in your body."

**Please do. I would love to have you at my side, Pharaoh.**

Carrie shuddered. "That sounded way too much like Tira from Soul Calibur there, Mirage."

The dark spirit laughed like the mentioned character. **As I intended.**

"Again, I feel sorry for you," Yami said.

"As do I, Spiky. As do I," Carrie grumbled. She gave him a wan smile, her tears finally gone. "But I do feel a little better now, thanks to you. I won't be able to go back to sleep, though, so I guess I'm up for the day. Is there anything you want to talk about since we have this free time and the others are asleep?"

**He's going to ask about the past just like those people at the museum.**

_Uria, a little help here._

The crimson dragon responded kindly by tightening his coils around Mirage in the bowels of Carrie's mind. The dark spirit let out a cry of displeasure before muttering a bunch of swears in a Tira-like voice. Carrie let out a silent sigh of relief to have been relieved of a really bad headache for now. Then she focused her complete attention on Yami, her boyfriend and closest friend besides Yugi. But he had turned his crimson gaze away from her for some reason. Had he heard what Mirage said? Was that really what he was going to ask about? Or was he just nervous?

"…I know you have been asked many questions about the past, but I want to know a few things if that is all right with you," Yami finally told her, confirming Mirage's words.

"Uh…Sure." _Don't say a word, Mirage,_ Carrie growled when she felt her smiling.

**Aww, you're no fun at all,** Mirage pouted in that Tira voice.

"Who was I?" Yami asked. "What kind of person was I?"

"…A kind man even with your role as ruler of the people. You were a bit full of yourself at times, like when you didn't believe Iris or Bastet about a great evil coming to Egypt. You grew up with the heart of your father, though you were a better version of him in some cases. Like now, you were emotional…Like when Iris was injured protecting you and then separated from you when you were just kids. Some of that faded away when you became a man and she became a woman, but I think you were just hiding those emotions. You were a great man, Yami, a great man that was the Pharaoh," Carrie replied, transferring some of Iris's memories into the spirit's mind so that he would see what she meant. "…You loved her a lot back then, even when you were just eight years of age."

Yami's eyes lowered to the ground. "Yes…I did." He paused before speaking again. "Did she and I ever…You know?"

"Nope. You both died virgins though in the end you both knew that your feelings hadn't faded with time," Carrie lied quickly, though she did so well.

**Liar!**

_Shut up!_

A look of relief passed over Yami's eyes. It wasn't because he hadn't loved Iris—Carrie had seen clearly that he had—but because he was afraid. Afraid that Carrie might grow jealous because not only was Iris his first love, but his first in every sense of the word. It was the truth, but Carrie didn't want him to know that. At least not now. Maybe later, when he regained his memories all on his own. He would understand why she had lied. At least, she hoped he would.

"Today is going to be a busy day," Carrie said suddenly, changing the subject. "First there's school, which is tiring enough. Then there's work for Rich Boy, which will practically kill me. Then I have to go dress shopping for his stupid party. And after that is Saturday, and Serenity's going to be moving in that day. And there's the party itself… Oh, why can't I have a normal life?"

"Because normal is boring…and normal wouldn't include me," Yami replied, grinning.

Carrie smiled. "I guess that's true."

**And normal is not fun! I enjoy fun, especially when it involves killing!**

_Seriously, drop the Tira voice and be quiet or so help me I'll let the Winged Dragon of Ra come in there after you!_

**No need for him! Mirage is a good girl! Be quiet now! **And with a Tira laugh, she fell silent just like she said she would.

Carrie sighed. _I have way too many voices in my head._

* * *

"Hey, Carrie? Are you okay?"

Carrie stirred and managed to lift her head off of her desk to look groggily at her friends minus Joey, who was too busy flirting to be over there. Having trouble sleeping last night and waking up at three took its toll on her—she had trouble staying awake all day. Luckily, she was in her last class of the day and the teacher, who was absent, had left an easy assignment that even she could do. She had fallen asleep at her desk after completing it, forgetting her friends in her tired state. Now they were crowded around her; she couldn't ignore them without being rude.

"…Yeah, Yugi," Carrie yawned, stretching. "I'm okay. Just a bit…tired. Didn't get much sleep last night, and when I did manage to fall asleep…I had nightmares. Been up since three…God, I just want to curl up in a corner and sleep."

"What were your nightmares about?" Tea asked, curious.

"Blood, death, and pain. Mirage and Yami think it's just memories of my past lives between now and Iris. Apparently, she killed a lot of people, including her host's friends. And she feels the pain of every living thing on the world. Hence why the nightmares had a lot of pain in them," Carrie replied.

"Well, this is Mirage we're talking about," Tristan pointed out. "I just hope you don't fall asleep on the job. Kaiba wouldn't hesitate to torture you for that, and I don't want to have to kick his ass for poking fun at a tired person. Aly would kill me for that."

Carrie managed a small smile. "Don't worry about me. Yami's going to do my job for me so that I can rest within the Puzzle. Kaiba will be none the wiser since he still believes this all to be a bunch of magic tricks." She sighed. "And then I have to go dress and shoe shopping with Mai. That'll take forever! And I'll be even more tired after that, which means I'll be exhausted when Serenity shows up to move in! Gah!" She rested her head on the desk again. "Can't I ever catch a break?"

Tea laughed. "It won't be that bad. At least you'll be having help with that search from a friend. Since Yugi's taking me and all, I have to ask my mother for her opinion." The brunette shuddered. "That woman has no taste whatsoever. And whatever I'll want to get, she probably won't let me."

"Speaking of Serenity, does Joey know she's going to be moving in with you yet?" Tristan wanted to know as he glanced over at the blonde after he had just been rejected.

"No, he doesn't. Carrie's been keeping it a secret because she wanted to surprise him," Yugi told him.

"He'll be surprised, for sure. And he'll be very happy to know that his sister will be within walking distance," Tristan agreed. "The only problem is I won't be able to keep that creep Duke from finding her. He was already enough competition during Battle City when those Rare Hunters were chasing us. Without the danger of those buffoons, I can only imagine how much more competition he'll become."

"Aww, are you afraid of a little competition?" Tea teased.

"No. In fact, I welcome it!" Tristan stated.

"Then why are you making such a big deal out of Duke?"

"I'm not!"

"Really? That's what it sounded like to me."

"Oh, shut up, Tea! You've never had a boyfriend, so what do you know?"

"Look who's talking! You've never had a girlfriend and the people you crush on are either taken or the sister of your best friend!"

Carrie rolled her eyes as her brunette friends continued to argue and turned her attention to the other two standing there. Bakura had remained silent the whole time, as was usual with him, while Yugi just glanced warily at the bickering people.

"So who are you taking to Kaiba's fancy-smancy party, Ryou?" she asked.

"Alyssa's friend Kathy. She wasn't invited…and well, she is a nice girl. Very pretty, too," Bakura admitted, blushing.

"She hunted him down and asked him out. Well, _begged_ is a better way to describe it," Yugi put in, embarrassing the white-haired boy further. "He really likes her. He's been talking about her ever since he first saw her. Too bad he's too afraid to admit his feelings to her. They would make a great couple if he wasn't so scared."

Bakura's eyes narrowed. "You're one to talk, considering that your feelings for Carrie had to be revealed by your grandfather and his friend and his friend's granddaughter."

At this, Yugi turned red. "It's different! I had a reason to keep my feelings inside because she's already got a boyfriend. I didn't want my own feelings to get in the way of their relationship. It's not my fault that old people and young girls had to mess things up. You, on the other hand, do not have that dilemma because Kathy is single."

"Yeah, and she's older than me by four years. If she dated me, she could be in some serious trouble," Bakura pointed out. "It's just this one party. Then she'll never talk to me again."

"Cheer up, Ryou. It always starts somewhere, and all you need is one chance…even if it does go against the law a little," Yugi said.

"Thanks for the support, but I don't want to be the reason she ends up behind bars listed as a pedophile. I can wait another year to ask her out where it's legal to do so," Bakura remarked. "So who else will be there?"

"Well, according to Carrie," Yugi began with a glance at the blonde who had fallen asleep at her desk again, "it's going to be pretty crowded. There are the normal rich people that think they're better than everyone else just because they run a successful business. Then there are the celebrities. And then there's us. I'm bringing Tea, Joey's bringing Tristan, and Carrie's bringing her sister. Ishizu, Odion, and Marik will be there with those mummy Guardians as well, and there's no telling who else might show up."

"I'm feeling claustrophobic already," Bakura muttered.

Tristan and Tea's argument excelled to an almost-fist fight, but the rejected Joey quickly moved to break them up before things could get too out of hand. The two brunettes broke apart and refused to look at each other. Joey just smiled this and his rejection by women off and joined the group around Carrie's desk. There was only five minutes left of class until the bell would dismiss them from school. Without really thinking things through, the blonde male pounced on Carrie.

And ended up being knocked on his butt.

As soon as Carrie felt someone on her back, she woke up and elbowed the person in the abdomen to make them fall off. It was her fighter instincts—she couldn't help it. Too many nights when she had been asleep only to be startled awake by Carl when he had an urge to abuse and having to fight kids in her old school had made such actions painful for he who tried them. She quickly apologized to Joey as he got back to his feet.

"It's okay. Nothing but a bruised bottom. I'll be fine," Joey assured her with a grin.

Carrie managed a small, tired smile. "That's good to hear. I was afraid that with my monstrous strength I would have broken something. I'm just glad I didn't slam your head into the desk like I would have done to any other person. Not that there's anything important up there…"

"Hey!" Joey exclaimed, offended.

"Hey, Yugi," Carrie said, ignoring Joey. "I need to ask a favor of you. I know this is going to sound so stupid since it's just one of Rich Boy's stupid parties we're going to, but…Could you hold onto the Puzzle for me until after the party's over? I want to surprise him, you know. And I can't very well dance with him if I wear the Puzzle. People won't know the difference…And besides, they might be expecting the King and Queen of Games to dance. Yami's okay with it…So…Will you do this for me?"

"Of course," Yugi replied, he and Carrie do their best to ignore the "awww" s of their friends at what the blonde girl had said. He took the Millennium Puzzle when she handed it to him and placed it around his neck.

_**I did not agree to this, **_the spirit grumbled, looking peeved.

_Oh get over it. In relationships, you have to compromise, and you don't always get what you want, _Yugi remarked. _And you should be happy that Carrie's doing this for you. She wants to surprise you by being beautiful and dancing the night away with you. Isn't that good enough for even a person of your former status?_

…_**Of course. I just don't like being separated from her. And I don't want people to think that you and her are more than friends. You understand, especially since you have feelings for her. You might like seeing those headlines about the King and Queen of Games, and that might fill your head with false beliefs that you could be together.**_

_Gee, you sure know how to make a guy feel bad. Thanks, Yami._

"Well, I guess I'll see you guys later," Carrie remarked as the bell finally rang to dismiss everyone from school. "And Joey, remember that you're supposed to come over tomorrow at one thirty. I don't want to have to call you up to remind you cuz that would just take the fun out of your visit for me."

Joey grinned. "Don't ya worry. You can count on Joey Wheeler to be on time. I just wish you'd tell me why you wanted me to come over all of a sudden."

"You'll see when you come over," Carrie assured him, exchanging looks with the others that were in the know.

* * *

"Carrie! I'm going out with my friends to find a dress for that party tomorrow!" Jessica exclaimed from upstairs as Carrie walked into her house after work at Kaiba's.

It was almost nine this Friday night, and usually the blonde would head straight to bed after a full day of school followed by working for Seto Kaiba. This would especially be true if she hadn't slept well the night before. But today was different. She had to contact Mrs. Wheeler to see if things would go as planned tomorrow. Then after that, she would go shopping with Mai since Jessica was apparently ditching them for her friends. That could take hours. But that wasn't all. Once they returned home, Mai wanted to stay up the rest of the night to watch movies. Carrie didn't want to upset her friend by telling her that she wanted to sleep, so she would just have to put up with it…and drink a lot of coffee in the morning…and find time to nap…

"Whoa, hold on a minute!" Carrie ordered before her little sister could speed out the door. She examined Jessica's outfit with a disapproving eye. "No sister of mine is going out dressed like that. You're showing way too much cleavage and legs…and the midriff area is meant to be covered. Or at least…not exposed _that _much. You've gotta change."

"Awww! But Carrie-!" Jessica whined.

"No buts. I don't care if your friends are waiting outside in their car. I'm not going to have people thinking that my little sister is a ho," Carrie stated defiantly.

Jessica groaned and stomped up the stairs. "Fine! Don't let me have my way! Even though tomorrow's my birthday! Go ahead and be overprotective!"

The echoing sound of her bedroom door was quickly forgotten as Carrie stood there in shock. Tomorrow was Jessica's birthday…and she had completely forgotten! Their birthdays were just a few weeks' apart, hence why they always used to do things together on Carrie's birthday if they could. And yet she had still forgotten!

_I knew I had forgotten something! What kind of sister am I if I forget my own sister's birthday? _Carrie thought, mentally cursing herself for being so stupid.

**A very bad one, **Mirage commented, still using Tira's voice as her own.

_Shut up. This is not the time for your comments._

**Is any time ever good for you when I speak?**

_I'll not only have to look for a dress and shoes, but also a present for her! That'll take even longer! _Carrie punched a wall in frustration. _How could I have let something so important slip my mind? I have so many things to do tomorrow as it is. She's probably mad at me for putting so many plans on that day, too. No wonder she was so angry when I told her to change. I just hope she doesn't hate me. I do the best I can for her...Some things just managed to slip my mind because of everything that goes on. Still, that's no excuse for forgetting her birthday. It's my own fault, so I'll just suffer through the consequences like a good girl._

"Here. Is this more acceptable, Mother?" Jessica growled, coming down the stairs once more in a less-revealing outfit.

"Yes, it's fine," Carrie replied, ignoring her sister's anger.

"Good, cuz I wasn't going to change again, anyway. Oh, and by the way, I won't be coming home again until tomorrow night. I'm having a sleepover at Jamie's house, and then tomorrow my friends are throwing me a party. You know, since _someone_ forgot that my birthday was tomorrow," Jessica muttered while glaring right at Carrie. "So I'll see you at Rich Boy's gala thing. Unless you forget about that, too…"

Jessica, armed with a backpack presumably full of things she would need for her sleepover, then left the house with the slam of the front door. Knowing that Jessica knew she had forgotten just made Carrie even madder at herself. She turned around and punched the wall again, only harder this time, and hit it repeatedly. Her knuckles were hurting pretty bad by the time Mai came out of her room to find her five minutes later.

"Whoa there, honey! There's no need to be hurting yourself," Mai remarked, pulling Carrie away from the wall. "What's got you so worked up?"

"I forgot Jessie's birthday is tomorrow, and she knows I forgot. She was so mad at me when she left that she's staying with friends that actually remembered when she was born. She won't be back until tomorrow night." Carrie admitted without making eye contact with the blonde woman.

Mai shook her head with a small smile. "Don't feel too bad. Teenagers are sensitive due to changes in their hormones, especially at a young age. And you've been very busy lately, what with all these people bugging you about your memories and being the Queen of Games and all. Then Kaiba had to go and invite you to a party that you can't refuse to go to unless you want to lose your job. Plus you have to help Serenity move in. You've got a lot on your plate, hon. Jessie understands it, I bet. Just give her some time. She'll come around. But hurting yourself won't help anything."

Carrie sighed. "I know."

"It's getting late. Why don't you go change so we can hit the road?" Mai suggested.

"All right. And I'll call Mrs. Wheeler to check on the plans. That way I'll take care of two things at once. Be back in five."

Shopping for dresses was a lot harder than Carrie remembered it being. When she was younger, it was so much easier. Pegasus would take her as a little girl to get fitted, then they'd find all sorts of pretty dresses for her to try on. Yes, even Carrie had a dress phase where that was the only thing she would wear. She faded out of it quicker than her quirky uncle would have liked, but she had gone dress shopping with him up to the day that she told him that she and Jessica didn't want to go to his parties anymore.

She hated dresses, but oh…What she wouldn't give to have that simplicity back.

Mai had long since found hers—a violet strapless dress that stopped just below the floor. She even had a pair of complimenting heels. But Carrie wasn't so lucky. Every dress she tried had some problem. It didn't hug her curves right. It was too big or too small, clearly marked as the wrong size. It showed way too much. It showed too little. She didn't like it. Mai didn't like it. They were running out of dresses in her size, and their patience was running thin. It didn't help that people walking by would recognize her and want an autograph or to talk to her. Mai had to shoo off fans more than once.

"All right," Mai grumbled, holding four dresses on her arm. "These are the last four dresses of your size in this store. If none of these work out, we'll head to a different store and find one that does. And that depends on whether or not I'm still sane cuz I'm on the brink of insanity here."

"You and me both," Carrie agreed as she took the dresses and headed into the stall again.

The first one she tried on was an orange one-strap gown that ended just below the knees. The coloring wasn't right to Carrie, and she felt too exposed in it. Mai agreed that it just didn't look right on her. The next one, a sea-blue dress, exposed her shoulders yet had three-quarter sleeves and the skirt extended to the floor. It was a nice garment, but she was afraid of breaking her neck by tripping over the bottom. The third one was a red spaghetti-strap dress that was as long as the orange one. One look at herself in the mirror and she was sliding back out of it. The last one, a black dress, exposed her shoulders again, but where the sleeves started it stopped about four inches later and the length was appropriate…about halfway down her shin. She smiled as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, spinning around and watching the skirt move. It was like she was a little girl going shopping with Uncle Pegasus again.

"Good news, Mai. You won't be going insane," Carrie said as she stepped out of the stall in the black beauty. "I found it."

Mai appraised it, her eyes scanning it closely for anything that might prove Carrie wrong. A smile appeared on her lips. "At last. I think you're right, hon. Now get out of it, put the losers back on the rack, and let's find you some good shoes."

"Awww…Can't I just wear the flats that I wear to work?" Carrie whined as she went back into the stall to change back into her regular clothes.

"No. If you wear a new dress, you gotta wear new shoes," Mai claimed.

Carrie sighed. "If you say so. You know more about this stuff than I do."

It turned out that finding the shoes was easy in comparison to finding the dress. Mai understood Carrie's hatred of heels and how she didn't really want to tower over anyone, so she found a pair of dress shoes that were in resemblance to those worn by little girls. Carrie liked them immediately as she tried them on. They made her feel like a child again.

"Get in line with these," Carrie said, handing Mai her dress and the box with her shoes in them. "I have to go find a present for Jessie. I'll meet you at the car."

* * *

_Thank goodness we decided to go to a mall and not just a department store, _Carrie thought as she walked towards a bookstore in the same building. _Otherwise, we would be even lower on time. It's already almost midnight. I just hope this store isn't closed yet._

She was in luck as the bookstore was still open despite the late hour and having no customers until she walked in. The blonde headed straight for the fantasy section and grabbed a book that Jessica had been dying to read that she had only told her sister about. It was _The Sword of Shannara Trilogy_, three gripping novels and the most sexist series Carrie had ever heard about, considering the first book only had one female character throughout the entire thing. Still, Jessica was a fan, and her friends had never even heard of the series, so Carrie would surprise her. She still felt the one series wasn't enough to make up for forgetting Jessica's birthday, so she also got the latest Naruto book and a Kakashi plushy doll to help make up for her failure since her sister was also a huge fan of that series.

Just as she was about to check out, another book caught her attention in the non-fiction section of the store. She didn't understand why, considering it didn't look all that gripping. Its title, _The Past_, wasn't so exciting, either. So why did she grab it off the shelf and read its summary? The writer claimed that the past could be used to predict one's future. And it didn't mean just the past of this life. It meant the past of _every_ life one has ever had. Carrie let out a sound of disbelief…But she couldn't bring herself to put it back. She ended up paying for it with the other things she planned on giving to Jessica.

_Well, it doesn't hurt to have something that could help me out and maybe stop the nightmares,_ Carrie thought as she headed towards the exit.

**You're doomed to suffer tomorrow night, **Mirage stated but this time she sounded serious without using Tira's voice.

Carrie rolled her eyes. _I'm not in the mood for your games, Mirage._

**You think I'm playing?**

_You're hardly ever serious, so yes. That's exactly what I think._

**You need to give me more credit than that. I have been serious plenty of times. If I was not for me, you would have never broken free of Yami Marik's mind control to save Yugi from death. And you would have died when running away from the Pharaoh with all those deadly jumps you made. And do not get me started with the time that you had to duel that annoying pest Yami Marik. I was serious then, too.**

_Finished?_

…**Yes.**

_Good. Now be quiet._

**Fine.**

The dark spirit turned away and let her dark eyes glance back in the direction of the mall as her host climbed into the convertible with her things. There had been someone else in that store when Carrie was getting her things…Someone that had more power over Carrie in the past than Mirage could ever hope to have. She didn't know how that person had gotten here since this person was supposed to be locked away, but she knew that person's appearance could only mean trouble for Carrie. It scared her, and she just wanted to seize control of the blonde to take that person out. But even without Yami there to restrict her, Carrie wouldn't let her control slip.

**I tried to warn her, **she thought as she closed her eyes and a single tear fell from her eye only to fall on Uria's crimson scales. **Now she will be forced to suffer needlessly…A fate she has tried so hard to escape.**

She left Carrie alone for the rest of the night, shaking with the pain of the world…and fearing the pain she knew was yet to come.

* * *

_A/N: End of a strange filler. Again, sorry I took so long to update. What did you think? What do you think the horrible thing I'm about to do will be? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. Have a nice day._


	43. 43 - The Warning

_A/N: Taking too long to update irritates me as much as it must you. I apologize, and I warn you that I will be busy this next month with schoolwork and may not get around to updating again anytime soon. Well, here's a new chapter for you. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 43

Mai turned off the television at about four in the morning when the not-so-scary movie finally came to an end. Carrie had long since fallen asleep under the comforter they both shared on the couch, worn out from a sleepless night followed by a busy day. The blonde woman hadn't minded one bit as she understood Carrie's situation. She too had been worked to the point of exhaustion before when she had two jobs with little time to herself. That was her life before she had befriended one of the lesser-known nieces of Pegasus, and she would never trade this life for her old one.

Cautiously as to not disturb Carrie, she removed herself from her position on the couch to give the girl more room. She wouldn't wake the girl just to get her to move into the bed; it was better to just let her sleep where she was. If she woke now, she might not be able to fall back to sleep again. Mai knew that from experience on her own part. She herself would never trade a bed for a couch if she had the choice, but if she fell asleep on the latter, she would prefer to be left alone. She wrapped the comforter nicely around Carrie, propped a pillow under her head, and headed for the stairs.

She was a bit worried about Carrie, needless to say. Ever since that girl had gotten that Millennium Puzzle, it seemed that something was out to get her. _No, _Mai corrected herself. _Something had been out to get her even before then. But that thing was in the form of her parents then, namely her abusive bastard of a father. Since she received the Puzzle via Alyssa, other evils have been after her. First it was Pegasus and his goons, and just recently it was Marik's evil. And that darkness in Bakura is always unpredictable. But what will happen to her next? What darkness will threaten the world that she and the Pharaoh will have to go up against? And more importantly...Will she remain wholly herself after the final battle is fought?_

Mai had had discussions such as this with Yami during the time when Carrie's spirit was healing from the epic duel against Pegasus. He had been honest with her then—the future was unpredictable and there was no way of knowing what might happen in their battles against the evil. But he believed in the strength of Carrie, himself, and their friends to conquer it every time, even if there were some casualties. He spoke of this as if it was a war, but he wasn't wrong. This was a war, a constant conflict between good and evil, light and dark. Mai would get caught up in it over and over again so long as she stood by Carrie's side. And she was the girl's friend, so she would never abandon her for self-preservation purposes.

Still, she believed that Yami put too much faith in Carrie. She had seen the young girl broken before. More than once, actually. Carrie tried to fill the role of the hero without any weaknesses and vast strength and courage, but she was still a girl underneath that hard exterior. Yami had probably seen her break down, too, but had the brain of a typical man and overlooked what it could mean in the middle of a serious duel. He had been around for many millennia whereas Carrie—this girl sleeping on the couch and not the reborn Iris—had only been in the world for a little over seventeen years. He had more time to come to terms with his weaknesses than Carrie had. Did he know that? Did he care if he did? Of course; he loved Carrie. He just wanted to believe that she could always be strong like Carrie wanted everyone to believe she could be.

_I pray for that girl every night and I still don't feel any better about her situation,_ Mai thought as she glanced from the bottom of the stairs at the couch where Carrie was sleeping. _I wish I could take her place, Kami how I wish I could. Then she wouldn't have such a burden on her shoulders. The poor girl...She just can't seem to catch a break, can she? Why do the best people in the world always have the worst lives?_

She caught herself yawning and shook her head. _There's no need to get all worked up now before I go to bed. It'll just make it impossible to sleep and then I'll be tired later. I can't be tired when I go to Rich Boy's stupid party, especially since I was nice enough to offer to bring the Duke Devlin there. I still don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to that. Maybe I was just thinking of repaying him for helping Tristan and Serenity out when they were being chased by those Rare Hunters..._

"Don't leave Carrie alone."

The words were spoken so quietly in the still air that Mai almost thought she had imagined them. But then she heard them again, and it sounded like it was coming from her purse which was resting on the table next to the door. She quietly walked over to it and pulled out her deck. A card in it was glowing an eerie red color. She pulled it away from the others—when she did so, the light brightened blindingly and expanded. Mai shielded her eyes until the light faded only to find the red-haired Harpie Lady standing in front of her with glowing red eyes. She was shocked, believing herself to be dreaming, but some part of her knew the ten-foot winged woman standing in front of her was not of her imagination.

"Wh…What are you doing here? How was it that I was able to summon you?" Mai asked in a shrill whisper, glancing over at Carrie's sleeping form in fear that the light might have awaken her. The blonde girl just turned, pulling the sheets closer.

"You did not summon me. Mirage reached out to control me so that someone might be warned of what is to come," the red-haired Harpie replied in a monotone that suggested that the one that summoned her was also controlling her. "She cannot keep me here for long, so I must be brief. Mai, listen to me. There is someone after Carrie, someone that she knows well and has been powerless against for the most part. Mirage saw him when Carrie was in the bookstore and she failed to notice him, and Mirage has a premonition that he intends to hurt her somehow. Since you are her closest friend, Mirage believed it wise to inform you. She is unable to take control of Carrie's body because the girl has developed a strong will and Uria has gotten stronger, so she used what energy she could to bring me out."

"Who is this man?" Mai wanted to know.

"He is-" The Harpie quickly fell silent and glanced suddenly at the door. Mai didn't sense what the Duel Monster/Mirage did, but from one of the nearby windows she noticed a shadow that shouldn't have been there. Her heart began to race in fear of what might happen. Another card in Mai's deck glowed, and this time she hesitated not to pull it out. A weapon that looked much like a gun appeared in the red-haired Harpie's hand, and she made her way silently over to one of the windows that the shadow wasn't near. "I shall send him away now, for I lack the strength to take him down at the moment. My apologies for that. I won't be able to return to tell you the man's identity. This will sap the rest of the power Mirage has given me. Just don't leave Carrie alone, especially at night, until this menace is taken out."

Before Mai could ask any more questions, Harpie Lady had flown through the window. Mai watched the shadow, waiting for the Duel Monster to drive it away. A couple of minutes passed, and then she heard gunshots, perhaps from the weapon the Harpie had. The shadow ducked down before disappearing altogether while gunshots continued to ring out. They died out after a few minutes as Mai held her breath. Her heart never stopped racing.

_**I shall keep him away the best I can for tonight,**_ Harpie Lady said in her mind. _**Stay by her side, regardless.**_

Then the night was still again. Mai quickly put her purse and deck down, leaving Harpie Lady and the Equip Card out in case that would help. She wanted to brush it all off as some crazy dream, but she had learned not to question these kinds of things. She was friends with a spirit and a girl with a darkness sleeping in her, just to name a few of the crazy things that were a reality in her life. This could be just another one of those real things that seemed impossible.

With very little hesitation, Mai went up to her room. She retrieved her pillow and a sheet off her bed, then returned downstairs. She made herself comfortable on the couch next to the one Carrie was sleeping on. And after closing all the windows, drawing the curtains shut, turning the AC on, and staring at the ceiling for what seemed like an eternity, she finally managed to fall asleep.

* * *

Carrie awoke at noon that day, stretching out sore limbs after sleeping dreamlessly for ten hours straight on a couch. A comfy couch, but still a couch. She wasn't sure when she had dozed off during the movie that was supposed to be scary, but she knew she hadn't even made it halfway through. She just hoped it hadn't upset Mai…One person that lived at this house was already angry with her. Carrie couldn't imagine there being two and what life would be like then.

She glanced at the couch next to the one she had been sleeping on and was surprised to find that she hadn't been the only one sleeping in the living room that night. Mai's pillow and blanket were there without her, but they were evidence enough that Carrie hadn't been left alone. This was odd. Mai would never give up a comfy bed if it was possible, not even to spend quality time with her friend. What in the world had possessed her to sleep on a couch?

The blonde brushed away the irrational thoughts her brain began to conjure up as she stood. Perhaps she didn't know Mai as well as she thought she did.

After making a detour to the bathroom, Carrie joined the woman in the kitchen. Surprisingly, Mai was already dressed and making breakfast: chocolate chip pancakes, Carrie's favorite. She looked wide awake, too. This was also odd. Mai loved to sleep in as long as she possibly could. On any other day, she'd still be sleeping and would stay that way for maybe another hour. Carrie tried to shrug it off as her not knowing Mai as well as she thought she did, but there was just something off about Mai's behavior that her conscience wouldn't let go of no matter what.

"Good morning, hon," Mai greeted with a smile as Carrie sat down at the table, sliding a plate in front of her. Just like the rest of her, that smile seemed a little off. "Did you sleep well?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question?" Carrie asked, forking one of the pancakes as she studied the other blonde with concern. "You clearly went to sleep after me and yet you were up before me, too. And you chose a couch over a bed. Is there something wrong, Mai? Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. I guess I just wasn't that tired last night, is all. And it was our girl night. If I had left you for a bed, that just wouldn't seem fair," Mai told her.

Carrie eyed her curiously for a moment. Mai had brushed the subject aside like she normally would have, but something was still off. She couldn't put her finger on it. And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling she had missed something. Still, she knew Mai well enough to know that if she had lied, she wasn't likely to tell the truth until she deemed it necessary for some reason. So Carrie let the matter drop and focused her attention on her breakfast.

Mai slipped out of the kitchen, her morning routine now completely finished, and went to return her things to her room. She assumed Carrie knew she had lied, but also knew the girl wouldn't press the subject because the girl knew Mai wouldn't tell the truth unless the circumstances forced her to do so. That was one of the things she liked about that kid; she knew her boundaries. Mai gathered her pillow and blanket from the couch and quickly made for the stairs.

Then she caught sight of her discarded deck, along with the red-haired Harpie Lady put aside with the gun-like Equip Card and stopped in her tracks.

Setting her things on the bottom step, she approached the table on which they sat. She recalled the events of last night with a clarity she didn't believe possible—it had haunted her in her dreams to remind her of the Harpie's message. If it indeed wasn't a dream itself. Some part of her was still skeptical about it all, but a much larger part knew it to be the truth, that her mind was incapable of creating such a scenario out of thin air. And thus she had chosen to stand by Carrie's side like her Guardians would, and she swore in herself that she would continue to do so until that menacing man was taken care of.

_What good are those Guardians if they couldn't stop that man from coming? _Mai thought as she looked at the cards that had managed to keep Carrie safe under the control of Mirage. _An evil spirit did more saving than they have lately. Perhaps Mirage isn't as bad as she tries to make herself out to be._

Mai replaced the cards into her deck and returned it to her purse before resuming her previous task. _I just hope she can take out that man. I would myself if I knew his identity, but I don't so I can't. All the clues she gave me were pretty sketchy. A man Carrie knows well and has been powerless against in the past? That brings to mind two men. Bandit Keith and Carl West. But Mirage already killed Bandit Keith back during Battle City. And that jerk Carl is rotting in his jail cell back in the States. It couldn't be either of those people. There must be someone else from Carrie's past that she never told anyone about. I wonder if Yami might know who this guy might be._

She heard the blonde girl coming upstairs and going into her room as Mai replaced her pillow and blanket on the bed. Carrie would be showering soon, and then she would get ready to help Serenity move in. Then she would surprise Joseph with his sister's presence within walking distance of his home. There would be no leaving home for Carrie for quite some time, not even to see her friends. Mai had no part in this, so she could easily just walk out. Then she could ask Yami about this without giving Carrie anything to worry about.

_That kid has enough on her plate as it is. I don't want to give her something more when it could be easily taken care of by me or Mirage, _Mai thought as she went back downstairs, grabbing her purse and car keys as she did so. _And I hope that we can take care of this... before anything bad can happen._

* * *

Carrie glanced at the clock for the fiftieth time while Serenity remained upstairs fixing her room to her specifications. It was now one forty-five. Joey was fifteen minutes late. Normally, this would have made the girl worry, but not today. She was still kinda concerned about Mai, and still sore about having forgotten what today meant for her little sister. She had left Jessica's presents in her room for when she would return, knowing that the dark-haired teen would never have accepted them from her hands after her anger spell yesterday. Everything else about today was set. All that was left to do was wait.

_Joey has a habit of being late, _she reminded herself as another minute ticked by. _Hell, he was almost late for his duel against Bandit Keith back at Duelist Kingdom. That wasn't entirely his fault since that bastard did steal Joey's entry card, but still. He has a tardy mark at school as long as my arm. This shouldn't surprise me._

Serenity appeared on the steps, concern reflected in her warm brown eyes. "He's still not here? I would have thought Big Brother would be happy to see me again."

"He would be…If he knew that you were here," Carrie said. "Remember, I made your living here a surprise. He doesn't know it yet. That's why I asked him to come in the first place. But as usual…He's late."

"Yeah." Serenity managed a small smile. "That's Joey for you."

The young brunette slipped away into the kitchen while Carrie remained seated on the couch, staring at the clock as its numbers switched to one forty-eight. She remembered telling him not to forget to stop by today just as she was leaving class yesterday. He seemed suspicious of her motives, but suspicion would not have kept him from coming. True, it wouldn't make him break his late habit, but it would still mean he would show.

So why wasn't he here yet?

_Relax already, Carrie. This isn't the latest he has ever been, _Carrie thought. _He'll probably be here any minute now._

She waited for Mirage to make a snide remark, but the dark spirit remained silent. Her behavior had been quite odd, just like Mai. Ever since last night, the dark spirit hadn't said a word to her and she felt very tense. Carrie couldn't understand the sudden change in her just like she couldn't understand the change in Mai. Was it possible that the two anomalies were connected somehow? She didn't know. And if Uria knew, he wasn't telling.

With a sigh, Carrie flipped through another page of the book she had bought for herself, _The Past_. She still didn't know what had drawn her to the book, but the text was pretty interesting to her. Basically, it spoke of remembering things buried in time, starting with the life one was living now and working backwards until one reached their first life. Carrie would be an exception to that rule, considering she had already seen the memories of Iris's life. The author wrote that she understood that facing some memories would be hard, but in order to fully understand who one was, it was necessary. Carrie wasn't sure she wanted to face pain memories of anyone's life…especially not her own.

_There's no need for me to remember anything. My memory is intact and I don't need to know what I did in my other lives. That's more Yami's domain, not mine, _Carrie reasoned as she closed the book. _What would learning about where my soul's been do other than make me crazier? I know how they all ended, anyway. Mirage made them do bad things and ruined their lives so much that they all died in some way in their seventeenth or eighteenth year of life. Iris herself was no exception to this, and she was my first life. I don't really need to know the details of what they did or why they were driven to their deaths. I have enough nightmares about my past and Iris's as it is._

She sighed. _But what if figuring out who I really am can somehow help Yami regain some of his memories? Sure, Ishizu said that only having all the Egyptian Gods and Millennium Items in the same place could help with that. But I have most of the Items in my room. I may only own one of the Egyptian Gods, but I'm sure if I asked nicely that Yugi would let me borrow the other two. With those and my all-knowing memory present, I'm sure Yami might be able to remember something more than he already does. After all, he was recalling things in his dreams long before we had any of these things._

**What about the pain?**

Mirage's sudden question caught Carrie by surprise. It wasn't just because the darkness had been quiet for so long, but also because she had a point. Carrie tended to try and keep her memories buried because of the pain her life presented. Mirage knew this, for no one knew about experiencing pain better than that dark spirit. Did she really want to unearth painful memories of not just this life, but other lives, just for a possibility of helping Yami recover what he had lost saving the world? She flinched away from unnecessary pain whenever she possibly could. But sometimes sacrifices needed to be made.

_It'll be worth it in the end if it helps him, _Carrie replied to Mirage.

The dark spirit said nothing in response, but she grew cold within Carrie and seemed to withdraw deeper into the depths of darkness in which she was trapped. The blonde had no time to consider Mirage's behavior, as there was a knock at the door. She hurried to her feet in order to answer it. Joey had finally decided to show up, wearing his famous grin while holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Please forgive me for being late. I brought you flowers to make up for it," Joey apologized as she let him in, handing the bouquet over to the girl. Then he wrapped her in his arms tightly, squeezing her in a friendly way. "So do ya forgive Joey for being a fool now, Carrie?"

"Of course I do. You're my friend," Carrie told him breathlessly. "Now…Can you let me go? I'm having…trouble breathing…and you're crushing the flowers."

Joey released her awkwardly, apologizing for that among other things. "So what did you want me to come over for? Don't tell me that you dumped Yami and decided that I was hot stuff now. That spirit loves you and I wouldn't take his woman from him. He might Mind Crush me if I tried."

Carrie smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm still with Yami. And no offense Joey, but I don't like you in that way. No. I invited you here because I have something super-sweet waiting for you in the kitchen."

Joey's eyes lit up. "You made me cookies? And cake? And ice cream? All together in the form of a huge cake?"

"Why don't you go in there and see for yourself?" Carrie suggested, trying to keep her smile under control.

She didn't have to say it twice. Joey was off like a bullet towards the kitchen, clueless as to what Carrie really meant by her statement. With a shake of her head, she followed him. Serenity was sitting at the dining room table where she had just apparently finished her lunch. Joey was too dumb to look right at her at first. He was searching for his elusive ice cream cookie cake.

"Wait a second! There's no huge cake in here! There's only my sister!" Joey remarked, still clueless. Then reality dawned on him. "Serenity! What are you doing here, sis?"

Serenity smiled. "I live here now, Joey. Carrie talked Mom into letting me move in so I could be closer to you. Now you can see me any time that you want. Isn't that great?"

"Great? It's better than great! It's fantastic!" Joey exclaimed, hugging Carrie once again. "Thank you so much, Carrie! You're the bestest friend a guy could ever ask for!"

"Yeah, that I am. Just don't let Tristan hear you say that."

Mirage watched the scene and the following reunion with a heart filled with sadness. **Such naiveté…What fools you all are for not realizing that happiness only leads to pain and pain is never worth anything. Carrie, why can't you see this? Why can't you just stay here and not go to that stupid party? Trust me when I say…It won't be worth the pain.**

And her words went unheard as she wanted them to, falling away with her tears in the dark abyss she was trapped in with her only company being that of a crimson dragon.

* * *

Mai was in the living room of Yugi's home, sitting quietly while glancing down at her hands. She had told Yami everything that had happened between last night and this morning, only leaving out the boring things like what Carrie's dress looked like as she respected the girl's wish to surprise him at the party. He had listened silently the whole time like he usually did. But he wasn't the only one who had heard. Inevitably, Yugi was there, as he shared his body with the ancient spirit whenever the Millennium Puzzle came around his throat. Grandpa Muto was present, too, as was Tea and Tristan. Joey was not, but that was only because he was at Carrie's finding out that his sister now lived in town. Now almost the whole gang knew of the possible danger to Carrie. It was better that they did. They could help Mai to keep her safe.

"…Harpie Lady didn't give you the man's identity, but she was able to say all those things? That doesn't seem right," Tristan muttered.

"Mirage isn't the kind of person to come right out with the truth. She likes to play games to keep you guessing as to what her real motive is. And she likes to hurt people, even if it hurts her, too," Tea pointed out. "Who's to say this wasn't just another game to her designed to hurt the group? You know, make us all so overprotective of Carrie that she gets fed up and separates herself from us all, even Yami? Then Carrie would be vulnerable and Mirage could seize control of her body."

Mai shook her head. "Mirage sounded serious enough, not like the evil trickster she usually is. And she sounded pretty legit to me. I may have never really met Mirage personally, but from what I've heard she never really lies about anything. If she says someone is out to hurt Carrie, I believe her."

"I agree. With so many Millennium Items and a card so rare as the Winged Dragon of Ra in her possession, Carrie is bound to have people out to hurt her," Grandpa remarked.

"No, I don't think this has anything to do with the Millennium Items or Ra. Mirage said this man was someone from Carrie's past that had power over her then. If it was for the Items or Ra, the chances are that the guy would be a total stranger and not someone she knows. Pegasus is an exception. Losing his wife drove him to madness and he just wanted to find a way to bring her back," Mai said. "I think the reason this guy is coming after her is because of who she is, not what she has, and what she did to that person in the past."

"Like who? The only people I can think of that fit that description are Bandit Keith and Carl West. Keith's dead, murdered by Mirage herself. And Carl is wasting away in a cell somewhere in America. No other man has ever come after Carrie before she came to Japan," Tea claimed.

"You don't know that. Everyone has their secrets," Tristan put in.

"Exactly. That's why I came here to talk to you, Yami," Mai stated, turning her violet gaze to the man. "You are the only person I know other than Jessica that knows Carrie better than I do. You have been with her longer than any of us. Do you know if there was any other guy from Carrie's past that had any power over her that would want to cause her harm?"

Yami's crimson gaze held her violet one steadily. "There were many men out to get Carrie when she lived in New York. Those in Keith's gang, those in her school, and others. But from what I had seen, none of them had ever rendered Carrie powerless. Not even Keith could truly take her down. The only man she felt weak against was her father, and you already know of his fate."

"So then who was that shadow form that Mai saw before Harpie Lady scared him off?" Tristan wanted to know.

"Maybe Carl found a way to break out of jail and managed to get over here?" Grandpa suggested.

"Oh, come on! That's so crazy," Tea claimed. "I still think Mirage is playing with us."

"No, Mai is right about Mirage. She may be a dark spirit, but she is honest. Whatever she said about Carrie being in danger, it is the truth," Yami told her. "We may not know the identity of her awaiting assailant, but we can still protect Carrie. We'll heed Mirage's advice and not leave Carrie alone. I will protect her myself."

"Now you can't do that. Carrie wanted to surprise you at the party. You going over there will just ruin it and upset her. Then you'll have her mad at you. Do you really want that again?" Tea asked.

Of course, Yami didn't respond.

"I can protect her well enough on my own until we get to the party. Anyone can get into those things if they want to, and I only have two eyes. I can't watch everyone. But with your help and the help of the others, I'm sure we can ensure Carrie's safety. Then after the party, Yami will be with her again and you can convince her to let Mirage take over long enough to take out the threat," Mai said.

"What? You _want_ that psycho on the loose?" Tea exclaimed.

"It could be for the best," Tristan grumbled, though he wasn't any happier about it.

"It's logical, given what she's done to keep the girl safe so far," Grandpa agreed.

Mai refocused her attention on Yami, awaiting his word.

"If you promise to not leave her alone for a second before you get to the party, then I believe this might work and will not go to protect her myself, even at the cost of her anger," he said.

Mai gave him a small grim smile. "You have my word, Pharaoh."

* * *

It was nearing time to head to Kaiba's mansion for his fancy-smancy party. Serenity was content in being left alone for the night, saying that she had things she would rather do than suffer at a boring black-tie event with the enemy of her brother. Jessica had returned from her friend's house with arms full of gifts a few hours earlier. She had marched upstairs without a word to her room and deposited her things on the bed without a second glance to see what might have been there waiting for her. Mai had come home after her, seeming a bit anxious about something she wouldn't tell Carrie.

The poor blonde girl felt so lonely, but she wasn't going to complain. Tonight was going to be a great night even if it was to be spent at the home of a man she despised. She would get to spend it in the arms of the man she loved—even though in truth those arms were her best friend's that were being borrowed by the man she loved. And they would both be dressed in their best and they would be smiling so happily…

_I just hope it'll all be worth wearing a stupid dress on a day I'm supposed to be free of this stuff, _Carrie thought bitterly as she looked at the dress still on its hanger with her new shoes sitting under it.

The other two females that were going to the party were already dressed in their fancy garments. Jessica had managed to resist her rebellious urge and had gotten something conservative—a rose-colored dress with short sleeves and a flowing skirt that went down to her ankles. She wore black stilettos with it, proving that she really was a risk-taker. Her black hair was pulled back into a bun with a band that had a big beautiful rose on it. She looked beautiful, just like a princess, on the first day of her fifteenth year.

Mai looked just as pretty, but Carrie had already expected that.

She had put off changing into her dress as long as she could since she hated the garments so much, but if she put it off any longer, then she would cause them all to be late. Carrie sighed, giving into the thing she despised just this once. Reluctantly, she grabbed the dress and stepped into her closet to change.

When she stepped out again, Mai was standing in the doorway.

"I have to go pick up Duke. Jessie wants to tag along cuz apparently she's still mad at you," Mai said with a small smile. "We'll come back around to pick you up, okay? And don't worry. We won't be late and you won't lose your job. And wearing a dress won't kill you, I promise."

Carrie smiled. "Thanks for your assurances and consideration, but you don't have to do that for me. I can walk there and save us both time. That way I also won't have to receive the cold shoulder from my sister."

"No, no. It's fine. I promised your boyfriend that I'd protect you and he'll have my head if he finds out I let you walk in the dark to Kaiba's," Mai remarked. Something flickered in the woman's eyes, but was gone again before Carrie could identify it. "You just get ready and we'll be around to get you by the time you're done."

Then the woman was gone and the house grew quiet again. Carrie sighed and finished dressing, sliding into her shoes that resembled the kind parents loved to get their little girls' and adjusting her strapless brassiere so she wouldn't look lop-sided or anything. There wasn't much she needed to do to look beautiful in her opinion. Her hair looked fine the way it was, long and down behind her back. No makeup needed whatsoever. She put in a pair of simple golden earrings to fill the holes in her ears, but there was nothing else she needed to do. Didn't Mai know that she didn't go all out for these kinds of things?

_There's no need to wait around for her when I'm ready and very capable of walking, _Carrie thought, grabbing her cell phone. _I'll just leave her a message on her phone so she doesn't have to come back to the house. She can give me the lecture later._

After doing just that, she left her cell phone on her desk and headed downstairs. She bid Serenity goodbye before walking out the door. The summer night was pleasant, not overly warm just yet, just the perfect weather to walk in. Why drive in a car when one could walk and enjoy the world around them? There wasn't any real danger in Domino City. And if she did encounter anyone, they would be no match for her. No one could take down Carrie. Not even Bandit Keith. He had bested her sometimes, but she had always come out on top against him.

She walked casually in the streets towards Kaiba's mansion, wearing a bright smile on her face that hadn't been there in quite some time. People that walked by noticed her happiness and felt a smile come to their own faces as well as they bid her good day. This was a good day despite all the chaos and curious behaviors of those close to her. Nothing could go wrong tonight. Nothing could-

As she was passing an alley, a hand reached out and violently pulled her into the dark narrow passageway. She wheeled around, ready to fight off her attacker, fist raised to strike…

And then she froze with wide eyes as she recognized the man.

The person that had grabbed her…was her father.

* * *

_A/N: Cliffhanger ending once again. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. And as another warning, the next chapter is going to be bad and you are probably going to hate me for putting Carrie through this crap. Just warning you ahead of time so you won't flame me..._


	44. 44 - That Night

_A/N: I'm sorry once again for taking so long to update. As usual I've been busy...And to be honest with you, I've been avoiding this chapter. I hate making bad things happen to my characters because I feel like there's a little piece of me in them, you know? But bad things need to happen in order for there to be a story...And sometimes those bad things leave the characters and the readers and the author hurting really badly. _

_One person has expressed her concerns about this chapter, so I'll address that now. I will keep this rated Teen material, of course, and I understand that it will take quite a bit of time for Carrie to heal, if she heals at all. I've thought this through, I promise you. I don't like it one bit, but it came into my head and it won't leave me alone until I type it, you know?_

_Well, here we go..._

* * *

Chapter 44

Carrie stared in horror at Carl West, the man that was supposed to be her father but had hardly ever filled the part correctly. His hard green eyes observed her without giving away anything that he had planned while a million thoughts raced through her head. Most of those thoughts were filled with fear from the past. But the most important question that kept racing through her head was…How was he here?

Carl West had been convicted and was supposed to be rotting away in a jail cell in the States. He had abused his daughters. He had demeaned them. He had tried to kill Jessica with a carving knife. He had tried to do the same to Carrie, and probably would have succeeded if Yami wasn't there to give Carrie the courage to fight him off. The jury had been ruthless in finding him guilty. He was supposed to be serving a life-sentence in a cell with all the other people that had hurt others and thought they could get away with it. Carrie had thought she would never see him again when he was taken away in handcuffs that fateful day in the courthouse.

So how…?

"Hello, Carrie," he greeted darkly, anger flashing in his eyes as he spat out her name. "It has been a long time, hasn't it, daughter?"

"How did you get here?" Carrie demanded, shouting more out of fear than anger.

A dark smile appeared on Carl's face. "So you want to jump straight to the point and not greet your father respectfully like a good little girl? All right then. I'll tell you how I got here. I escaped from prison. My connections allowed me to get a flight here and it wasn't hard to hunt you down from there. True, the authorities are looking everywhere for me and I doubt it won't be too long before I'm cuffed again. But I just had to see my girls one more time to show them how much Daddy really loves them."

Carrie knew what he meant by that. The way he showed her and Jessica 'how much Daddy loved them' was through punches and kicks. He wanted to hurt them for getting him thrown in jail. He wanted to make them pay one last time before he was thrown back into his cell for the rest of time…And he would make it memorable somehow.

_Is he going to try to kill us again, only make it so we're more hurt than we were the last time he tried? _Carrie wondered as cold sweat ran down the back of her neck.

**Carrie, let me take over, **Mirage urged desperately. **Let me spare you from this pain! Let me take over and end him once and for all! Please! Let me help you!**

_No, Mirage! I...I can't! You're evil and you might not stop with just him! Please...Just... Just be quiet and let me handle this!_

**But you can't handle him! He has overpowered you for ten years and made you feel so weak! The only reason you were able to face him that one day was because of the Pharaoh, and he's not with you now! Let me take his place! Let me end your pain! You can trust me! I swear on my immortal life that I will not hurt anyone else after his blood runs cold!**

_NO! I can't do it! I'm...I'm so sorry, Mirage..._

**Please! I beg you!**

_I can't...I'm too weak..._

Carl threw Carrie up against the wall in the alley, letting his anger out at last after keeping it bottled up for over a year now. She reacted not at all except for putting her arms up to ward off blows, an ineffective move. She was too afraid to fight back now. She didn't have Yami's support this time. He was with Yugi at Kaiba's mansion, waiting for her to come to the party. Her mind was too busy fighting off the desperate Mirage—even though the dark spirit only seemed to want to help her, she couldn't help but to think of Mirage as an evil being that wanted to kill everyone.

After beating her around for a bit, Carl grabbed her by the throat and held her against the brick wall again.

"Where's the fighting bitch that took me down before the cops took me away?" Carl sneered as Carrie gasped for breath. "Guess you really are a piece of shit and that was just a fluke! You'll never be strong enough to conquer me, you little whore! I shall always have power over you even after I'm gone from this world!"

Carrie collapsed to the ground when he abruptly let go of her. Carl pinned her roughly to the ground and forced her to look him in the eye through her half-closed ones.

"I'm going to make you regret that day until you die, Carrie! I'm going to hurt you so that a day won't go by that you won't think about what a weakling you really are! Broken bones, bruises, blood…All of that and more! I won't kill you—that would be far too easy for you! But when I leave you in this alley, you'll wish that you were dead! And I'll be far worse to you than that fool Keith Howard ever could have been!" Carl exclaimed.

_How...How does he know about Bandit Keith? _Carrie thought in fear as Carl began to beat her again. _And what does he mean by being worse than-!_

She got her answer quickly when she felt a sharp pain where she never should have felt one and screamed only to be slapped across the face painfully by her father.

**CARRIE!**

The blonde retreated into her mind, unable to face the outside world a moment longer, and ran in the direction of Mirage. The dark spirit was convulsing from the pain Carrie was going through physically and mentally. Uria was looking at the both of them with mixed emotions flashing through his fiery eyes. Mirage was crying, begging for the girl to let her take over and kill the man that was violating her so. But Carrie could not do so. All she could do at that moment was curl up in the corner and cry.

_It'll be over soon. It'll be over soon, _Carrie repeated over and over while the tears continued to fall…and old wounds reopened with new ones.

* * *

He was walking the streets in the night, minding his own business even though it was a little late to be out for no reason. He didn't really understand why he was out. But something inside him seemed to like the sky when the stars came out, and he really didn't mind it too much. His dark eyes glanced up at the glittering orbs as he ran his hand through his disheveled dark-blonde hair. It amazed him how things so far away could still make him feel right at home even though he was in a totally different country.

So much was foggy for him since he had woken up in the morgue a couple of weeks ago. He hadn't been cut open quite yet, lucky for him, but he could have sworn he had been dead for at least a day. He couldn't quite remember how he had died, but judging from the scar across his throat and his throbbing back, it had been painful. From what he managed to gather from the police reports that he had stolen, he had been found stuck to a wall with his throat slashed. He didn't understand how he had come to live again, but he wasn't ungrateful for the second chance at life.

He knew he had once lived a criminal's life, leading a gang and cheating and stealing and pursuing a girl for dirty reasons. He recognized that, but he no longer wanted to lead that kind of life. The part of him that had wanted that was gone with his death. The 'bandit' in him was dead. Now he was just a normal guy trying to make it in this world…and trying to get back to New York City where his real home was.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man slip out of a dark alley in a suspicious manner that he recognized from his bad days. He stopped and watched as the man slipped away into the shadows too quickly to be pursued. That man had done something evil in that alley. What he had done was unknown at the moment…But it wouldn't be for long.

The blonde man headed towards the place that the man had just left at a quick pace just in case someone was hurt and needed his help. His ears detected a soft sound like a girl crying and his pace quickened immediately. It was one thing for a man to hurt a person. It was another thing entirely for a man to hurt a girl. That man was lucky he had run off already, cuz if he was still around, there would have been some serious hell to pay.

In the alley laid a blonde girl in a badly torn black dress. She was covered in blood and seemed to have a few broken bones. The blonde man crouched down beside her as he whipped out his cell phone to call an ambulance. He reported the situation to the woman on the other end, gave his location, and told her everything else that he could. Then he remained at the girl's side as he was told.

"Everything's going to be all right," he said to the injured girl. "The ambulance is on its way. You're going to be all right."

Though her eyes looked to be too bruised to open, she managed to. They were both surprised when they realized who they were looking at.

"…Carrie?"

"…Keith…? Is that…you? I thought that you were…dead," the girl murmured weakly, but whether it was from the pain or from what she had just been through was beyond him. Fear dimly reflected in her eyes when she saw who was standing over her, but that was understandable after everything Keith had put her through before.

"I was, but somehow I came back," Keith told her. "Carrie, I'm not the same man I was before…and I'm sorry for what I did to you. Whatever that man did to you…It's all going to be okay in the end. I promise."

Carrie didn't look like she believed him, but it was difficult to read her expression with all the injuries that man had inflicted upon her. Keith knew her physical injuries would heal in time. They always did. But the mental and emotional ones…Those would be like scars on her, never completely fading away for a very long time. With all Carrie had already been through, would she be able to stay sane now?

The ambulance could be heard close by. Soon she would be safe.

"Everything's going to be all right, Carrie. Everything's going to be all right."

* * *

Mai was a wreck. She had gotten Carrie's message while picking Duke up and immediately rushed home in order to see if maybe the girl had been playing tricks on her. Carrie had not been there. Mai cursed herself as she drove at breakneck speed towards Kaiba's mansion, keeping an eye out for any sign of her blonde friend. Her promise to Yami had been unintentionally broken. Harpie Lady's warning kept playing over and over again in Mai's head. _"Don't leave Carrie alone at night. Don't leave Carrie alone at night. Don't leave Carrie alone at night." _But she had and now anything could have happened to the girl.

She didn't see Carrie on the roads before she pulled into the driveway beside the Kaiba mansion. By now Duke and Jessica were aware that something was wrong, but neither was brave enough to ask why the blonde woman was so mad. Mai rushed inside the building, scanning the premises for any sign of Carrie. The place was crowded with rich snobs, celebrities, and the finalists with whoever they had decided to bring. It was hard to tell one person from another until one looked them right in the face, but from what Mai could tell, Carrie was nowhere to be seen.

_Damn it! _Mai swore, kicking a wall. _How could I be so stupid? I knew Carrie wouldn't take long to get ready, and yet I still left her alone! Why couldn't I have waited a few minutes before going to pick Duke up? Why did I do something so stupid?_

"Mai, are you all right?" Nefer-Tina, dressed in a nice red dress, asked as she and Ja-Kal approached the upset blonde. Both of them looked very concerned.

The woman let out an exasperated sigh. "No, I'm not. I promised Yami I wouldn't leave Carrie alone tonight because there's someone after her. Then I went to pick up Duke and …I swore I wouldn't be gone that long, but she decided to walk here herself! She's not here, she's not at home…I have no idea where she is and anything could have happened to her!"

Ja-Kal's eyes darkened. "Carrie is in danger? I thought something seemed wrong. Nefer-Tina, get Armon and Rath. We'll go out and look for her ourselves."

"If I couldn't find her, what makes you think you will?" Mai demanded as Nefer-Tina went to get the other two mummies.

"You are not connected to her the same way that we are. We can find her," was Ja-Kal's vague reply.

By now, the others were getting antsy about Carrie's absence, too. Yami's gaze kept traveling over to the door in hopes that she would walk through. Yugi was getting worried himself, thinking about what Mai had told them and imagining so many things happening to his best friend; he barely managed to keep his thoughts to himself since he didn't want to worry Yami more than the spirit was already worrying. Tristan and Joey were concerned, though they mostly kept their concerns hidden. Tea was too busy watching the handsome rich people and fantasizing to think about her friend, but Carrie was back there somewhere in her head. Ryou was too busy enjoying the company of the blue-haired Kathy to really concern himself with Carrie. Thief Bakura, on the other hand, could only think about the safety of Mirage and her host body. Jessica and Mokuba were in their own world. Duke was a big flirt. Kaiba only thought that Carrie had chosen to skip out at the last minute without telling anyone because she didn't value her job.

Alyssa, dressed in an attractive silver dress, was the only one who let her concern for her cousin really show. She sat at one of the tables with the host of this party, light green eyes transfixed on the front doors of the ballroom that had been remade for this party. Her fingers tapped impatiently on the tabletop as she waited for Carrie. That girl was not known for being late for anything, not even an event hosted by a man she hated. So where was she?

A cold feeling had worked its way down Alyssa's spine and into her bones. Whatever was keeping Carrie…It wasn't good.

Her cell phone rang suddenly from within her clutch. Without looking away from the door, she pulled it out and answered it.

"Hello, this is Alyssa Pegasus speaking. Who's calling?" she asked nonchalantly.

What the person on the other end told her next made Alyssa cease all movement.

The caller continued to fill the brunette in for a few more minutes before the call ended. She couldn't move even to put the phone from her ear. It took Kaiba speaking to her to make her react, and without another thought she thrust the phone back into her purse and stood up. She made to leave when Kaiba grabbed her wrist and demanded to know what was going on.

"Seto," Alyssa said with a shaky voice. "It's Carrie. She's in the hospital…And it's bad."

"What was that about Carrie?" Tristan demanded, coming over immediately with Joey at his side. He wasn't the quietest speaker, so the other members of the gang heard him and joined the gathering, too. Even the mummies stopped a few feet away to listen in on what Alyssa was going to say. Luckily, Jessica was too far away to know something was wrong with her sister.

The brunette looked at all the concerned faces of her friends and sighed. "Carrie was badly injured…among other things…in an alley on her way here. A man found her covered in blood and bruises with several broken bones. She's in bad shape. They're not even sure if she's going to make it through the night. The man that found her saw the man responsible, but the attacker got away too quickly to be identified or pursued."

Yami's eyes widened, and his weren't the only ones.

"So this man knew where she was going? But that can only mean…that he also knows where she lives! Serenity's still at the house! What if the person that hurt Carrie goes there to hurt my sister?" Joey exclaimed, upset that his friend had been hurt so badly, but also worried about what could happen to his little sister.

"I'll have Uncle's guards pick her up. She can stay at Duelist Kingdom with me until Carrie's attacker is identified. The same arrangements will be made for Jessie," Alyssa replied with sad eyes, nodding at two men in shades that stood by. They left to do as she bid for Serenity. "I'm going to the hospital to check up on Carrie. She's going to need all the support she can get after…what happened."

"I'm going with you," Tristan and Yami stated at the same time.

"…I'll go, too," Mai murmured morosely.

Kaiba said nothing, but Alyssa knew he would go wherever she went. She told the Guardians to stay put and keep an eye on Jessica before she and the other four slipped away into Kaiba's limo to go to the hospital.

* * *

_Four-year-old Carrie heard the door to the apartment open and close and a big smile appeared on her face as she ran. Mommy had left with little Jessica to go to the store hours ago and wouldn't be back for a long time. That meant the only person that could be coming home was...Daddy! Carrie never really got to spend time with Daddy since he was always working at his crummy business, and she cherished every moment she got to see him. After all, she looked more like him than she did Mommy. She was definitely Daddy's little girl._

_The blonde-haired, green-eyed man smiled when he saw her running towards him and knelt down to embrace her in his arms. Those eyes were so warm whenever she was around—she never thought they could be otherwise. He squeezed her tightly for a moment before she pulled back to look him in the face._

"_Daddy! I'm so glad you're home! I missed you!" she remarked with the biggest smile her face was possible of making._

_He chuckled warmly. "I miss you, too, my little Care-Bear. Is Mommy home?"_

_Carrie shook her head so quickly her blonde pigtails bounced. "No. She took Jessie to the store and said she wouldn't be back until later." Something flickered in Daddy's eyes then and his smiled faltered for a moment, but Carrie was too young to understand it. "But that's okay, right? That means you and me can spend time together without Mommy saying it's time for bed and Jessie crying so much. Right?"_

"_That's right. After Daddy changes out of his suit, you and me can spend the rest of the day together," Daddy told her._

_And they did just that. She held his hand while they went for a long walk through NYC, ate vanilla-chocolate swirl ice cream with him, and rode the merry-go-round on a pretty pink horse with him watching. They had dinner at her favorite restaurant and she got the usual—a Happy Meal! He took her to the toy store where she picked out a cute purple winged horse with a horn that was very glittery. It was so cute she couldn't resist!_

_It was a perfect day for a four-year-old._

_Daddy carried her home on his shoulders under the cover of the night sky. Carrie had grown too tired to walk any further—she was nodding off on top of his head while holding her new stuffed animal tightly in her arms. Daddy was smiling despite whatever problems he might have been facing; anyone walking by could see how happy this father was to have his daughter. _

_He had to move Carrie down from his shoulders into his arms as they entered the apartment. She was asleep by then. The day had really worn her out. He walked into his home without looking at Mommy and carried his little girl into her bedroom. Like a good Daddy, he tucked his Care-Bear into bed and pecked her on the forehead._

"_Pleasant dreams, Care-bear," he whispered._

* * *

The Daddy of that memory and all of those leading up to the day Carrie defeated her Mommy in a duel was gone.

He had died ten years ago.

Carl West was not the same man that held Carrie's hand, ate ice cream with her, and watched her ride the merry-go-round on a pretty pink pony. Carl West was not the same man that took Carrie to her favorite restaurant to get a Happy Meal. Carl West was not the same man that went to the toy store and bought Carrie a cute purple winged horse with a horn that was very glittery. Carl West was not the same man that carried Carrie on his shoulders under the cover of the night sky, tucked her in, kissed her goodnight, and called her Care-bear.

Daddy and Carl West were two different people.

Daddy was a wonderful man that had been around for the first seven years of her life.

Carl was the monster that had taken Daddy's place for the past ten years of her life.

And he had just become a bigger monster with what he did in that alley.

Carrie was too locked within herself to think about anything. Mirage, though convulsing with the pain of the girl as well as the rest of the world, was not so blinded. She wanted so badly to get out, to find Carl and make him pay for this. She didn't blame Mai for this—that woman had tried her hardest to keep Carrie safe. It was Carrie's own ignorance that landed her in this position. But Mirage didn't even blame the girl for her foolish choice to go out on her own in the night.

Carl was the only person to blame.

For he was the one that had beaten his daughter to near-death…and had raped her for the violence alone.

This was a pain that no girl could ever truly recover.

A man that did such a terrible deed…deserved no life at all.

Mirage swore that she would kill him.

And she always kept her promises.

* * *

_A/N: A horrible, horrible chapter, I know. I can't believe I wrote this. Well, what did you think of this horrible chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. Now go read a happy story that will make you laugh to make up for this depressing bit._


	45. 45 - That Night's Continuation

_A/N: I thank you all for receiving the last horrible chapter so well. I was really worried about what you would all think about it, what with Carrie being beaten and raped and all. None of us liked it, but aren't there chapters in every story that we don't like but have to read anyway? I hope I can make a decent chapter that won't be so bad this time._

_Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 45

Carrie lay motionless in her hospital bed when the others arrived to see her, no longer in her torn dress but instead in one of those horrible hospital gowns. There wasn't so much blood on her anymore. Her injuries, however, were not so easily erased. Her bruises showed all too clearly on her skin, bandages covered bleeding areas, and casts straightened the broken bones that could have a cast on them. There were so many things hooked up to her that it was no surprise people didn't think she would make it through the night.

_Whoever did this to her...They really wanted her to suffer, _Alyssa thought sadly, glancing over at Yami sympathetically. His crimson gaze, filled with fear, was now transfixed on the figure lying in that room in which the doctors would not permit them to enter. _And in turn they are causing all of us to suffer, especially Yami. What a cruel man her attacker was. Whoever he is, he will pay for this. I swear it!_

A doctor approached them with a clipboard in hand, gaining their attention.

"Miss Pegasus, I presume," the doctor said. "I was told to update you on Carrie West's condition. I am sure you are aware of it for the most part, but I must go through with my job, so…"

Alyssa nodded. "Proceed."

The doctor cleared his throat. "Carrie was admitted here from the ER after being found in an alley. She is suffering from massive internal bleeding, damage to her muscles and possibly some of her organs, severe bruising, deep cuts, and fractures in her ribs, radiuses, and mandible. There are other minor injuries to her bones, but they are too many to list." He glanced at the group with sympathy. "The police have become involved with this case. Such a brutal beating cannot go by without them investigating, you know. They've taken DNA evidence from the semen they found on Carrie…"

"Semen? You mean…She was raped, too?" Tristan asked in an almost inaudible voice.

"…Yes," the doctor reluctantly replied. "The DNA was a match to Carl West…Her father."

Shock fell over them, rendering each of them speechless, even the person that hated Carrie the most…Kaiba.

"The police are searching everywhere for him now. He cannot elude the authorities for long now that his presence has been made known," the doctor said. "The worst has happened, but at least justice will prevail. That and Carrie's life is all we can ask for."

"…Can we see her?" Alyssa wanted to know even though the question had been shot down many times before.

"I'm sorry, but in her critical condition it is best that she be left alone," the doctor hesitantly told her. "When she improves, you'll be the first ones to know. The best thing you can do now is go home. There is nothing to gain by remaining here." A pause. "…I am very sorry for not having better news. I have to go now."

The doctor left them alone standing in front of the glass window that let them see the girl they could do nothing to help. Alyssa, with tears streaming down her face, kicked the wall out of rage and threw her fist up against the glass. Kaiba rested a gentle hand on her shoulder while she looked at the floor. The others glanced at her…all except Yami, who was still staring at his injured girlfriend. Everyone save Kaiba had tears in their eyes, too, but the brunette man was not too far off.

"Angel, there's nothing we can do," Kaiba murmured.

"Don't you think I know that!" Alyssa screamed without lifting her head. "I feel so useless now! It's all my fault that this happened! If I had helped Carrie and Jessie get out of that God-forsaken home before that day he tried to kill them, things would be different! He wouldn't have had the chance to try to kill them! He wouldn't be in jail and he wouldn't have had a reason to go after Carrie! Why didn't I ever keep my promise to those two? Why didn't I get them out of there like I kept saying I would? I'm a liar! All I'm good for is getting Carrie in sticky situations that she has to risk her life to save me! I'm useless!"

"Don't say that, Angel. You're just upset because of everything that-"

"Don't patronize me, Kaiba!" Alyssa snapped. "I know what I did wrong! I know the truth! It's always been inside of me; tonight's events just made it come out! I failed my cousins by not keeping my word, and look at all that has happened to them because of it! Sure, I didn't try to kill her and I didn't assault her! But I screwed up and forced her down that path! And now she's fighting for her life again and there's nothing I can do to change it!"

"…You're not the one to blame," Mai sobbed, sitting on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest despite the fact she was wearing a dress. "I'm the one that left her alone tonight. I was warned not to do so, and yet I was foolish enough to leave the house. It was only for a few minutes, but it was long enough for her to slip out on her own. I…I promised Yami I would protect her. I'm sorry…I failed you and Carrie both."

"…I…I…don't blame you, Mai. Carrie…She hardly ever…listens if she does not know the motives behind…the words," Yami whimpered—yes, he was so emotional that he actually _whimpered_—without looking away from Carrie's still form. "…Nor do I…hold you accountable, Alyssa. Only…Only one man…is responsible for all of this…and he called himself…her father."

"What kind of father beats and rapes his daughter? The beating was expected from someone like _him_, but rape? That man is just sick!" Tristan growled.

"…He didn't do it for sensual reasons, Tristan. He did it for the violence, for the pain it would cause her," Mai murmured.

"Well, it's still wrong!" Tristan huffed.

"Worrying about her here when we cannot do anything for her accomplishes nothing. We should all go home and take care of ourselves for now. I may not be Carrie's biggest fan, but I know she cares a lot for all of you. She wouldn't want you wasting away just because she was hurt. We can talk about this later," Kaiba said.

"Oh, shove it, Kaiba! You hate Carrie! You don't give a rat's ass about what happens to her! That's why you forced her into that duel on Duelist Kingdom and made her lose right after she had been sexually assaulted by Bandit Keith! And then there was your rude treatment of her at work and during the Battle City Tournament! And don't get me started on how much you made her feel like crap before all that! You hate her, and would probably sing to the high heavens if she died!" Alyssa exclaimed.

Controlled anger flashed in Kaiba's cold blue eyes. "I may dislike Carrie, but that does not mean I wish her harm. She is an important person to you and many other people… and she is not such a bad person. And I've changed—I'm not so cruel to her as I once was. You know that. But you do not know everything about my opinions on people. Do not judge me so rashly, Angel. There are some things about me that even you don't know."

Alyssa closed her mouth and turned away from Kaiba. Tristan and Mai exchanged sorrowful glances. Neither of them had ever heard such words transpire between these people—it was something they were unaccustomed to. An angered Alyssa and a sympathetic Kaiba…Those were things people didn't see everyday. Tragedy brought the best out of people…or in some cases, the worst. This was one of those cases, it seemed.

"…Kaiba's right. We should go home," Yugi mumbled, now in control of his body for the first time that evening. He was in a slightly better state than his incarnation, so he thought it better if he faced the world in the spirit's stead. "We accomplish nothing further by staying here."

"…All right…Let's go," Mai said as Tristan helped her to stand. She glanced at the window one last time. "…Goodbye, Carrie…Just in case I don't get to say it later."

"Mai, you can stay with me and the others at the castle on Duelist Kingdom," Alyssa remarked, her anger fading momentarily for the blonde woman as the group made its way towards the elevator.

The blonde did not reply, but she was grateful for Alyssa's offer. The brunette kept her gaze forward. She was fed up with Kaiba for trying to be sympathetic in this situation when she didn't think he cared about anyone but himself and her and Mokuba. She felt pity for the three—no, four—in that elevator that were incredibly close to Carrie. And she hated herself for ignoring the silent pleas of her cousins way back when she could have saved them from the hell of NYC. No one else could understand what she was feeling. No one else had ever been put in the same position that she was.

The ride in Kaiba's limo back to his mansion was silent for the most part, but Tristan made them make a vow to meet here again when Carrie opened her eyes…

No matter how long that took.

* * *

Carl had intended not to kill her, and so even though most of her wounds looked fatal, she survived the night. Her life continued on despite the odds, and slowly with time she began to improve in condition. She was still in a coma for quite some time, but perhaps it was better that way. If she were awake, would she want to still be alive after what Carl had done to her?

Ryou walked the streets after school three weeks after 'the incident'. He knew things had changed for the better. Carl had been caught a couple days after hurting his daughter and was shipped back over to the States after being indicted in Domino City for his crimes. He would have no chance of getting out of jail ever again now. Jessica and Carrie were safe once more.

But yet the damage had been done.

Thief Bakura had grown restless ever since that fateful night. He wanted to go to the hospital to see Carrie, but Ryou didn't let him. The boy was afraid of what the dark spirit would do to his fairly-damaged friend. What could his motives possibly be for seeing her if they weren't bad? He couldn't risk it in Carrie's fragile state. He had to keep Thief Bakura away for his friend's sake.

_**I do not desire to harm your friend, Ryou, **_Thief claimed as the boy continued on his way. _**I wish to help her and Mirage to heal.**_

_And how do you expect to do that? By sending her soul to the Shadow Realm? _Bakura asked bitterly.

_**No. That would just destroy them both. What I want to do is just get in the room. Perhaps Mirage will realize I'm there and break through Carrie's defenses long enough to talk with me. Then we can heal her with Duel Monsters internally and externally. See my logic here?**_

_...Why would you want to help Carrie?_

_**For reasons I do not have to explain to you!**_

_You do if you want to go see her._

_**Actually, there's another way.**_

And before Bakura could react, Thief forced his dark spirit upon him, smothering him and forcing him out of the way so he could seize control of their body. Ryou swore and muttered a bunch of incoherent words in his mind. Thief never played fairly. But what else could he expect from a five-thousand-year-old evil spirit?

Thief turned on his heel and headed in the direction of the hospital in which Carrie had been admitted. He knew he could have taken control of his hikari at any time in the past as he had done many times before, but had decided to wait. Rushing in without a plan to help Mirage would not have been wise, especially since her mortal host was in such a fragile state. Approach her the wrong way and she might just shut down forever. He didn't want that to happen to Carrie. He may not have liked her, but she had tried to find a good path for him and was the reincarnation of someone from his past. She couldn't be gone so soon…Not when he had just found her again.

He managed to reach her room without being noticed by anyone. The room was still off-limits to visitors because of her numerous injuries and still-healing lacerations, but Thief never followed the rules. Besides, he was sure Ryou was in good health and wouldn't give the girl a horrible infection. He slipped into her room silently and used his magic to prevent anyone from seeing him in there.

"Mirage," he said calmly as he looked at the damaged mortal body of Carrie. "Come out if you can. I need to discuss things with you concerning the mortal in which you are sealed. It is of great importance."

Nothing changed about the girl. Thief's brow furrowed. Even after everything Carrie had gone through recently, was it possible that her willpower was still strong enough to hold the immortal one back? All logic screamed no, but how often had Carrie followed the rules logic established? She had always been different from the others. Perhaps even tragedy couldn't weaken her will's strength when the rest of her was falling to pieces.

Then the girl's eyes flashed open, only they were darker than night. Her hair matched her eyes, and he knew he was no longer in the presence of Carrie. The trembling body lying on the hospital bed was now being controlled by the immortal one.

"…How are you feeling?" Thief Bakura asked, very concerned since he had never seen Mirage tremble before.

**I am not well, Thief, and neither is Carrie, **Mirage replied mentally because Carrie's lower jaw was broken and talking would have been too painful. **What that bastard did to her…It has hurt us both so much! Anubis damn it! I want to hunt him down and kill him to make him pay for doing this! She did not deserve this! This pain…Why must she suffer from it? It is not fair!**

"Life rarely is, immortal one," Thief murmured.

**Don't you think I know that? Part of my life before I became this dark creature, I knew that well. Before I was born I was burdened with the pain of the world, and it continued with me throughout my short life. Had the queen of Egypt not put an end to me, I would have destroyed the world! And then there were the five lives between Iris and Carrie…I have lived more lives than any person has the right! I know how unfair life can be! I know it far too well!**

"What of Carrie? How does she fare?" Thief wanted to know.

**No better than I. She sits in the darkness of my seclusion as she has since that bastard touched her, curled up in a ball and crying silently to herself. No one can persuade her to move. Believe me, we've all tried. I fear her mind might be lost to us. And that does not mean that I can seize control of her body permanently! Her will is still strong as she still sees me for the monster I truly am, the monster I am not around her. If I could take complete control of her, I would have healed her damaged shell and gone after that bastard by now.**

"I have a plan to help the both of you to heal physically, and then you might be able to find a way to take out Carl," Thief told her.

Interest flickered in Mirage's dark eyes. **Let us hear it then.**

"You and I are able to summon Duel Monsters as they were five millennia ago. Perhaps if we summon Spellcasters with the abilities to heal, we can speed up Carrie's recovery time. Then you will not waste time lying in here and can instead focus on delivering Carl's end," Thief suggested.

…**My healing would have to take place on the inside, and convincing the Duel Monsters to do that would be difficult, considering who I am. But we shall try…It is all we can do now.**

"All right then." The dark spirit pulled a card from his deck. "Lady of Faith, come forth and cast your spells upon this broken body!"

The blue-haired lady with the strange red hat appeared, towering over Thief without even trying. She followed her orders without a second thought just as Mirage lost control of Carrie's body and had no choice but to return to her prison. Thief would have grasped her hand if it were possible. But both of Carrie's arms were in casts, making that impossible for the time being. So he just watched as Lady of Faith chanted her spells, waiting for things to get better.

Inside her seclusion, Mirage called out to the Duel Monsters.

**Hear me, Spellcasters of the healing arts! My host needs your help! You know of her pain and what ails her, now do something about it! She cannot lay on this hospital bed forever! You can change that! You can help Iris reincarnate! Come forth and do so for her sake! I beg of you!**

These were strong words coming from someone like Mirage. She never begged for anything until the night that Carrie was violated. She especially didn't beg to the Light Duel Monsters if she begged to any Duel Monsters at all. They knew this, which was why she saw several heads peering into the darkness of her prison with curiosity. She had succeeded in getting their attention, if nothing else.

"Why would you want to help Carrie? You never cared what happened to her other lives," Dark Elf, who had followed her twin Mystical Elf, remarked, running her fingers through her purple hair without looking directly at Mirage. "What makes this girl any different? Why do you care for her where you did not care for the others?"

**Things change, and that is all you need to know, **Mirage growled.

"How can we trust that your motives are purely in interest of Carrie?" Gyakutenno Megami asked, coming closer to Mirage than most of the others dared.

Mirage closed her dark eyes. **Do you remember how I slew the man Bandit Keith Howard and how he was seen again the night Carrie fell into this eternal pain?**

"Yes. No one knows how he came back to life," Gyakutenno replied.

**That is not completely true. I know how he returned to life. You see, I was the one that brought him back. Carrie seemed very upset that I took over her body to kill people, so the night that she reunited with the Pharaoh, I went out again. I found Keith's body in the morgue and breathed life back unto it after a short little escapade with Thief Bakura. The only difference between who he was before death and who he is now is that he has no evil. That was my doing as well. I banished his evil to the Shadow Realm so he would never think of hurting anyone ever again… especially not Carrie.**

The assembled Duel Monsters gazed at her in awe.

"You did all of that…for a mortal girl in which you are trapped?" Neo the Magic Swordsman inquired. "You really have changed, immortal one. Perhaps your evil is finally fading after all this time."

Mirage smirked. **I wouldn't count on that.**

"Empress Judge, what do you think we should do?" Gyakutenno wanted to know as she turned to face the Warrior that looked similar to her and held slightly more power than she did.

The red-haired woman's eyes were emotionless. "Do as she bids. It is what's best for Carrie, and therefore what's best for the world. The faster she recovers, the sooner justice will prevail."

"And the sooner Carrie can begin to truly heal," Mystical Elf agreed.

* * *

Yami stood alone in the gloomy labyrinth that was the Millennium Puzzle, a place he had been ever since that terrible night. Yugi never bothered him anymore; that boy understood it was best to leave the ancient spirit alone. He felt so alone, more so than he had when Carrie had left him after finding out about Iris, or any other time for that matter. Not even when he was sealed by himself within the Puzzle for five thousand years did he ever feel this alone. Perhaps it was because then he had no memories whereas he had plenty now.

The image of her lying motionless and destroyed in that hospital bed haunted him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she would never be the same now. It would take someone with a strong heart and mind to go through such a beating and violation and come out the same as they had been before.

And as much as he hated to admit it, Carrie was not that strong.

He had seen her broken too many times before.

He longed to see Carrie again, to hold her in his arms and kiss her lips and whisper words into her ear that would make her smile. He wanted to make her happy and forget all the troubles this world had thrust upon her. But more than anything, he wished he could take back all those painful memories she had to endure and erase them from history so Carrie would have never have had to face them. But he was just a mere spirit and Carrie was untouchable so long as she was in her coma with so many injuries.

Yami couldn't do anything.

He felt so alone…and so helpless.

In his mind he kept replaying the night over and over, wondering if things might have been different if he had been there with Carrie. He never blamed Mai for what happened; that woman didn't know that Carrie would just take off when asked not to. There was only the haunting question of "What if?" hanging over his head. It wouldn't go away, no matter how many times he tried to make it so. If he didn't try to leave the matter alone, he would certainly go mad.

Yami remembered the last time Carl had truly hurt Carrie. It was the same day that he first truly came to know who this girl was. She had come home hurting from a fight with Bandit Keith only to be thrown around by the man that was supposed to be her father. He had been so angry with every hit that bastard landed on his daughter, and he wasn't able to do anything then only because he did not understand his powers. Afterwards he comforted Carrie and had her healed by Mystical Elf. And this proved beneficial in the end, for she was forced to fight Carl in order to get her injured sister to the hospital.

She had only been able to defeat her father then because someone else's life was in danger and she had Yami to support her with his strength.

She had neither of those things the night Carl had attacked her in that alley.

If any other man had pulled her into that alley, she would have been able to defeat him without a second thought.

But it hadn't been any other man. It had been her father, a man who had had power over her for years and rendered her weak so many times.

He knew she wouldn't have fought back. That was why he did what he did, to make her regret ever thinking she was strong enough to walk away from him. Now not a day would go by that he wouldn't enter Carrie's thoughts, for even after he perished from this world, he would still leave a defeated Carrie in his absence.

Carl West, the bastard he was, would always have power over Carrie.

Yami slammed his fist into the wall in anger from that thought, not caring about the resulting pain. It wasn't fair! Why should Carrie have to suffer so much? Why couldn't everyone just leave her alone? Hadn't she suffered enough already? Ra, he wished he could have a body for one day so he could go after Carl and kill him for all that he had put Carrie through! But his body had perished five thousand years ago and he had not been granted another one. He was merely a spirit released from his prison into this modern world that was so cruel. He didn't think he could stand it anymore and almost longed to return to his time where the world was on the brink of ending.

He collapsed to the floor in his misery as he had done often enough in these past few weeks and wept the sorrows of his heart caused by her pain.

* * *

Jessica sat on the windowsill of her room with her knees pulled up to her chest, alone for the first time in weeks. She had learned of all that had happened to Carrie that night and regretted her cool attitude towards her sister. The blonde had only forgotten her birthday amidst her busy life. Jessica shouldn't have been so hard on her. And yet she was, and instead of giving her sister the cold shoulder she should have been there to prevent her from leaving the house without Mai.

What a fool she had been.

She had been confused when Alyssa's guards asked her to come with them after the party ended. Serenity and Mai were there, too. Jessica asked why they were going to Duelist Kingdom, and the blonde woman simply replied that it wasn't safe at the moment for them to be at the house. The dark-haired girl asked no more questions until they were on the island and her uncle, who was still alive after getting the Millennium Eye yanked out, showed them all to their rooms. She then demanded to know what had happened. Alyssa pulled them all into her room…and bore all about what had happened.

After Carl had been incarcerated and Jessica was allowed to return home, she immediately went to her room and locked herself inside, wishing to be alone. All of the things her friends had given her on her birthday were still lying on her bed—going through them would give her something to do that would keep her mind off of her sister. Clothes were placed in the closet, makeup on her vanity, toys somewhere around the room, books on the shelf…And then when she came to the bottom of the pile, she found three things she didn't recall her friends giving her.

It was _The Sword of Shannara Trilogy, _the latest Naruto book, and a Kakashi plushy.

Jessica's eyes had watered when she found these things that were obviously gifts from her sister that she had neglected to see earlier. Only Carrie would have known about the _Shannara_ series and how much her little sister was dying to read it. She clutched the Kakashi doll to her chest as she fell to her knees and cried, thinking about her behavior towards Carrie who had done nothing but good for her ever since she could remember. And now her big sister was in a lot of trouble…

The girl looked down at the Kakashi doll in her arms as the rain fell outside in steady buckets of downpour in resemblance to her tears. She had always thought of Carl in a dark light after everything he had done to her and Carrie while they were growing up and she had never really thought of him as a father. It might have had something to do with the fact he wasn't her father biologically, but that bond was further broken by his abusive episodes. She had thought they were free of him once they left NYC. She had said her blessings when she saw him taken away in handcuffs after trying to kill her.

And yet even prison couldn't keep him from hurting them.

True, he had physically hurt only Carrie, but in doing so, he had also hurt Jessica. They were as close as sisters could be. When one was hurt, the other felt the pain, too. That was why Carrie had fought against Carl when he had tried to kill Jessica, and that was why Jessica was crying now. And who's to say that he wouldn't have done the same thing to her if she had returned home that night? Both West girls could have been lying side-by-side in comas in that hospital if things had really been bad.

_Carrie, I'm so sorry that I'm such a bad sister, _Jessica thought, burying her face into her knees. _You've always had my best interests in mind, and I let you down. So what if you forgot my birthday? You're always so busy trying to take care of everyone but yourself. I knew that...and yet I was too blind by my own thoughts to think about that. If only...If only I didn't have my head stuck so far up my ass...I could have been there that night. I could have told Mai to wait a few more minutes, or I could have stayed with you to make you not leave. Why was I so stupid? Why can't I be a good sister?_

Someone knocked gently on her door, and Jessica ignored them. She heard the door open and close, and mentally swore at herself for forgetting to lock that thing again. The person walked lightly towards her before coming to a complete stop beside her. She felt arms wrap around her shoulders and knew only one person that would touch her like that.

"…Go…Go away, Mokuba," she whimpered without looking up.

"No. I won't leave you alone when you're suffering like this," Mokuba stated. "I'm your friend, and friends don't let their friends suffer in silence. And there's nothing you can say to change my mind because I…I'm very stubborn! If you don't believe me, ask my brother cuz he sure knows. Now will you please look at me?"

Jessica didn't raise her head. "…You…You…couldn't understand what I'm going through. No one could…possibly understand my pain."

"Still, it's better to get it out than to keep all your feelings inside. You'll feel better in the end, trust me," Mokuba said, sitting across from her on the windowsill. "Now…Tell me all that you're feeling, my friend."

She didn't say anything for the longest time, falsely believing that if she gave him the silent treatment that he would leave her alone. But the boy had been telling the truth when he said he was stubborn. He never left from his seat near her because he liked her too much and was too concerned to leave her. She soon realized this with a sigh and raised her head to look at him.

"…Carrie's a good person, Mokuba. The best person I've ever known despite…what a bastard her father was. I…I could never ask…for a better big sister," Jessica whispered. "So…So why must all the bad things always happen to her? She was the first to be attacked by Carl when we were younger…just because she beat Megan in a duel. She was the one forced to duel in tournaments when she was only eight. She was the one… ostracized at her school…pursued by that jerk Bandit Keith…and forced to fight for her life every day. That's not even counting what's happened to her…since she moved to Domino and gained possession of the Millennium Puzzle. And to top it off…Carl had to come and put his final mark on her…by beating her within an inch of her life…and taking away something no father should ever take from his daughter…Damn him for it!"

Jessica's hands were clenched into fists so tightly her knuckles had turned white and her nails were digging deep into her palms. Mokuba looked at her silently, knowing there was more that she wanted to say and not wanting to interject where he shouldn't.

The pink-eyed girl sniffed. "What he did to her was bad, regardless of the day. But…It feels even worse because…He did it to her on my birthday, you know? Now every year on that day, we're all going to think about…what he did…and not whose birthday it is. A jealous thought, but…one all the same. What a birthday gift, huh?" Jessica laughed without humor at that before looking down at her knees. "…I can't help but feel…like there could have been something…that I could have done to prevent this. You know…I could have stayed at home and forgiven her for forgetting what Saturday was…or maybe I could have convinced Mai to wait for Carrie to be ready for leaving. I just…feel a little responsible for what happened to her…since I'm her sister and we've always been so close. There must have been…something…that I could have done. Anything! Why didn't I do it before tragedy struck Carrie down to the ground again?"

She cried into her knees once more, her body trembling with her misery as she clutched the Kakashi doll to her chest again. Mokuba leaned forward to encompass her in his arms and comfort her to the best of his ability.

"…Jessie, it's all right to feel this way, but there is one thing you must understand. Nothing that happened that night was your fault," Mokuba told her as she continued to cry. "Fate is a strange creature that no one can understand. But Carrie is a wonderful person and a strong one, too. I'm sure she'll rebound. I don't expect her to be the same, of course, but…I don't know. She'll still be the Carrie we know and love to an extent. There are quite a few people that believe they are to blame for this, and there are others who are trying to think that perhaps they could have done something different to prevent the tragedy from happening. But thinking what could have been and blaming yourself is not the way to go about this. You're going to have to be supportive and caring for your sister…and you can't cry like this around her. She wouldn't want you to."

The girl melted into his arms, silently thanking him for being there when she needed him most. "…I…love you, Mokuba."

Mokuba blushed but did not pull away. "…I…love you, too, Jessie."

Mai came rushing in suddenly, her phone still in hand. "Jessie, I have news! Carrie just woke up from her coma!"

* * *

_A/N: Now we've seen some people's emotions about this, mostly minor characters. And Carrie's been healed and has now awoken from her coma. What does this hold in store for the story? And just an FYI, she was out of commission and only mentioned in this chapter because we can all assume what she's feeling, considering she's still curled up in a ball near Mirage's prison. Anyways, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading!_


	46. 46 - Revival

_A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner. My imagination was in the crapper and my computer was out of commission. It's almost time for Christmas Break, though, so things might get better by then. Well, here's the next chapter. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 46

_No..._

_I don't want to go back..._

_...Let me stay here forever..._

_...I...I never want to wake again._

_Let me sleep...forever...and never wake..._

_I don't want to go..._

Despite her mental protests, she opened her emerald eyes to the blinding lights of the hospital ceiling, blinking against the intensity until her eyes adjusted. She reluctantly took in her surroundings. The hospital room was full of machinery that had been intended to keep her alive when she would have wished for anything else. She lay on a hospital bed in one of those gowns, and many things were bandaged or in casts. Her jaw refused to move, bound in place because it had apparently been broken.

The same as much of her…

It seemed she had opened her eyes at an opportune time—a doctor had been checking her vitals at the time. She made a noise in her throat to catch his attention. More doctors were called in to check on her injuries, and were surprised to find them all almost as good as new. She was not as surprised; despite being lost in herself, she sensed the work of Mirage and Thief as well as the Spellcasters. They had helped her in order to bring her back to reality.

They believed it a good deed, but she did not see it in that light.

**All will be better in good time, Carrie. Just let me guide you, **Mirage said, and her voice was perplexingly soothing now. Carrie found herself seeing the dark spirit in a softer light than that in which monsters stood.

If things had been more in Carrie's favor, she wouldn't have trusted Mirage very much, let alone allow the dark spirit to guide her through her life. But she was broken and needed someone to cling to for help. Mirage was the only one available at the time. She would let herself follow the dark spirit, no matter what the consequences were, because there was no one else.

_And besides...I would have been fine...if I had trusted her, _she thought morosely.

Almost all of the bandages, casts, and machines on Carrie's person were removed. They were deemed unnecessary by her quick recovery. She overheard one of the doctors talking to her cousin on the phone and knew what that meant. Soon, her friends would flock to see her, to confirm that she really was okay again. What would she say? What would she do? What would they expect of her? Would they expect her to be a wreck, or the same as she had been before that night?

So many questions, so few answers…

**Act normal. Deflect any questions you would not feel comfortable answering, **Mirage advised.

Carrie took her advice to heart when she saw the first person's face in the window. Mirage's voice broke into a melody, something the dark spirit had come accustomed to doing when situations presented the opportunity. Carrie listened to her while forcing a smile onto her face when she saw her friends.

**I'm sitting in a room made up of only big white walls, and in the hall there are people looking through the window in the door. They know exactly what we're here for. Don't look up. Just let them think there's no place else you'd rather be. You're always on display for everyone to watch and learn from. Don't you know by now? You can't turn back cuz this road is all you'll ever have.**

She was encompassed by a thousand arms and dampened by a million tears from her friends that cared so much about her and had been so worried about her. Kaiba had even come, though he lingered in the doorway. Even he showed signs of relief in his cold blue eyes, something Carrie could never recall seeing directed at her. But her attention was taken away from him when Yugi/Yami and Jessica managed to reach her and nearly suffocated her to death with their grip.

No one seemed to take note of the fake smile on her face and how forced her reassuring words were.

Or if they did, they kept their thoughts to themselves.

Perhaps they knew, but didn't want to bring it up because they didn't want to see her in pieces.

But what else could they expect?

**And it's all they ask that you're dying…dying. Just living proof that the camera's lying. And open wide, cuz this is your night…So smile cuz you'll go out in style. You'll go out in style.**

Yugi tried to give her the Millennium Puzzle back, but Carrie cringed away from it. It wasn't that she didn't want Yami—on the contrary, her heart yearned for his comfort. But every time a male touched her, even those closest to her, it brought back memories of her violation. She didn't want him to know or get offended. And Mirage made her understand that leaving him out of her life for awhile would be wise. She politely turned it down without an explanation, and though looks were exchanged, no one asked for one.

**If you'd let me I could…I'd show you how to build your fences, set restrictions. Separate from the world…The constant battle that you'd hate to fight. Just blame the limelight. Don't look up. Just let them think there's no place else you'd rather be. And now, you can't turn back cuz this road is all you'll ever have. And it's all they ask that you're dying…dying. Just living proof that the camera's lying. And open wide, cuz this is your night, so smile.**

_Why am I listening to her? _Carrie thought suddenly, a thought that the old her would have let cross her mind a long time ago and would have then put an end to all of this. _Mirage... She's supposed to be an evil monster. Why would I do anything she says? She just wants to kill people..._

**Yeah, yeah…You're asking for it with every breath that you're breathing. Just breathe it in. Yeah, yeah, well you're just a mess. You do all this big talking. So now let's see you walking. I said let's see you walking.**

And suddenly the doubt was erased from Carrie's fragile mind and she no longer thought anything about what Mirage was other than the one thing she could cling to in this long moment of weakness that she didn't know how to escape from. She felt that she could trust the darkness to keep her strong until she could regain that strength herself, and her life was in safe hands now. Despite all that had gone wrong and the memories that kept going through her head, Carrie finally felt a little bit of peace.

**Yeah, yeah, well you're just a mess. You do all this big talking. So now let's see you walking. I said let's see you walking. And it's all they ask that you're dying…dying. Just living proof that the camera's lying. So open wide. Open wide. Open wide, cuz you'll go out in style. You'll go out in style.** (Paramore: Fences)

* * *

The doctors said Carrie could return home that day since she no longer had any injuries that needed to be watched, though they were all too shocked by her sudden healing capabilities. Her friends wanted to be with her with every passing minute, but Carrie felt smothered by their presence. She was forced to politely ask them to leave her be, which was much easier said than done. After what had happened to her the last time she was left alone, they were very reluctant to comply. She understood that. But Mirage insisted that being left alone was what was best for now, so Carrie followed her advice.

Of course, nothing could stop her from being in the company of her housemates on the way home and also at home. Her sister Jessica, who had already apologized a thousand times for ignoring her, would be all over her. Her friend Mai, who had also apologized a thousand times for leaving her alone, wouldn't let her be. Her charge Serenity, however, might understand a little bit better since they weren't too close.

**Go up to your room. Lock the door and they shall leave you alone. Pause for nothing, though. If they know you are broken but are masking it on the outside, they will understand, **Mirage stated once Mai's red convertible pulled into the driveway.

Carrie did exactly that, not even sparing a word to the others as she did so. She heard their muted voices downstairs from the other side of the walls, but took none of it to heart. All that mattered was whatever Mirage said. She was Carrie's guide now since the girl's mind and heart were too shattered for her to even begin to function on her own.

**You must stay in here until nightfall. Then I shall take over.**

_...Why must you do that? _The question was a hesitant one, not because she was afraid of being possessed, but because she didn't think Mirage should be questioned anymore.

**Because there is some business that must be taken care of that should have been taken care of long ago. I will not go alone. Thief shall escort me. But once this business is dealt with, you shall never have to fear again. Your biggest threat shall be put to rest once and for all.**

Carrie understood and said nothing further. A man would die soon at the hands of Mirage because of his heinous crimes…

And she was perfectly fine with that.

* * *

Alyssa, Yugi, Tristan, and Kaiba left the hospital together in the businessman's limo. They had promised to meet here again when Carrie awoke from her coma, as had Mai, but the blonde woman was preoccupied with the girl they had gathered to talk about. Every person in that vehicle was dissatisfied with what they had just seen. Sure, they were glad that Carrie had recovered so quickly without any of their help. But something was definitely off about the girl.

She…was different.

And not the good different or expected different, either.

"It's Mirage, I know it," Tristan remarked suddenly, looking down at his hands which were clenched into fists in his lap.

Yugi shook his head. "That was Carrie in there. But you could be partially right. Mirage might be pulling her strings now that she's weak. She does kinda strike me as a person who would take advantage of the weak."

"Who did she think she was fooling? That smile was so fake…Why did she hide her true feelings from us instead of letting us see the truth? We're her friends. She knows we can handle it. And why didn't she take the Puzzle back? Her boyfriend is in there. I…I'm so confused," Alyssa murmured helplessly.

"Angel, the answer is clear," Kaiba stated without meeting anyone's gaze.

"…Well, if you know the answer, we'd all love to here it," Tristan said after several moments of silence passed.

"You all noticed the mask she was parading, acting like everything was okay and nothing bad had happened. But you don't understand the underlying reasons for it or why she did certain things. That's because you are all blinded by your love for her. I am not so blind, so I was able to see what your eyes refused to behold," Kaiba explained with a hint of sympathy in his voice. "When you and the others hugged her, there was a difference. She flinched away from the males…even Yugi, who is her best friend. What happened to her …has made her afraid of a man's touch, no matter who he is. This is probably because the man that hurt her so was someone that was once close to her and held much influence over her head. That would also explain why she didn't take the Millennium Puzzle back. And as to why she hid her pain…That should be the most obvious. People like her don't talk about what happened. They try to avoid the subject as much as possible. Carrie doesn't want to put her problems onto our shoulders, too. She just wants to keep it inside …Like she always has."

The all-wise Kaiba had spoken.

"That's not true! She's shared a lot of things with me and Yugi that she never told anyone else, and they were some painful memories!" Tristan exclaimed.

"Yes, but could any of those have been as painful as being raped and beaten by her father?" Kaiba countered.

The answer was obvious, so Tristan did not give it. He simply turned his face away and watched the scenery fly by the window.

"…We're going to have to talk to Megan," Alyssa commented suddenly, catching them all offguard.

The person everyone hated the most besides Carl West was Megan Pegasus, his wife and Jessica and Carrie's mother…If that word could even be applied to her name. She was the catalyst for the abuse. Just because her oldest daughter beat her in a duel, Megan had gotten angry and sent Carl in to do her dirty work. Carrie and Jessica had been beaten ever since then. That is, until they managed to escape NYC and move to Domino City. But sending Carl to hurt her children wasn't the only thing she had done. She had tarnished Carrie's reputation by making her daughter out to be an out-of-control monster that beat babies. The poor girl had never been able to redeem herself after that, and had also been beat up in school. She had no friends until she came to Domino City because of Megan, who lived only to make her daughter miserable.

But now Alyssa was suggesting they go and talk to this woman? Why was this? Why would anyone want to see her after everything that her husband had just done? Wouldn't it just make things worse?

"I have a hunch…And besides, even monsters like her deserve to know what their daughter is going through," was Alyssa's vague explanation. "I'll have Uncle get the jet ready. We can head out tomorrow."

"…Count me out. If I was alone with either of Carrie's parents…I'm afraid what I might do," Tristan muttered.

Alyssa nodded understandingly before turning her gaze to Yugi, and through him, Yami. "Will you please come with me? You know Carrie better than I ever could. I'll need your support when I confront Megan."

Yugi gave a brief nod, but said nothing.

"I'll go, too," Kaiba put in as his chauffeur came to a stop in front of Grandpa's game shop to let two people off.

"Then I'll see you both again tomorrow at nine. Tell no one. This is something just between us. I don't want everyone trying to go with us."

Because everyone would want to.

Everyone.

* * *

Tea stood out in the rain just outside of the hospital, knowing she needed to move but unable to make her legs work. Seeing Carrie awake should have made her feel better. It should have made her feel like everything was going to get better soon. It should have left her feeling that the healing process would begin for her friend. But it didn't. Everything felt wrong, perhaps even worse than it had when she was still in her coma. Tea could see through Carrie's mask of happiness. There was only pain being covered up and a girl being guided by an invisible string no one could see. Even that string remained invisible to Tea, but she felt its presence and knew there was something making Carrie act the way she was…Something more than just the memories.

Her clothes were soaked through, but she didn't care. Hell, she didn't even notice. Tea's mind was too preoccupied by her friend's condition for her to feel the cold seeping into her and the dampness clinging to her skin. People might have thought she was a crazy girl standing in the middle of the sidewalk while it was raining, but even that didn't bother her. All that mattered was trying to help her friend.

She saw a shadow suddenly appear above her head and spun around. A blonde man with dark eyes that happened to be both taller and older than she was had come over to her side, holding an umbrella over their heads. Something was familiar about him, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. But he had roused her from her mind, so the elements finally managed to get through to her. She shivered from the cold rain that dampened her clothes and rubbed her arms in a futile attempt to get warm. The man was a gentleman; he removed his jacket only to replace it around her shoulders. She whispered her thanks as she slid her arms into the sleeves.

"Well, it's the least I could do," the man said, smiling awkwardly at her.

Tea cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

It was the man's turn to be surprised. "You mean, you don't recognize me?"

"No, I don't. Should I?" Tea asked.

"Yes. Well, not me exactly…but who I once was. We have met before on Duelist Kingdom during Pegasus's last tournament. I…had two goons and cheated my way through the tournament. And in a futile attempt to get a girl…I kidnapped you and trapped your friends in the catacombs," the man revealed.

Tea's eyes widened as his identity clicked into place. He looked different than he had back then on the island. No bandana or sunglasses and his face was clear of any sort of facial hair. His outfit no longer screamed badass, and his throat bore a scar that hadn't been there before. He looked just like any other man now, not someone after Carrie to make her his own.

But…He was Bandit Keith, and therefore could only have bad intentions.

"What are you doing here?" Tea demanded, immediately on the offensive. "And more importantly, how are you alive when Mirage killed you?"

Keith took her anger calmly as he knew it was what he deserved. "I come here every day to see how Carrie fares. I am the one who found her in the alley, after all. And though I don't know who Mirage is, I believe you are right about her killing me. I was dead for at least a day before I opened my eyes again in the morgue."

"You expect me to believe you about finding Carrie?" Tea shook her head. "I doubt it. You care about no one but yourself. And even if you did find her in that alley, you would have taken advantage of her weakened state. You would have done exactly what her father did to her. There was no evidence of your presence on her, so you couldn't have been the one to find her."

"No semen evidence of me, but that was because I did not harm her," Keith stated. "It's true. I once did care only about myself and what I wanted. But then things changed after the night I was killed. I am not the monster I was on Duelist Kingdom and before. Somehow my evil has been expelled from my body. I am changed, bestowed with a second chance to live a righteous life. You may not believe me, Tea, but I know the truth and God knows it, too. That is all that matters."

Tea didn't want to believe it, but something had changed about him. The evil look that had once been in his eyes, concealed by a simple pair of sunglasses, had been vanquished, replaced by normal human emotions. He carried himself differently, and his mannerisms were that of almost a completely different man. Perhaps there was some truth in what he said.

"…How did…How did you die?" Tea asked suddenly without meeting his gaze.

Keith smiled grimly. "Let's go for a walk, and I shall tell you all that I know."

* * *

Marik completed the duties at the museum set out for him by his sister Ishizu, which for the most part revolved around the Guardians of Iris. All four of the mummies had been morose since the night horrible things had fallen upon Carrie, and nothing could lighten their moods. They felt like failures because they had been unable to protect their mistress from the dangers of this world. Ja-Kal blamed the events of the modern world and it was then decided that they would never again leave the museum until Carrie needed them. Now they either stayed in their sarcophagi or in the backroom out of sight of visitors.

The Egyptian teen's job was simple. He needed only to keep his eye on them to keep the mummies out of trouble. How hard was it to watch something that never did anything? Not hard at all. He found it rather boring compared to how the Guardians had been before this recent tragedy. Oh, what he wouldn't do to have those good old days back.

"Damn you, Peach!" Marik growled, mashing buttons on his Nintendo DS in the backroom where Armon and Nefer-Tina were. Ja-Kal and Rath had retreated into their sarcophagi when he had come in with his 'modern technology' because everything modern seemed to remind them that they were failures. "I'll get you for throwing that stupid turtle shell at me! Just you wait!"

Ishizu wandered in with Odion without making a sound their younger brother could hear in the heat of his game-play. She had just gotten an important call that had made her close the museum early in order to speak with the mummies. It was past time they felt a sense of purpose again.

"Die! Die! Die!" Marik shouted.

"Marik," Ishizu said suddenly, nearly making him jump out of his skin by her 'sudden' appearance behind him. "Quit playing your stupid computer game. We've important business to discuss with the mummies. Go retrieve the other two from the resting place."

He hurried to do so after being caught goofing off. Ja-Kal and Rath were reluctant to come out at his order, but when he explained it was for his sister, they wasted no more time. All the mummies followed Ishizu's orders. It was probably only because Ishizu had been a priestess in their time. It was the same for Odion, too; Carrie had revealed that much many times before when she called them Isis and Kalim. She had never called Marik anything except his name, so he took it to mean that he hadn't been around in the time of the Nameless Pharaoh. Not that he cared…

Everyone save Ishizu and Odion took a seat on the couches stored in the backroom, focusing their full attention on the wise Egyptian peoples.

Ishizu closed her blue eyes. "Carrie has awoken, and she has been released from the hospital as of three this afternoon."

"Wait. What?" Marik was confused. "But…But from what Alyssa told us, she was heavily injured! I can understand how she might have come out of her coma…But how the hell could she have possibly recovered enough to walk out of the hospital?"

"That is a question that the doctors cannot answer. We can only assume what has happened to force such quick healing unto our injured friend." Ishizu opened her eyes again and focused them on her little brother. "I believe she was healed by the immortal one and the darkness residing within the Millennium Ring. When in their presence, I sensed a connection between the two dark essences…A bond that transcends time. Perhaps before now, in this new life, they had never truly met. But now that they have, sensual connections could be made."

Marik made a face. "…Thanks for making me never want to look at Carrie and Ryou the same way again."

"…Why would the immortal one and Thief Bakura want to heal Carrie?" Nefer-Tina asked somberly.

"Why else? Carrie was in a lot of pain, and the immortal one feels all pain as her own. Thing is, the pain of the one she is trapped inside is multiplied ten-fold. The immortal one wanted to be freed of such pain, and Thief Bakura would do whatever it takes to help her, so they used their powers in order to restore Carrie," Rath explained.

Ishizu shook her head. "Their dark powers wouldn't have been enough. And Mirage wouldn't have been able to use hers at all, for Carrie's will suppressed her. They would have been forced to enlist the abilities of Light-Attribute Spellcasters. An easy feat for Thief Bakura, as he was not confined as Mirage was and could just summon the Monsters from their cards and gain complete control over them. Mirage would have been forced to convince the spirits of the Duel Monsters to heal Carrie from the inside out. If she succeeded in doing that, which it appears she did, then she must have been clever."

"…Or perhaps she truly cares about Mistress Carrie and the Monsters understood that," Armon murmured.

"That is another possibility," Ishizu agreed.

"A highly unlikely one," Rath muttered under his breath.

"We are not here to discuss the girl's quick recovery. We are here for other matters," Odion said, attempting to get this conversation back on track.

"Odion's right. There are other things that need to be discussed," Ishizu concurred. "We must assume that Mirage had something to do with Carrie's recovery. And with the girl's weakened mental state, she will not truly know who the best person to cling to is. Mirage is the closest person to her because they are trapped together, and she will find comfort in the immortal one. She may even follow the immortal one's advice to the letter…Or worse, allow her to take control of her body. At first Mirage's intentions might be pure. She would want to go after Carl West for causing them such pain. But then who is to stop her from taking other lives? I could be wrong; Mirage could have grown a conscience since being trapped with Carrie. But it's unlikely. And that's where you come in."

"…What can we do? We have failed our mistress far too many times," Ja-Kal remarked.

"Yes, but you are not failures yourselves. Circumstances prevented you from being with her. Those circumstances are not here now. You can protect her now. This is your chance to redeem yourselves. Do not let it pass you up," Ishizu stated.

Ja-Kal seemed to think about it for a moment before looking back at her. "All right. We'll go. Just tell us what you want us to do."

"Watch over Carrie and the immortal one. If she goes after Carl, allow his death to pass. But if she tries to attack the innocent, intervene," Odion told him, handing over an ancient silver artifact in the shape of an ankh to the leader of the Guardians. "Place this against her skin and the immortal one shall be suppressed again. Once that is done, return Carrie here."

"Yes sir," the Guardians chorused, getting to their feet and heading for the door to follow their orders.

Marik watched them go before turning back to his sister. "…You had that relic for all this time and just thought now to use it?"

"There was no dire need for it until now," Ishizu said pointedly.

"Just because Mirage might want to seek revenge on a man that hurt Iris reincarnate? That means there's a dire need for a relic that suppresses her? What about all those other times that Mirage caused problems? You could have given it to her when you first met to keep the dark spirit at bay, but you didn't. That doesn't make any sense if you ask me," Marik commented.

"Mirage was necessary then in order for Carrie and Yami to defeat your darkness," was Ishizu's vague explanation.

"How the hell-?"

"Think back to when you had possession of Carrie's mind and forced her into a duel against Yugi and Yami. You wouldn't have been able to do so, even with the Millennium Rod, if the Pharaoh had not been separated from the girl. Mirage wanted to bring the two back together but knew that only severe circumstances could get through to her host. That was why she allowed you to use her host's body the way you did," Ishizu explained. "Do you remember, my brother?"

Marik's lavender eyes looked at the floor. He hated being reminded about what he did when the darkness possessed him. "…Of course I do. And Mirage kept breaking through to control the body herself. She wanted to get through to the Pharaoh, too. And in the end …The duel in the finals with me versus Carrie…Mirage had something to do with that as well."

"She was needed then. But now her powers and motives cannot completely be good. She might take out Carl West, and I believe praises will be sung if she does. But there is no other target for her after him. With the girl being weak of mind and heart and willing to let the immortal one do whatever she desires, she shall not be able to stop the immortal one from giving unto the darkness of her heart. She shall take more lives than just that of Carl West," Odion stated.

"…I understand that," Marik murmured, and he truly did. "…But where did that ankh come from? It's obviously Egyptian, but how could it have been made to combat the immortal one if she never appeared in Egypt?"

"It wasn't made to combat the immortal one. Not directly, anyway." Ishizu grabbed her brother's hand and pulled him to his feet again. "Come with me and I'll show you where a part of Mirage came into being."

* * *

Joey sat cross-legged on the floor of his room, listening to the sound of the rain pouring outside as it had been doing all day. He felt the same way that all the others felt—stricken by the events that befell Carrie and confused about why she had lied straight to their faces with her words and behavior. His mind kept replaying it over and over, but all it did was leave him with more questions than answers.

His deck lay before him, every card facing him with unblinking eyes. One of those cards had been given to him by Carrie when he had felt like a failure due to some teasing from Rich Boy and Tristan. That was the Sword and Shield card, a card that had gotten him out of some pretty sticky situations in duels. She had added a piece of her heart to his deck. Yugi had done the same before her, and Joey had followed his example by letting him keep Red Eyes when he won it back from the Rare Creeper. Tristan had also put a piece of his heart into Joey's deck before his duel against Rex Raptor. But that didn't matter; what mattered was Carrie.

And as he stared at the Sword and Shield Spell Card, he felt like he could feel some of Carrie's suffering.

_It's not fair, _Joey thought, closing his eyes to his deck. _She's only known hell in her life until she got here, and even now it's still no walk in the park. Won't that girl ever catch a break? Why does life keep dealing her a bad hand without letting her draw a better card to make things better? Why is it always her that has to suffer?_

The blonde held up Time Wizard, Sword and Shield, and Lava Battleguard and sighed. So many people had put their hearts into his deck, and he felt stronger for it. But no one had ever done that for Carrie. Was that because she was the niece of Maximillion Pegasus and they believed her to be the owner of better cards than they could give? Or was it because she never seemed to need the help, that she only needed to help others to be strong?

He didn't know.

But he wished that he did.

_I should be the first to do that, _Joey thought suddenly, placing the cards back where he had them before. He collapsed on the floor after looking over his deck. _MY CARDS ARE NOT WORTHY!_ He pondered something for a moment. _But...What if...What if I could get in contact with Pegasus...And then he could help me to either make or get cards that would put my heart into Carrie's deck? Yeah, that could work. All right, sounds like a plan! But how do I get Pegasus's number? Is he listed in the yellow pages?_

After searching through phone books for awhile, he finally found the home phone number of Maximillion Pegasus. Croquet was the one that answered first. The old guard did not want to patch him through to his master. Joey argued his point. Turned out Pegasus had been listening in the whole time, but the blonde didn't realize this until he suddenly piped in exclaiming he would love to help him help his niece. He even offered to send one of the company helicopters to take Joey to him. To the boy it seemed the man was a little too eager to see him…Or maybe he just really wanted to help his niece.

"Thanks, Peg," Joey said, smiling despite having a conversation with a strange man.

"Oh you're very welcome, Joey-boy! I'd do anything to help you and my precious little Care-bear!" Pegasus cried, and Joey could almost imagine the man's face just then. "I'll see you soon! And remember…This is our little secret. I don't want to have a bunch of fans looking for cards on my choppers, you know? I run a business, not a charity."

"Yeah…Well, see ya," Joey muttered.

"Tootles!" Pegasus squealed before hanging up.

Joey looked at the phone in his hand as one might look at a snake. _Weirdest conversation of my life. But for Carrie, it's worth it._

_Everything's worth it for Carrie._

* * *

_A/N: The end of this chapter! Yay! So Carrie's awake, but she's definitely not herself and everyone knows it. Mirage is pulling the strings and has plans to take out a certain someone when night falls with Thief's help. The Guardians are sent to watch her. Ishizu is going to reveal something to Marik about Mirage's creation. Tea is talking with Keith. Alyssa, Yugi, and Kaiba are going to see Megan. And Joey wants to find cards to put in Carrie's deck so she'll have a piece of his heart with her and therefore have strength to lean upon. That's a lot of stuff for such a short-ish chapter. Well, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading! Oh, and if you want to learn more about Mirage's creation, you can check out my other story, **Creation.** Have a nice day!_


	47. 47 - Path of Revenge

_A/N: Already beginning another update! Woot! Be proud of me! Thanks to all that have read and or reviewed this story. You make it all worth it. Now here's the next chapter. Please read on and enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 47

Marik found himself in a part of the Egyptian exhibit that he had never been to before, as his usual domain was with the Nameless Pharaoh. His sister had pulled him here to a time period before that of which Yami had lived, a time when a part of Mirage had walked the earth in human form. He stared at the tablets and artifacts from the time, able to read some of the ancient writing but unable to decipher others and confused about why his siblings wanted to show him this past. But he had asked the question about the artifact, so being here was his own doing.

The pharaoh of the time had created one of these tablets himself, as he had witnessed a great destruction at the hands of Mirage's mortal life. Marik looked upon this tablet now. There was a hieroglyphic version of 'the immortal one' as she was then referred to as since it seemed that nothing could kill her. An entire story unfolded on that stone, including a tale of the mystical items created before the Millennium Items.

"This is a part of Mirage's origin," Ishizu stated, standing beside her brother with Odion. "She is actually three fragments of souls merged together. One back in the time of the Signers and the Crimson Dragon in Peru before the Incans, for she was their rival and was born evil. One a thousand years before the Nameless Pharaoh as the sufferer of the living's pain even before birth. One as Iris, but very little of Iris is truly in Mirage. The sufferer of pain is the true immortal one, for she claimed that so long as there was pain in the world her heart would continue to beat."

"So that's why Mirage feels the pain of the world," Marik mused.

Ishizu nodded once. "Her tale is not a pleasant one, but then again, whose really is? She was born in Egypt more than a thousand years before the Nameless Pharaoh walked the earth. The immortal one had her curse long before she took her first breath. The gods decided for some reason that she needed to experience the pain of the world and made it so even when she still lay in her mother's womb. It was said that her spirit could not withstand the pain and fled her even before birth. And yet she lived because the pain kept her heart beating somehow. The immortal one learned to tolerate the pain over time, but whenever someone died or received serious injury or even had their emotions become too morose, she would become sick and hardly be able to stand. She even killed her parents when they fell ill and she couldn't stand their pain any longer.

"When she was about your age, she was brought before the pharaoh and his most trusted priests to be judged after killing a man though he was already dying. They had possession of five items—the Items of Power—that were created in order to combat threats against Egypt. These Items were the Scepter of Knowledge, the Axe of Judgment, the Sphere of Sealing, the Eye of Foretelling, and the Amulet of Power. The pharaoh himself wielded none of these Items; instead he entrusted them to the priests and his queen.

"The priestess with the Eye of Foretelling was perplexed when the immortal one was brought forth. She could usually see people when they committed their crimes or at least know when they would be brought in for judgment, but it was not so with this girl. The immortal one was interrogated by the other priests about who she was, but the answers the girl gave them were very unsettling. She claimed to be no one that felt the pain of everyone, that she had no name and no purpose other than to feel the pain of the world's people. The priest wielding the Scepter of Knowledge confirmed this to be the truth, as he could see her whole past by just pointing the Scepter at her. Then she was judged by the priest with the Axe of Judgment, and she should have fallen into two pieces and died when he swung it through her. You see, any person guilty of unholy deeds that was struck with the Axe suffered that fate while the innocent bore no marks of having the Axe cut through them. The immortal one was guilty, of course, but she did not fall dead. She claimed that they could not judge someone whose soul had fled them at conception. And it was the truth.

"So the priest with the Amulet of Power stepped forward and shot a bolt of lightning from his Item to her heart in order to stop it and kill her. And the immortal one's heart did stop—it was confirmed by the guard that had brought her into the palace. But she wouldn't die as the world's pain and the gods' curse would not allow it. She admitted that she had tried but her heart would always start beating again. The only way she could die was if humanity came to an end. She said the Items of Power were strong enough to bring about the death of humanity and begged for the pharaoh to allow it to be done. The pharaoh naturally refused. So then the immortal one took it into her own hands to bring about the death of humanity.

"She broke free of her restraints and killed the guards with a knife she had hidden under the skirt of her dress. It was a bloody, unfair battle because she could not die while they could. So many deaths in such a short period of time took its toll, but it was not enough to keep the immortal one from getting what she yearned for. The priests surrounded their rulers and summoned Duel Spirits to protect them from the pain-feeling immortal, but even that failed for somehow she was able to conjure Shadow creatures of her own to combat them. It seemed she would soon have the Items of Power and see the end of humanity without anyone having the power to try to stop her.

"The queen put her Item to use then. The Sphere of Sealing glowed brightly as she chanted the ancient spell that no one thought she would ever have to use, least of all her husband the pharaoh. The immortal one's physical body was erased from the world so the poor girl would no longer pose a threat…But there was a price. The Sphere was like the Millennium Puzzle, so when the queen erased the immortal one she sealed herself within the Sphere. A necessary sacrifice, I suppose. The Items of Power were then sealed away in the place they were created as to prevent something like this from happening again."

"Uh-huh…So if the immortal one was erased from physical existence, why would they need something that could suppress her power?" Marik asked.

"The pharaoh feared his queen's sacrifice might not be enough," Odion replied. "He did not understand the full extent of what a girl cursed by the gods would be capable of. As a pharaoh he took this seriously and had his mages create something that might suppress such a powerful creature that was incapable of dying. He was lucky; she never came into being again in Egypt. Others were not so lucky once Mirage was fully formed."

"We don't want to have a repeat of Carrie's previous lives where many innocent people are killed and she dies before her nineteenth year," Ishizu remarked. "Thus is why we've sent the Guardians to watch over her again."

"Then why are you giving her permission to kill Carl?" Marik wanted to know.

Ishizu's eyes took a dark gleam to them that Marik had never seen before. Her gaze was cold and unwavering and full of suppressed anger. Her hands, which were usually hanging in front of her person, were at her sides clenched into fists. Yet despite all of her inner conflict, she did not turn away from her brother.

"I may not be close to Carrie in the same way as her friends, but I've known that child in a way you could never understand. We've met in the past as Isis and Iris and share a spiritual bond. I am her tutor when it comes to this Egyptian information; she has searched for my assistance whenever something bothered her…or when her memories of her first life left her confused," Ishizu whispered, trembling with her anger as she struggled to speak. She took a ragged breath before saying more. "This man…He did horrible things to her for the pain it would cause her…and he calls himself her father!" She spit the word out like it was disgusting. "He is a million times worse than our father ever was, and our father was a monster! He beat Carrie and her sister, tried to kill them, took her innocence …There is nothing innocent about him! He deserves whatever fate Mirage deals him! Not one tear will be shed in sadness over his death! I will sing to the high heavens when I hear of his passing! May he burn forever in the fires of the underworld!"

Marik was shocked at his sister's outburst. Ishizu rarely ever became so enraged, and even then she never wanted someone to burn in the fires of the underworld. What Carl had done…really got under her skin. But then again, whose skin didn't it get under?

_Personally, I agree with you, _Marik thought. _Rest in pieces, you bastard._

* * *

Keith had stayed true to his word and revealed all that he knew about his death, along with how he had come to be alive again. Tea listened without saying anything, though much of what he said appalled or upset her. He admitted that he had confronted Carrie in an alley during the Battle City Tournament with the intent of doing horrible things to her. He had expected it to be like every other time they had encountered, for her to fight back or at least flinch away from him. But Carrie had done neither. Instead she had laughed and started saying weird things about mortals and hosts and immortals. He didn't realize that the girl had changed appearances until it was too late. He assumed the person talking was the one Tea had called Mirage now. The dark spirit had thrown him into a wall so hard that it cracked and he didn't fall from its surface before taking his own knife and slashing his throat wide open.

He had drowned in his own blood in a matter of seconds.

A day later, he had heard someone whispering something in a language he couldn't understand just before he had come to life again. His vision was blurred at first, but he could just make out the silhouette of a woman leaving the morgue, though he wasn't sure who that woman was. Keith glanced around to find that he was surrounded by dead bodies and was smart enough to figure out where he was. Luckily, no one had autopsied him yet. He found some clothes in a closet, put them on, and made his escape.

Though Tea had not asked this of him, Keith went on to tell her about how he had happened upon Carrie on that horrible night. He had been walking the streets at night because he found that time to be the most peaceful with the stars shining brightly in the sky. He didn't expect for anything bad to happen. But then he noticed a man walking briskly away from a dark alley and knew from his crime days that that man had just done something terrible. The man was too quick for Keith to catch, so he instead headed for the alley the man left in case someone needed help. It was there that he had found Carrie, lying still and practically marinating in her own blood with a torn black dress as her only covering.

He admitted that Carrie had been afraid when he appeared, believing him dead as he had been. But he assured her that he had changed, and truly he had. Whatever that strange woman had whispered not only brought him back, but also eliminated the darkness from his body. Keith stayed with her while the ambulance was on its way and he even rode in the back to the hospital with her in order to keep her company. The police questioned him thoroughly and what he had seen—he did his best to help them. He had made a promise to the girl that he would check up on her daily…And he had kept his word, careful only not to run into her friends that might see him as a threat.

"So that's it," Keith concluded as they continued to walk through Domino City in the rain though it was starting to grow darker with the approach of night. "I lived, I died, and then I rose again to be given a second chance. I just wish I knew who had brought me back so I could thank them."

"…I wish you did, too," Tea said quietly, though she already had an idea who it could have been. "…Why did you choose to reveal yourself to me, Keith?"

Keith shrugged. "I'm not too sure of that myself. Perhaps it's because behind Carrie, you're the one person I've hurt the most with that Joey Wheeler close to your place. I kidnapped you, knocked you out with a hard blow to the head, bound and gagged you in order to lure Carrie to me, almost made you witness something terrible happening to your friend…I've done a lot of bad things in my life. It's past time that I started to make up for those things. Let's just say that I've started with you."

"Well…I'm a little flattered that you chose me, but I think you've helped Carrie long before you helped me," Tea pointed out.

The blonde man shook his head. "No, I haven't. There's no way that just seeing her at the hospital can make up for all the hell I put her through for more than two years straight. I'm not even sure I could ever make up for all that hell if I had five lifetimes to do so. But that doesn't mean I won't try."

"Good for you," Tea remarked with a small smile. She glanced at the sky and sighed. "…I should be getting home now. My parents will start to worry if I'm out too late. Listen, Keith. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it was nice to see you and talk. I hope we can do this again sometime." She slid out of his jacket and held it out to him. "I believe this is yours. Thank you for lending it to me."

"Nah, you keep it. It's the least I could do," Keith told her.

"Really? Okay, thank you. I…guess I'll see you around."

"I guess you will."

* * *

Carrie watched as the sky grew dark with sad eyes. She wasn't sad about what night meant for a certain someone—she was just sad because of everything she had been through. Soon she would be free. Mirage had said it would be so, and Mirage never lied. She had changed her outfit at the dark spirit's urging just for this night. A showy black corset-like top with tight leather pants, knee-high black boots, and dark gloves. Carrie was hesitant at first to wear such an outfit to see Carl, but Mirage assured her nothing bad would happen to her so she didn't argue.

Her skin looked so pale in comparison to the dark clothing. She almost looked like a vampire, and in truth, she kinda was. The old her had died that fateful night. This girl walking in her place was just the living dead form of her trying to fill her role.

"Tonight, my head is spinning. I need something to pick me up,"Carrie sang. "I've tried, but nothing is working. I won't stop. I won't say I've had enough."

**Tonight, I start the fire! Tonight, I break away! Break away from everybody! Break away from everything! If you can't stand the way this place is, take yourself to higher places,** Mirage continued for her.

"At night, I feel like a vampire. It's not right…"

**I just can't give it up!**

"I'll try to get myself higher. Let's go."

"**W**e'**r**e **g**o**n**n**a l**i**g**h**t** i**t **u**p**! **T**o**n**i**g**h**t, w**e **s**t**a**r**t **t**h**e **f**i**r**e! **T**o**n**i**g**h**t, **w**e** b**r**e**a**k **a**w**a**y!" both Mirage and Carrie sang at the same time. "**B**r**e**a**k **a**w**a**y **f**r**o**m **e**v**e**r**y**b**o**d**y! **B**r**e**a**k **a**w**a**y **f**r**o**m **e**v**e**r**y**t**h**i**n**g! **I**f **y**o**u **c**a**n**'**t **s**t**a**n**d **t**h**e **w**a**y **t**h**i**s **p**l**a**c**e** i**s, **t**a**k**e **y**o**u**r**s**e**l**f **t**o **h**i**g**h**e**r **p**l**a**c**e**s!**" (Three Days Grace: Break)

**It is time,** Mirage declared.

Carrie sniffed, wiping a few tears from her face. "All right, Mirage. Do what you have to do. Just make sure…that he suffers more than I did."

"You have my word. Just don't cry anymore, my dear," Mirage said as she took control of Carrie's body. Her dark eyes narrowed as she thought about the man whom she would kill on this night. "He will not have the chance to make you cry ever again. I swear it!"

She summoned forth a Shadow Dragon, which appeared outside Carrie's open window. Another Monster similar to her Dragon materialized beside it, bearing Thief Bakura as its rider. Mirage smiled at him as she leapt onto her creature. This path of vengeance would be an easy one no matter what—after all, her target was a mere mortal whereas she was immortal and had no chance of dying—but she felt better knowing that Thief would be there to support her all the way. He would also be there to make sure she did not kill Carl West too quickly. That bastard did not deserve a swift death with everything he had done.

Mirage's nails dug into her Dragon's scales, causing it to bleed from the pressure her suppressed anger caused her to deliver upon it. It whimpered in mid-air and Mirage let go of the poor creature. It did not deserve to be hurt because of the anger that man made her feel. She did not want to hurt the Dragon; she would sooner hurt herself.

Not wanting her to do that, Thief released his Monster and jumped onto hers. He wrapped his arms around the immortal one for emotional support—he hated to see her so conflicted with mortal emotions. She slid her hands into his, letting his warmth melt away the anger so she could focus. His lips brushed up against her neck, sending chills down her spine. She could do anything with Thief now—there was no chance of Carrie getting angry enough to stop her. But she didn't want to misuse her host's body after all that had already happened to it, so she refused to give into her desires. Instead, she ordered the Dragon to fly to the prison where Carl was being kept like a common criminal.

But he wasn't a common criminal. Common criminals don't rape their daughters.

And he would soon receive his justice for committing such a heinous act.

Mirage's grip tightened on Thief's hands. How she would relish watching the light fading from that bastard's eyes when he finally met his end! She would love to see the fear in his eyes in place of his coldness that he had whenever he hurt Carrie! To witness his demise would be unlike any other demise she had seen! She knew how it would happen and what she would do when he finally went to burn in the fires of the underworld! She would laugh at him the same way he had laughed at Carrie, beat him the same way he had beaten up Carrie, and hurt him the same way he had hurt Carrie! Yes! The perfect revenge! He would wish for a swift death, but that would be long in coming!

An evil smirk worked its way onto Mirage's lips.

Everything would be just fine soon enough.

* * *

Joey and Pegasus worked long into the night to find the cards he was looking for. The silver-haired man allowed the boy into his card vault where every card in the whole world that had more than one print lay, staring at Joey with unblinking eyes. He was tempted to ask if he could have one for himself, but restrained himself from doing so because he was here for Carrie. They had spent hours looking through them for the perfect card or two, but they encountered problems with every turn. Carrie already had this one. This one was lame. Carrie would never want _that_ card. Care-bear deserved pretty cards in her deck. She would never be able to put that one into play.

So, in the end, they settled on creating two new cards just for Carrie that she would own the only copies of.

Pegasus had pulled out his sketchpad and drawn possibilities. Most of them were pretty good—Joey suggested they become real cards—but none were just right at first. Any other man would have gotten fed up with Joey, but not Pegasus. He loved company and art and Duel Monsters, so he didn't mind the kid at all.

Then finally, at four in the morning, they found the two.

The first was a female Dark-Attribute Spellcaster that Pegasus had named Dark Magician Lady. Not to be confused with Dark Magician Girl. The Lady had long dark brown hair partially covered by the same type of hat the Dark Magician Girl wore, only black, and blue eyes. Her skin was sun-kissed and covered her firm muscles just nicely. Her armor was revealing as it was with most female Duel Monsters with only a black swirly brassiere covering her upper-half and a short black skirt with swirly black thigh-high boots covering her bottom half. She carried a staff similar to Dark Magician's, only it was ebony with a red gemstone in the top. Her attack points were 2500 and her defense points were 2100. Her effect would give her three hundred more attack points for every Dark-Attribute Monster in the Graveyard.

The second was a male Dark-Attribute Spellcaster named Dark Magician Dragon Warrior. He had blonde hair just like Joey's and brown eyes, too, along with some slightly over-exaggerated muscles. His hat was shaped in the head of a dragon and was fiery orange in color, as was the rest of his armor. He wore a metal plate with iron greaves that went all the way down to his wrists, bearing the swirly designs of Dark Magician's armor and insignia of dragons. His pants and boots were likewise made of metal with designs of both the swirls and dragons, giving further meaning to his name. A sword was attached to a belt at his waist, but the Warrior also had a staff that looked like an orange version of Dark Magician's. His attack points were 2700 and his defense points were 2300. His effect gave him three hundred more attack points for every Dragon on the field and in the Graveyard.

"Wow! These are amazing, Peg!" Joey exclaimed as he looked at the art of these Monsters again. "Now not only will it be like my heart's in her deck, but yours and Yugi's will be there, too! You're the man, Pegasus! You are the man!"

Pegasus waved off his praises though he was truly touched by the boy's words. "Think nothing of it. It's the least I could do for all the trouble I caused during the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. I'll have my people put these guys into print as soon as I can and I'll let you know when they're ready."

"Great!" Joey said, stifling a yawn. "Man, it's late. I should be heading home now. I just hope my dad left the door unlocked for me…I totally forgot my key in my hurry to get on that helicopter to get here."

"You could always spend the night here. I have plenty of spare rooms," Pegasus offered.

"That's mighty kind of ya, Peg. I think I'll take ya up on that offer cuz I'd probably just end up falling asleep on the ride home, anyway. Just point me towards a bed and I'll see ya at two."

Pegasus led him to the same room Joey had stayed at during the Duelist Kingdom Tournament Finals. Joey thanked him once again as he kicked off his shoes and pulled the covers over his head. The silver-haired man said something about having a maid bring in fresh clothes for him later before closing the door behind him. The blonde listened to his retreating footsteps until they disappeared. Then he spent some time staring at the ceiling, smiling as he thought about the good deed he had accomplished with Pegasus after a full night's work.

_That guy ain't so bad after all, _Joey thought. _I guess he just needed a second chance._

And then the blonde was snoring.

* * *

In another part of the castle on Duelist Kingdom, Alyssa was not as able to go to sleep. She kept thinking about Carrie and what she was planning to do tomorrow. The pretty brunette had never liked her aunt except for when she was very little, before that woman had gone bad. Confronting her was the last thing Alyssa ever imagined doing. Megan was almost as horrible as Carl had been with all that she had done to her daughters. It was a miracle she wasn't locked up, too.

But something in Alyssa wanted to see the orange-haired sister of Pegasus. That part of her told her to remember Megan's appearances whenever she had come to visit. It wasn't just the daughters that bore battle scars—that woman had been subjected to some terrible beatings herself. Alyssa could remember the bruises now. Trying to conceal them with makeup hadn't been enough to keep them hidden from this girl. She never thought anything of them before; now it seemed to fit into place. An abusive father was bound to be an abusive husband, too. Perhaps he had done something to Megan before coming to attack Carrie.

That was her hunch…

And also part of the reason why Alyssa was having trouble sleeping.

If Carl could have beaten his daughter half to death and violated her, what could he have done to his wife? Could she possibly be in worse condition than Carrie had been? Or… Was it possible that Megan was even dead? No, it couldn't be. They would have found the body by now…And Pegasus would have gotten a phone call if that was the case. Alyssa didn't really think Carl was capable of murder. Attempted murder, maybe. True murder was a big no-no.

_Everything will be found out tomorrow when we get to New York. There's no sense in worrying about it now, _Alyssa thought. _I should be sleeping. I'm going to need all my strength for that confrontation...So why can't I close my eyes and sleep already?_

It took a couple more hours before Alyssa could finally drift off. Carrie was the last person she thought of before entering the realms of dream.

_Seems the only one who doesn't see your beauty is the face in the mirror looking back at you. You walk around here thinking you're not pretty. But that's not true...Cuz I know you. Hold on, baby, you're losing it. The water's high, you're jumping into it and letting go...And no one knows. That you cry, but you don't tell anyone. That you might not be the golden one. And you're tied together with a smile but you're coming undone._

_I guess it's true that love was all you wanted, cuz you've given it away like it's extra change. Hoping it will end up in his pocket, but he leaves you out like a penny in the rain. Oh, cuz it's not his price to pay. Not his price to pay...Hold on, baby you're losing it. The water's high, you're jumping into it and letting go...And no one knows. That you cry, but you don't tell anyone. That you might not be the golden one. And you're tied together with a smile but you're coming undone. _(Taylor Swift: Tied Together With A Smile)

* * *

While Joey and Alyssa were busy with thoughts and ideas, Mirage and Thief reached the prison where Carl West was meant to spend the rest of his days. The Shadow Dragon dissipated next to the ground, and the two people landed lightly on their feet. Guards immediately intercepted them—not only did they look strange, but it was a weird time for anyone to be coming to visit the prison. Mirage made short work of them with just a flick of her wrist. She did not kill them; she came for the life of only one man, and these guards were innocent mortals. She merely knocked them out of consciousness. The immortal one strode through the locked doors of the prison with Thief Bakura right behind her.

There were other guards in the prison, but they met the same fate as the other ones. No alarms sounded, and when they left no one would know they had even been there. The prisoners looked at the two with different emotions. Some were fearful, others were hopeful, some were indifferent, and others were angry. The last emotion Mirage didn't understand, but she didn't ask any questions. She did, however, stop and look into each prisoner's eyes to judge if they were as evil as Carl. Those she found that were she killed with swiftness they could have only hoped to have. It was better that these evil mortals be taken care of before they could have the chance to break out. These actions resulted in almost all of the prisoners being just afraid of her.

"…I'm looking for Carl West," Mirage stated when she reached the last set of cells and she could feel the man's presence nearby. "He's done some bad things to a girl and I need to make him suffer for it. So if you mortals would be so kind as to show him to me, I might be willing to spare your lives. Come out of hiding, you bastard."

"Carl hides from no one!" a brawny man remarked, grabbing the bars of his cell in an attempt to intimidate her. "Especially not a bitch like you!"

Thief Bakura hit that man right in the chest, causing him to fall onto the floor. He then broke the lock to that cell and hesitated not to walk in. He put his foot on the man's throat and looked down at him with crossed arms. "You will speak to her with respect, or you'll have to answer to me. Now do you know where Carl is? You'd better tell me the truth if you value your life."

"You can let Marco go. I'm right here if you want me."

Mirage and Thief Bakura turned their heads. Carl was standing at the bars of his cell, which was right next to Marco's. He looked at Mirage without a sign of fear in his green eyes and a sneer on his face. Mirage's dark eyes narrowed and her nails bit into her hands as she looked at that evil face. Even in her presence, he thought he was in control.

Cheers from the other prisoners went up when Carl showed his face to her. Mirage found this peculiar. From her knowledge of this time, if a rapist or child molester was put in jail, other people would hate him and even do those actions to the rapist/child molester to punish him. How was it not so with Carl? Why did these people admire him?

"What did he tell you he did to get in here?" she demanded.

"He got in a big brawl with the man!" one guy shouted, referring to the police.

"And he killed a bunch of 'em!" another guy piped in.

"Then he managed to break out and kill some more!" Marco added.

Mirage shook her head. "He's lied to you all! He never killed anyone! He's an abusive son of bitch that attacked his daughters practically every day of their lives! The reason he got put in this shit-hole was because he tried to kill them! And when he broke out, he didn't kill the police! He beat his eldest daughter to near-death and raped her!"

The prison suddenly became silent as her outburst had affected all of them. All eyes looked from Carl to Mirage, undecided on who to believe. Carl's eyes were on Mirage, and her and Thief Bakura's eyes were on Carl.

"Yo man, is…Is all that true?" Marco finally asked.

Carl's gaze never wavered when he looked at his prison friend. He didn't even look like he regretted his actions. "Yes. It is the truth."

The whole prison was now in an uproar, and practically everyone wanted out of their cells to get at him. Mirage actually smiled at their reaction and responded by flicking her wrist. Every cell door except Carl's opened and every prisoner surrounded his cell.

"Man, if I'd known you were a cho-mo who raped his own daughter, I would have let Jo have his way wit ya long ago!" Marco shouted, outraged that he had let himself befriend that bastard.

"I would have slit your throat if I'd known!" Jo exclaimed.

"I'd have torn your ass open!" a heavily tattooed badass yelled furiously.

But Carl seemed unfazed by anything those criminals said. He didn't even look at them despite how menacing the whole group was. His gaze was fixated on Mirage. Despite her best efforts to shrug it off, it made her uncomfortable…and pissed. The evil aura radiating from her became more violent and made the prison shake uncontrollably. The only person that took notice of that was Thief Bakura, but he was unable to help her where her emotions were concerned.

"Stop staring at me!" Mirage screamed, silencing everyone.

Carl smirked. "What, Care-bear? Does it bother you that I can get under your skin by just a glance? Or are you still reveling in the memories of what I did to you that night?"

"…Wait…You're the daughter he violated?" Marco wanted to know as the prisoners all glanced at her with this new piece of information revealed.

"I'm not your Care-bear!" Mirage shrieked, her anger causing the lights to flicker. "Carrie is no longer under your control! You have no power over her any longer! I will exact her justice upon you, you pathetic mortal! This shall be your last day! Your blood shall run from your veins! We shall see who's smiling when this is all over!" She moved between the prisoners and ripped the cell door off its hinges. Carl took a few steps back until his back was against the wall, and still there was no fear in his eyes. "I shall let your 'friends' show you how they feel first, and then I shall destroy you!"

"**All of my hate cannot be found. I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming. So you can try to tear me down. Beat me to the ground, I will see you screaming," **Mirage bellowed as the male prisoners descended upon Carl. "**Thumbing through the pages of my fantasies, pushing all the mercy down-down-down, I wanna see you try to take a swing at me! Come on! Gonna put you on the ground-ground-ground! Why are you trying to make fun of me? You think it's funny? What the fuck you think it's doing to me? You take your turn lashing out at me! I want you crying when your dirty ass in front of me! All of my hate cannot be found! I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming! So you can try to tear me down! Beat me to the ground, I will see you screaming! **

"**Thumbing through the pages of my fantasies, I'm above you, smiling at you, drown-drown-drown! I wanna kill and rape you the way you raped me! And I'll pull the trigger and you're down-down-down! Why are you trying to make fun of me? You think it's funny? What the fuck you think it's doing to me? You take your turn lashing out at me! I want you crying when your dirty ass in front of me! All of me hate cannot be found! I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming! So you can try to tear me down! Beat me to the ground, I will see you screaming!"**

"**All my friends are gone! They died…And they all screamed and cried I'm gonna take you down! Gonna take you down! Gonna take you down! Gonna take you down! All of my hate cannot be found! I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming! So you can try to tear me down! Beat me to the ground, I will see you screaming! All of my hate cannot be found! I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming! So you can try to tear me down! Beat me to the ground, I will see you screaming!"** (Evanescence: Thoughtless)

"You shall be destroyed!" Mirage echoed, laughing evilly.

* * *

_A/N: I think this chapter might have bumped the rating up to Mature with all the mentioning of rape and being torn open...especially the prison scene. But that's just me. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. And those two cards that Pegasus and Joey made aren't real, but they did come to me in a dream not too long ago. It was a very strange dream..._


	48. 48 - Megan's Truth

_A/N: Here's another update. Please read on. And Happy Holidays To Everyone! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year's, and all that jazz! ^.^ Here's my present from me to you! Unwrap and enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 48

"**I have failed."**

The statement was admitted by Uria from within his shadowy prison. He was still there despite Mirage's rampage, only in her place was no one. He had no idea where Carrie's spirit had fled to, but with her current state of mind she would be of no use when it came to taking back control of this body. It would have to be done by someone else, if it was done at all. Carl's death and the death of the other evil-spirited mortals would be of no great loss—it was after Mirage ran out of them that he was worried about.

Uria was not alone in his shadowy prison. The Winged Dragon of Ra, whom Marik had given to Carrie after she and Yami had saved him from his darkness, was now standing in his presence for the first time in five thousand years. The golden Dragon stared back, his eyes concealing any emotions just like every other Monster was able to do.

"**I have failed five times before now, and every failure has rendered the immortal one stronger. I struggle greatly to contain her—the only reason she has never been in control for so long before is that the spirit of the Nameless Pharaoh and Carrie's will aided me in suppressing her. But the Puzzle is no longer around the throat of this shell and Carrie's will has shattered because of tragic events in her life. I am not strong enough to keep the immortal one at bay. I have failed, and I shall fail again."**

"…**SUCH LITTLE FAITH, DARK-HEARTED URIA. THIS LIFE IS NOT OVER YET. THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME. THERE IS ALWAYS PLENTY OF TIME."**

Ra had spoken, but he had not raised his voice. Since he was a God Monster, everything he ever said was considered important. Hence why it was written in capital letters.

"**I am not as dark-hearted as I was the day you and your brethren sealed me away in Iris's soul. Five lost lifetimes have changed me, and this one has further brought the light unto my heart. My brothers may remain your and Obelisk's darker halves, but I have changed."**

Ra gave a small nod. **"WE KNOW. WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOU EVER SINCE WE ASSIGNED YOU TO SAVE THIS SOUL FROM THE DARK IMMORTAL ONE THAT ATTACHED TO HER. YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THIS AS A JOKE FOR THE PAST FOUR LIVES NOW. YOU ARE INDEED CHANGING. WE RECOGNIZE THAT."**

Uria made a sound of irritation. **"Why must I suffer when my brothers were not put in this same predicament? They reign freely in the Spirit World while I see only the darkness of this mind as I have for the past five thousand years. Why must it be me that must suppress a great evil and not them? Are there not other evils to be suppressed just like this immortal one?"**

"**THERE ARE, BUT IT IS DIFFERENT. YOU WERE CHOSEN TO CHANGE, PICKED BY THE GODS THEMSELVES TO PROTECT THIS MORTAL SOUL EVERY TIME SHE REINCARNATES. RESTRAIN THE IMMORTAL ONE. SOUNDED EASY ENOUGH, BUT HAS PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO BE A CHALLENGING FEAT THAT ONLY BECOMES HARDER WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME. IT IS YOUR DESTINY TO HELP IRIS REINCARNATE TO BREAK THE CYCLE. DESTINY CANNOT BE THWARTED. YOUR DESTINY WILL COME TO PASS."**

"**Destiny be damned!" **Uria roared, his tail hitting the walls of the darkness in which he was suspended and causing the place to tremble a bit. **"I tire of watching the pain of this girl with every life she lives! It hurts me more than you and yours could ever understand! I have tried not becoming attached to the ones before Carrie, but I always feel some sort of connection with them! Gwen, Ting Yen, Sianara, Vanessa, Ai…They were all the same! Carrie is much like them, but I have been closer to her because of certain circumstances that placed her in this Gods-forsaken place for a moon cycle! I know her better than I knew the others! And I cannot stand all that she goes through! You cannot fathom what I feel after all that has befallen her! That is why I am failing to keep the immortal one in her prison! I grieve Carrie far too greatly to even attempt to try!"**

Remembering the faces of the Indian priestess, the Chinese assassin, the Irish farmer, the Avalon mistress, and the Japanese warrior made Uria's heart ache. Every one of those people had had Iris's golden locks and emerald orbs with a face somewhat similar to that of their first life. Ethnicity played a minor role in the looks of these females. He could recall each of them vividly like he had been sealed within them just yesterday.

Gwen dressed pretty darn close to Iris, only her arms and legs were covered in golden jewelry and she had the traditional dot in the middle of her forehead. Her skin was slightly darker than Iris's had been, and she was a few inches taller than her first life. She had killed because of Mirage, and she knew that she killed. Thus was why she became a priestess, for she hoped that peace could control the beast within her. But then her 'father' arranged a marriage for her to an abusive warrior in his thirties. Over time this torment allowed for Mirage to take over the body and kill the husband. Gwen fled her village and turned up dead hours later. She had been eighteen.

Ting Yen dressed completely different from her former lives. Sometimes she wore the traditional Chinese dress, but in the most important events in her life she wore dark clothing and armor. She had been pale, and her blonde hair had been close to brown. It had always been worn short or up in a bun. The woman had begun her life as any other girl in China, but had become something more with the passage of time. First a lady-in-waiting to the empress and then the first female assassin to the emperor in his armies, she made Mulan look childish in comparison. Then when the emperor had no further use of her skills he decided to arrange her marriage to his eldest son. In rage, Mirage killed her hated betrothed and fled China only to be found dead later. Ting Yen had been seventeen.

There was nothing particularly special about Sianara. Her life was as close to normal as any of Carrie's former lives had been. She wore gowns of bright colors to match her sunny hair and big green eyes. She married at a young age and had two children before she was killed by one of her neighbors. He claimed to have seen her transform into a dark-haired woman and condemned her a witch before delivering the fatal stab. Sianara had been only eighteen.

Vanessa was an atypical priestess on the island of Avalon as she quickly rose to be the most powerful of the people there yet never took the position of High Priestess. She was the most like Iris when it came to powers, though physically they had little in common. Her nearly white-blonde hair hung behind her head in a braid that reached the small of her back and her forest green eyes concealed everything she wished for them to hide. She managed to travel in order to learn more about mystical realms and ended up in Egypt, where she believed she had seen a man similar in appearance to Yami. Another Egyptian distrusted strangers peering into the corridors of his homeland and slew her. Vanessa had been seventeen.

Ai had been born unto a healthy home of nobility, but somehow her mind had become corrupted, perhaps by Mirage. She wore the traditional kimono, of course, but hers were always made of darkly-dyed silks to fit her actions, and her dark wood sandals added inches to her height in order to make her more intimidating. Her blonde hair was a strange sight in Japan at the time, but her cold jade eyes offered no place for questioning. With her was always a dark umbrella with a blade hidden in the handle in case someone threatened or irritated her. Her pale skin was stained with blood often thanks to her hate of people and Mirage, but no one dared ask why because of her lineage. But eventually her murders led her to piss off the wrong person and she entered a to-the-death battle with one of her previous victim's brothers. She barely won—Mirage had taken over at the end to finish the enemy—and when she had seen her blood and that of her new victim on her hands she lost herself. She took his sword and plunged it into her abdomen. Ai had been eighteen.

In the first two lives, Uria had done little to contain the immortal one. He had been too angry with the gods and believed saving a mortal soul was a joke. Gwen and Ting Yen had suffered for it. He had tried harder with Sianara and believed her saved because the immortal one could hardly ever take control of her body, and even then it was for a very short period of time. But then that crazy neighbor had seen one of those times when the immortal one seized control and then ended her. Vanessa's story was much the same. And Ai…He had struggled greater than ever against the immortal one, but Ai's already dark heart had made that struggle next to pointless.

If he was to be completely honest with himself, Uria had truly not tried his hardest with all five of them. It wasn't until he had come to know Carrie that he used his full strength against the immortal one, and yet even then she managed to worm her way around his power. He felt closer to Carrie than he had been to any other mortal. It saddened him to know that he was failing her just as he had failed all of her former lives.

Ra studied him for a few moments before speaking. **"I SENSE YOUR PAIN, URIA. YOUR STRUGGLES AGAINST THE IMMORTAL ONE WILL NOT BE FOR NOTHING. AS YOU HAVE BECOME CLOSE TO THIS GIRL, PERHAPS THIS TIME YOU SHALL BREAK THE CYCLE AND BE FREE AGAIN. AND I SHALL DO MY BEST TO HELP IN SEEING THIS COME TO PASS, AS WILL OBELISK AND SLIFER WHEN THIS MORTAL GAINS POSSESSION OF THEM."**

Uria gave him a strange look. **"How can you help me?"**

"**I SHALL GRANT YOU THE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT." **As Ra spoke, Uria glowed gold and he found that for the first time in forever that he could move from that suspended spot in his prison. **"YOU ARE STILL UNABLE TO FLEE THIS MORTAL'S MIND, BUT NOW YOU CAN MOVE FREELY ABOUT TO AID HER IN ANY WAY YOU CAN. THIS IS MY GIFT TO YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. WHEN OBELISK COMES, YOU SHALL BE GRANTED THE ABILITY TO FIGHT THE IMMORTAL ONE FOR CONTROL OF THIS BODY, AND WHEN SLIFER COMES, YOU SHALL BE ALLOWED TO APPEAR OUTSIDE OF THIS BODY IN ORDER TO COMBAT THE IMMORTAL ONE'S EVIL."**

"**Thank you, Winged Dragon of Ra." **Uria bowed respectfully to his superior. **"Forgive me for my earlier words. They were spoken out of spite and grief. I meant no harm in them."**

"**THINK NOTHING OF THEM. I UNDERSTAND. NOW GO SEEK OUT CARRIE FROM WHERE HER SPIRIT IS TRAPPED. YOU MUST REASON WITH HER SO THAT THE IMMORTAL ONE IS NOT ALLOWED TO ROAM THE WORLD WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE. I SHALL REMAIN HERE IN YOUR ABSENCE SO THAT SHE IS RESTRAINED WHEN SHE IS SUPPRESSED ONCE MORE."**

Uria bowed once more to Ra before flying away into the abyss that was Carrie's mind.

* * *

Mirage called the men away just as the sun was starting to rise over the city. She did not have much time before the guards would be awake again. Her revenge would have to be finished soon or there would be unnecessary blood shed and for once she didn't want that. With great politeness that was new for her, she asked the prisoners to return to their cells. They did that with very little hesitation. With a flick of her wrist the cell doors closed and locked as if they had never been open before. Then she and Thief backtracked into the cell that had once held Carl, her leaning heavily on Bakura because the pain inflicted upon Carl was so great it weakened her.

The former businessman was barely recognizable now that all his fellow prisoners had made him suffer for his heinous crimes. Nearly every bone in his body had been broken or fractured. His clothes were torn. He was marinating in his own blood. One of his eyes was so injured he couldn't even open it anymore. His broken body lay trembling on the ground; he probably would have screamed from the pain if he hadn't become accustomed to it in these past hours. The prison had echoed with his screams earlier, but none of those pain-filled howls filled the emptiness now. He was in just as bad a condition as he had left Carrie in on that horrible night, perhaps even worse.

But Mirage was not through with him yet.

She pulled away from Thief Bakura and knelt down beside Carl and grabbed what remained of his collar, roughly pulling his broken body up to eye level with her. His one green eye stared back at her, full of submission but still no fear shone there. It was understandable now—she had sent others to hurt him but had done nothing to him herself. Those that had hurt him were locked away again. Perhaps he thought she could do no worse to him. That was where he was wrong.

The dark woman forced his injured eye open, resulting in a hiss from him. She removed the glove from her free hand with her mouth and extended her index and middle finger, her claws poised for an attack. He saw clearly what she intended to do; his eyes widened in fear at last! Her claws went flying forward into his green eyes without hesitation. His blood splattered onto her pale skin and even managed to get on Thief Bakura. Carl cries of agony pierced the air, music to Mirage's ears. She let him fall to the ground face first as she once again stood, flicking his eyeballs off of her fingers.

"I am going to leave you here like you left Carrie in that alley. Your death with come for you," she stated sadistically. "But even when your body ceases to live, your soul will not be able to escape into the underworld. Your soul shall remain forever in that shell, and though you will wish to be free of your torment, you will never be. That is your punishment for what you have done to your own flesh and blood."

She ignored Carl's pleas to take that back as she walked towards the opening to his cell. With a snap of her fingers his door flew back into place as if it had never been removed and all evidence of tonight's attack faded into oblivion. Carl was the only proof that any of it had been real. Mirage bid the other prisoners adieu, who responded by wishing her luck and apologizing for what had befallen Carrie at Carl's hands. She took Thief's hand and together they walked towards the exit.

"There is somewhere else we must go before returning to Domino City," Mirage remarked as her Shadow Dragon reappeared outside and they climbed onto its back.

"And where would that be?" Thief Bakura asked as the Monster took to the sky.

"Megan," was Mirage's vague yet clear reply. "She must pay as well."

* * *

Nine in Domino City rolled around quicker than most would have liked. But three people had no choice…They had to meet at that time. So Yugi, Kaiba, and Alyssa met at the docks at that time with no smiles on anyone's face and looking like they had all struggled to sleep the night before. Without exchanging a word they all boarded onto one of Pegasus's jets and took their seats far away from one another. The pilot took off a few minutes later, heading towards New York City.

Alyssa watched the clouds fly by without emotion or expression. Her mind felt completely blank now. It had felt that way ever since she had managed to fall asleep early that morning. She was running on roughly four hours of sleep, which could either help or hurt her confrontation with Megan; she wasn't sure. Her light green gaze remained to the outside world without straying. She just wanted this whole thing to be over with and for everything to be as it had been before that horrible night.

But things could never be the same.

She felt the presence of someone beside her before they sat down but even then she did not tear her gaze from the window. Alyssa was in no mood for talking. She had to prepare herself for when they conversed with the catalyst of Carrie's torment. Perhaps if she remained silent the person would leave.

Fat chance.

"Alyssa, may I please speak with you?"

It was Yami that spoke. Alyssa found this strange, for that spirit had shut himself up in the Puzzle ever since that night and refused to come out for anyone. Had he decided to come out now because he had found someone to blame that he could take his anger out on, or was it truly only to talk with her? She wasn't sure. But for him, she was sure she could talk for a few minutes. It wouldn't hurt anything…Hopefully.

"What is it, Yami?" she asked, turning her head to look at him and ignoring Kaiba's rolling eyes at her saying the spirit's name. If he didn't believe in this stuff now, then he was a fool and could roll his eyes in his ignorance all he wanted.

"…I'm…concerned about this encounter. I have witnessed Megan's cruelty with my own eyes. I have seen the pain she has inflicted upon Carrie and Jessica. You want to have a conversation with her and I do as well, but…I fear I may lose my temper as soon as I lay my eyes upon her," Yami admitted, his crimson gaze focused on the ground.

"That's understandable. I mean, if you didn't get angry at Megan I'd be afraid that you didn't really love my cousin as much as you thought you did. What Megan has done to Carrie and Jessie has put a fire inside all of us that desires to burn her for all of this. I'm not even sure that I'll be ready to see her, and I knew of all this long before anyone else. I used to pull a kind face to both Megan and Carl whenever I visited, remember? Under that fake smile I was cursing them to hell. That was then, when all I had to worry about was the bruises on their bodies. Now that I know Carl isn't afraid to take it a step further, I'm not sure I could pull that same face to his wife. But I'm not about to back down because of some anger. I'm willing to try," Alyssa stated.

"It's too late to turn back, anyway, so I suppose there's no harm in trying," Yami agreed hesitantly. "…I…just wish there was another way I could help Carrie. Her refusal of the Puzzle was…painful and unexpected. I fear for her."

"You love her. Of course you're worried about her just like the rest of us…and Seto over there," Alyssa remarked. "You can't take it personally. Think about what she's been through. A man that was once close to her betrayed her in the worst kind of way. She's kinda against all men now because she thinks they might betray her the same way that he did and she doesn't want you to get offended by her shying away from your touch. Her not accepting the Puzzle back was what she thought was best for the both of you."

"Just like I pointed out yesterday," Kaiba grumbled from his seat.

"Stuff it, Kaiba," Alyssa growled.

"That makes sense. I suppose you're right," Yami murmured. His gaze lifted to meet hers. "What about you? Are you okay?"

Alyssa was taken aback. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" One look from Yami and she felt like slapping herself. "Oh…Right. Well, I'm as well as the cousin of Carrie can be right now. Like that's a real indication of anything…"

"You're more on edge than is usual for you. I can only assume that it's due to where we're heading," Yami commented.

The brunette girl nodded. "Well, you're partially correct. Seeing Megan has made me a bit restless…but so has Carrie. Not Carrie as a person, but Carrie as a series of thoughts and memories…Okay, now I'm starting to confuse myself." She sighed. "Look, I was kinda close to Carrie, but I was never as close as I could have been. I knew her and some of what she liked and hated and I knew her story, but I was not any closer than an acquaintance would have been. I failed her back then. My visits were frequent enough that I knew what was going on in their lives, and I didn't do nearly enough to get them out. I know it's not really my fault that what happened to Carrie happened, but I'm still haunted by her. She's my last thought when I manage to go to sleep and my first thought when I wake up. She has been ever since that night. I don't know what to make of all of it anymore."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. It just means you love Carrie more than you thought you did, and that you're closer to her than you thought," Yami told her.

"Maybe…"

"He's right," Kaiba put in.

"Did I ask for your input?" Alyssa snapped.

Kaiba smirked. "No, but I don't need permission to speak."

"Well, the rules of politeness call for you to ask before putting your two cents in."

"Screw the rules. I have money."

"Well, so do I, but I'm still polite."

"That's your problem."

"We're here," Yami said suddenly, looking out the window. The Statue of Liberty had appeared in his sight; he recalled seeing it when Carrie had left NYC for Domino City. True, it was just in the horizon as it had been on that other flight, but it was enough of an indicator that the time for confrontation was fast approaching.

The jet touched down in the airport minutes later and they were on land once more. Alyssa rented a car like she used to when she came to the city, but Kaiba refused to let her drive. He beat her behind the wheel, which resulted in her pouting in the passenger seat and Yami feeling awkward in the backseat. Alyssa reluctantly gave Kaiba the directions to Megan's apartment, commenting the whole way that it would have been easier if she had drove and they would have gotten this done with quicker. They managed to reach the place and parked at a meter. Alyssa popped in a few quarters before they entered the building.

She led them up a few flights of stairs until they reached the top floor and maneuvered them towards the door that held Carrie's old 'home' behind it. Yami remembered this hall well from a year ago, and hatred of the woman dwelling behind that door welled within him against his will. Yugi was forced to take control in case the ancient spirit lost it as they stopped. Alyssa reached up and knocked three times.

Footsteps sounded from the other side but were kind of slow in coming. The three standing outside exchanged glances before the doorknob made a noise. The door slowly opened to reveal…

Megan standing there on crutches.

She looked as if she had been through a war. Her left arm was in a cast and sling, her left leg was more plaster than skin, her face was covered in bruises, and she had patches of hair that were a lot shorter than others like it had been roughly pulled out and had just started growing back. Her blues eyes observed the people that had come to her door with sadness the only thing reflecting in them. She didn't even seemed fazed by their shocked expressions—perhaps she had become used to that look?

"Ah, Alyssa…I was wondering how long it would be before you came here," the orange-haired woman said kindly. "And you brought Seto and that boy from that tournament with you. Please come in. Just…Please close the door behind you. It would make it easier on me…Not that I deserve the easy route in life."

"…What…What happened to you?" Alyssa stammered as she and the boys followed her inside with Yugi closing the door behind him.

"Oh, nothing much. I…just fell down the stairs the other day," Megan replied, sitting herself down on one of the couches in the living room.

"You're lying. Falling down stairs might give you some of those injuries, but that wouldn't explain that hand-shaped bruise on your cheek or those areas where your hair was pulled out," Kaiba stated, seeing through her lie as a professional liar himself.

Megan lowered her gaze and stared at her hands. "…All right…I suppose there's no point in lying to you. Carl broke out of jail…and his first stop was here. He said it was…my fault that he was put behind bars by Carrie and Jessica…So he…punished me by…doing all of this to me. It was worse a month ago…I've healed pretty quickly for someone like me…but I've always healed quickly."

"…This isn't the first time he's hurt you," Yugi assumed.

"…No…It's not. The first time was many, many years ago before we were even married. He…He's always had anger problems…But I loved him and thought I could take it. He calmed down when he found out I was pregnant with Carrie and didn't hurt me for years afterwards. Even with Jessie, who was obviously not his daughter, he managed to remain kind. At least…Until she was old enough not to sleep in our bedroom anymore. Then he started up again…because I had been unfaithful.

"I took it as best I could, but I wanted some control over something and to be free of the pain. Carrie beating me in that duel…It gave me a reason to send his anger elsewhere. So I…I cried when he came home and…lied about Carrie. I told him that she had destroyed his documents for his business…so he went to her room and hit her so hard that she was knocked unconscious. I wasn't hit that weekend—he was so mad at Carrie because of my lie that he wanted to hurt her more. So…He forced that phone into my hand and made me call all the other mothers to say Carrie was a baby-beater. I felt like crying the whole time, but I didn't want to be hurt anymore…so I ruined her reputation forever.

"The beatings persisted for all three of us over the years, regardless of how much I tried to escape the pain. He always had enough anger left for me. The dueling tournaments we forced Carrie into…That was Carl's idea. His business was going downhill and…He wanted more money. I didn't want to use my Care-bear that way…But he used his fists to persuade me to do so. Carrie was subjected to publicity and misuse because of me…And when that wasn't enough he hired a gang to make Carrie suffer on her way to and from school, too…"

Tears were falling from Megan's eyes as she told her story, but she did not look up from the floor. Yami could see from within the Puzzle that this woman was telling the truth. Her heart was pure, not evil like he had once believed it to be. She was merely a woman who ended up in an abusive marriage and wanted freedom. The way she had done it had been evil, but he could not blame her for seeking an escape route. He couldn't forgive her for her actions, though, no matter how battered she was. She had hurt Carrie, and for that there was no way he could forgive her.

"…I'm a horrible mother. I've always been a horrible mother. Using my children to save myself from a little bit of pain…That was so low…Why didn't I save us all before Carl started up again? Why couldn't I be strong like Carrie was when she fought back against him?" Megan wondered aloud. "…I hate myself…"

"Megan," Alyssa said softly, placing a hand on her aunt's. "…Have you heard what else Carl did when he broke out of prison?"

"…No. All I know is they caught him and threw him back in his cell. No one ever tells me anything," Megan mumbled.

The brunette girl exchanged nervous glances with the others before looking back at Megan. "I…hate to be the bringer of really bad news. But Megan, there are things you should know about Carl West…and what he did to Carrie over in Domino City after he hurt you."

And so they told her of that terrible night, leaving out no details because Megan did not deserve a sweeter version of the incident. She took the news like any mother whose daughter had been violated by their father would have…By crying loudly and doubling over in sadness. Alyssa politely held her aunt in her arms and rubbed her back comfortingly while Yugi and Kaiba looked at their hands awkwardly. Megan cursed Carl's name, wishing him an eternity of burning in the fires of Hell and calling him every name in the book. Her hatred of Carl truly came out when she understood fully what a monster she had married.

"I want to see my daughter," Megan sobbed when at last her tears slowed.

"I…don't think that'd be wise. She isn't very fond of you," Yugi pointed out.

"I know…but I have to see her. I'm her mother and I want to help," Megan insisted.

"The best way for you to help is to stay out of her life. We understand why you did what you did, but understanding and condoning are two different things. Carrie is not stable enough to see you right now after one of her 'parents' came by for a visit. And I don't think her other friends would be willing to let you anywhere near her," Kaiba stated.

"But-"

Megan was cut off when the building shook and they were all sent flying from their seats. It was almost like something had hit the apartment complex. It shook again and again a few more times, leaving the people inside sprawled all over the place with their furniture moving as well. Then it stopped. Kaiba and Alyssa hurried to the window to see what the cause of all of this was. Yugi hung back to help Megan to her feet and to help her find her crutches.

Outside the apartment was a huge Shadow Dragon with two riders on its back. They were hard to make out, but Alyssa knew without a doubt who they were.

"Bakura and Mirage!" she exclaimed anxiously.

"They must have come to finish Megan off," Yugi remarked.

"…Help me downstairs," Megan said suddenly.

Yugi was taken aback. "But-!"

"Just do it, kid. If she's here for me, then there's no point in running. It's time to face my judgment for never being strong enough to save my girls. Don't try to dissuade me. I know what has to be done now."

It was futile to argue, so Yugi did as he was told. Alyssa and Kaiba followed, and whenever the building shook again because the Shadow Dragon was rammed into it they were quick to keep Megan from falling. Alyssa was trembling from a mixture of emotions that were too mixed to be separated and named. She feared she might break down. But Kaiba wouldn't have that—he took her hand in his and lent her his strength. She had no time to thank him for it; there was too much that demanded her attention for even a moment to be spared.

They joined the crowd outside in staring up at the great beast. Mirage was shouting.

"Come out, Megan you wench! Face your consequences for harming your daughters! It is your fault that Carl went after her in the first place! Come out and join him in death!" the dark woman screamed. "Make this easy for the both of us, Megan Pegasus! Do not make me have to come in there or I shall have to make you suffer worse than you would if you would just come out already!"

"Why would she expose herself so openly like this?" Yugi asked as he stared.

"She doesn't care about secrecy anymore. All she cares about…is killing those that have hurt Carrie," Kaiba replied.

Megan limped away from them and towards the Shadow Dragon before any of them noticed. They called her name, but she would not back down now. She held her head high as she went to face her conviction. The shouts of the people caught Mirage's attention and she fixed her gaze on the orange-haired woman below her. Still Megan did not stop until she was at the edge of the Monster's shadow. The Dragon lowered itself to allow its mistress to leap off. She faced down the mortal woman with only anger in her dark eyes.

"I'm here just like you wanted, Carrie," Megan whispered, releasing her crutches and holding her arms out in submission. "Finish me. Spare me no mercy. I deserve death."

The edge of Mirage's mouth twitched into a half-smirk. "How honorable. Too bad you had no honor left your name after everything you've done. You're such a horrible mother. Death will not change that."

"Finish me," Megan repeated.

Mirage raised her hand, sharp nails poised to end this woman. Megan closed her eyes, and a single tear slipped down her face as she waited for death to take her at last.

The hand began its descent…

* * *

_A/N: Cliffhanger endings suck, don't they? Well, so did most of this chapter in my opinion. I mean really? Why did I go and make Megan a good person after all that? I'm not even sure myself. But it kinda fits if you think about it...or not. But anyway, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. And feel free to draw these peoples since I can't do it! Just gimme a link to the pic when you're done so I can admire your work! Have a good day now, you hear?_


	49. 49 - Return of Senses

_A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. Been busy with school, watching **Naruto**, reading my friend Cori's awesome story called **The Corners of Time**, and other things. Anyways, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 49

Uria found Carrie located away from all the other things living in her mind, lying on the floor in the fetal position with her eyes closed. She looked semi-peaceful now, something she hadn't been close to in over a month's passing. He knew not if her mind slept now and was reluctant to disturb her. But if he did not Mirage would run rampant and the innocent would suffer. He could not allow her to take Megan's life or the lives of anyone else. And though he could do little to stop Mirage in his own power, he knew Carrie could if only she realized what a monster the immortal one really was again.

"**Arise, child. You cannot sleep at a time like this." **Uria gently touched her with his snout as his tail was too far behind him to do the job. Carrie stirred and opened her eyes halfway to look up at him, but otherwise she made no move. **"You are needed, Carrie. The immortal one shall have innocent blood on your hands if you do not stop her."**

"Mirage is not evil. She is the one person I can trust. She made Carl pay for hurting me," Carrie whispered, seeming to believe what she was saying.

"**Yes, it is true that she did avenge you. Carl West shall suffer for all eternity for what he has done to you and your sister. But now she seeks to take an innocent misguided life…The life of your mother."**

Carrie's eyes opened the rest of the way in confusion. "…What?"

"**I speak the truth, Carrie."**

"…My mother…Megan…was not innocent. She was the reason Carl attacked me in the first place. She lost a children's card game, got angry, and sent him to make me suffer. Then she ruined my reputation and forced me into Duel Monsters tournaments. There is nothing misguided about her. She is not innocent. She is evil," Carrie claimed quietly.

"**You do not know the whole truth, my dearest mortal. Carl abused her as well. She was looking for some control in her life, a way to escape the pain. So she chose to send him after you and the mortal Jessica. She was misguided by pain, and just as you have suffered she has suffered. He did not just hurt you after breaking out of jail, you know. She was the first one he hurt."**

"…You…You lie," Carrie whimpered, wanting to turn her back on the crimson dragon but unable to tear her gaze away from his fiery one.

Uria shook his massive head. **"I do not. See for yourself. She stands before Mirage now to face what she believes is her rightful judgment."**

The shadows in Carrie's mind cleared to allow her to view what was happening outside of her body. Just as Uria said, Megan was standing in front of Mirage. The blonde girl gasped and immediately sat up when she saw her mother. Her left arm was in a cast and sling, her left leg was in a cast up to the middle of her thigh, and she was covered in cuts and bruises. Her pretty orange hair was shorter in patches, which meant that possibly it had been pulled out before. Had Carl truly done this to her? Did…Did this mean that she really had been a victim of his abuse just as much as Carrie and Jessica had been?

"**The immortal one may know the truth of Megan's actions, but she is too blinded by her desire to kill and end pain that she does not care." **Uria told her, placing the tip of his wing onto Carrie's shoulder. **"I don't believe she will stop with Megan's death, either. In her rage she may hunt down every person that has ever hurt you in any way and kill them. Then when she runs out of those people, she will just kill whoever crosses her path."**

"…No…Mirage can't be…that evil," Carrie stammered in disbelief.

"**But she can be. You know this. Look inside yourself, past the pain that you feel from that accursed night. You have seen the evil of the immortal one. Remember what a monster she can be, and then you shall know what you must do."**

"But…It hurts to remember," Carrie whimpered.

Uria's eyes glistened in a way that only tears could make them. **"…I know, Carrie. I know that more than you may think I do. Looking back at the five lifetimes before yours…is more painful than anything I have ever felt before. I have failed you so many times in the past…I do not want to fail you again. So allow me to lend you my strength so that we both can look back, all right?"**

"…Okay…"

The crimson dragon moved his body gently around her, touching her with his scales in order to connect and share his great strength. He closed his fiery orange eyes to the world at the same time that her emerald eyes did the same. Memories flashed through both of them, all of them Carrie's. The hardest ones to get passed were of that night, and if only Carrie had been forced to face them she would have been stuck there and unable to see the darkness of Mirage. But with Uria's strong mind, she was able to bypass them to memories that weren't so bad. She remembered all that was necessary to see what Mirage was truly like: a spirit of evil that only helped when she felt in necessary.

If left to her own devices, Mirage would surely kill every living thing on Earth.

Carrie couldn't let that happen, no matter how badly she was hurting.

"…Thank you, Uria," she said, giving the dragon a wan smile. "I…have to get back out there to stop Mirage."

"**I know you can do it. And if you require help, I am here for you."**

"…You would have been the better person to cling to, now that I think about it. Why was I so stupid as to cling to Mirage?"

"**It is not your fault. You were just hurting and needed someone. She was the closest person to you so you chose her. It was not a foolish choice at first; she did some good in her freedom. But now you must stop her from doing evil. Only you can stop her."**

"I will. I swear it."

* * *

Mirage's hand came to a stop just an inch from Megan's throat and refused to move that last inch to end the woman's life. The dark-haired woman did not understand what was going on, so she tried to attack once more with her other hand only to receive the same result. It was then that she felt the force trying to push her back, trying to take control. Carrie had finally come to her senses and knew she couldn't trust Mirage anymore. She knew she needed to take control again. But the dark spirit was not going down so easily.

Her arms twitched forward and backward involuntarily. One mind was telling them to move forward while another was telling them to pull back. Mirage grew frustrated and growled.

**You foolish girl! Stop messing with me! I am avenging your pain by taking this wretched mortal down! Do not interfere! **Mirage snapped.

_No. I will not let you hurt Megan,_ Carrie stated boldly and pressed onward for control.

The struggle persisted for several moments longer, as they were at a stalemate. Carrie's strength matched Mirage's own due to Uria's assistance, and it was hard to overcome the power that a Fiend God possessed. But Mirage managed to gain the advantage and forced Carrie's mind back enough for her to deliver that final blow to Megan, who was still waiting for death.

But there was interference again, only this time it wasn't from Carrie. There was movement from behind by four different figures. Mirage spun around too slowly when she heard Thief Bakura yelling his warning and came face-to-face with the Guardians. Ja-Kal was right next to her, and he forced a strange silver ankh against her brow. It burned like liquid fire through her, making her scream against her will as she felt herself being suppressed. Thief Bakura jumped from his perch on the Shadow Dragon before it disappeared and attempted to rush to her aid, but the other three Guardians prevented that from happening. He could only stand by and watch in disbelief as Mirage was sent back to her dark prison within the recesses of Carrie's mind.

In her wake stood the blonde girl, her body trembling with feelings only she would know.

Megan's blue eyes were open now and fixated on her daughter. They stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity, exchanging stories without saying a word. One couldn't forgive the other so soon despite knowing what had driven her to her actions, and the other had no choice but to accept that she could not be close to her daughter. Then Carrie stepped away from Ja-Kal and collected Megan's crutches from the ground so the woman wouldn't have to struggle to stand. She handed them over without a word and then turned her back to everyone, beginning to walk off.

"Carrie, wait," Yami said, now in control of Yugi's body.

She stopped, glancing over her shoulder at her boyfriend with tears shining in her eyes. He was a mere few steps away from her, and yet she felt like he could never be in the same place as her ever again. Would she ever be comfortable in his arms again without thinking about how she was touched by a male monster? She wasn't sure yet. It was too early to tell…and she didn't think it was time just yet.

"Yami," she whispered as she looked forward again. "I…want to be alone for now. Please try to understand…why I'm doing this. I don't want to hurt you…but I'm hurting right now. I just want to be alone for awhile so I can get my head straight. So…goodbye."

And then she ran off with a million pairs of eyes on her…though only one mattered.

And he let her go, knowing she would come back to him when she was ready.

* * *

She managed to make it back to Domino City on her own, summoning Curse of Dragon from her deck to carry her there as swiftly as possible. She made it there hours before the others were due to arrive. Her first stop had been her room, where she had changed into her normal clothes and left a note under her door for the others that she was sure were worried about her. Then she had put a spare set of clothes into a drawstring bag and jumped out her window again. Curse of Dragon took her to the museum, which was where she was now.

Carrie stood in front of the exhibit for Iris and the Guardians, staring at the sarcophagus that held her first life inside. The others were all empty—she was the only visitor in the museum that knew that because everyone else that passed her kept commenting on the mummies they believed there. She wasn't sure how they had gotten to her so fast, but it was because of the Guardians and Uria that she had been able to beat back Mirage. She was indebted to them…and she was also indebted to the immortal one herself for taking out her greatest evil.

_And yet he still won, _Carrie thought sadly, closing her eyes to keep back the tears. _He said it himself. With everything he's done to me and Jessica, he will always have power over the both of us. He might have died at my hand through Mirage's strength...but he still won._

"…Carrie," Marik said, walking over to her. She glanced over her shoulder at him through barely opened eyes. "The museum is closing. Ishizu wanted me to tell you that… and she wanted you to know that she is willing to listen if you want to talk."

"…Thank you, Marik…," Carrie murmured before looking back at Iris's sarcophagus. "Stay for a moment, will you? I need you to be here to catch me after I do something."

"What do you mean?" Marik asked as Carrie jumped over the small fencing that kept people from touching the sarcophagi.

Carrie did not answer him. Instead she focused her attention on pulling the lid of Iris's coffin open. It was heavy, but the blonde managed to pry it away. Iris lay in eternal slumber, looking just as she had the last time Carrie had seen her. The mirror effect shuddered through her but this was no time to be making comparisons. Her first life could pass for her with little trouble. She could fill her place while Carrie got her head on straight. Only those who actually knew Iris would possibly be able to tell the difference, and there were very few of those people still around.

_Mirage, I'm borrowing some of your magic, _Carrie told the dark spirit, who was being restrained by the Winged Dragon of Ra instead of Uria now. _Don't hate me for it._

Without warning, Carrie thrust her hands against Iris's stone cold chest. They glowed with a gold light that expanded to engulf both bodies, reflecting mostly in Carrie's eyes. Marik was forced to shield his eyes; the light was as bright as that of a Millennium Item. The blonde girl's hair whipped wildly around her head as she breathed life unto her first life, filling the woman's head with her memories so not much would have to be explained and relaying to her all that she knew. When Iris would wake from her eternal slumber, she would know all that Carrie knew. They would be even more alike in that sense.

Iris's eyes flashed open and the light immediately faded. The Egyptian woman sat up in her sarcophagus and glanced around, her emerald eyes taking in her surroundings for any sign of danger. They came to rest on Carrie, who was just about to collapse. Marik rushed over and caught her, now understanding what she meant. He looked at Iris in disbelief. Carrie had brought back a woman dead for five thousand years…

"…Hand me the bag on her shoulder," Iris commanded kindly as she stood and stepped onto the cold marble floor of the museum. "I require the items within in order to replace my reincarnation, for I cannot do so in the garb I now wear."

"What is she talking about?" Marik wanted to know, glancing at the girl in his arms.

"I'll explain later…Just do what she asked," Carrie whispered weakly.

Marik slid the drawstring bag off of Carrie's shoulder and tossed it to Iris, who caught it easily. She thanked him before walking off in the direction of the bathrooms, seemingly unfazed by this new world she had just woken up in. A few minutes later she emerged dressed in modern attire just as Odion and Ishizu were passing. They recognized the dead-girl-resurrected, but she paid them no attention. Her only concern was to get to Carrie's home. She walked right past the man and woman and out the doors of the museum.

"Marik, what is going on?" Ishizu demanded as she and Odion ran over to the boy with the weak girl in his arms.

"I'm not sure, but I think Carrie resurrected Iris to take her place," Marik replied.

"…I did," Carrie admitted, feeling very tired now after using so much energy all at once. "Just promise me…you won't tell anyone what I did. Not my friends, not my enemies, not my Guardians…No one. I don't want them to know until…I'm ready…"

Then she passed out, unable to stay conscious a moment longer.

* * *

"Knock, knock. Is anyone home?"

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Hold on!" Mai shouted, rushing towards the front door.

She had worried when she discovered Carrie missing, but the note she had left explained that she had been talking with Ishizu that night and wouldn't be back until later. Mai didn't like that Carrie had run off without telling anyone when she had just gotten out of the hospital, but if there was anyone to talk to it was Ishizu. That woman was a chatterbox herself; at least she listened to the people she talked to, though. That was more than could be said about others.

The blonde woman pulled the door open and was surprised by who she found standing there. It was Mako Tsunami, Carrie's friend that was supposed to be looking for his father out in the ocean. She remembered that the girl had told him that he could live with them if he ever finished his journey. That had only been a little more than a month ago, during the Battle City Tournament. Was he done already?

He stood before her in a dark muscle shirt, blue jeans, and regular sneakers. Normal clothes for most other people, strange to see on him. Mai was so used to seeing him in things fishermen wore or just shorts. But at least his shirt still let his abs poke through a little…

_Jessie and her hormones are gonna tear him apart when she sees him,_ Mai thought.

"Mako! Long time no see," Mai greeted with a smile. "It's good to see you again. What brings you back to our part of the world?"

"Well, it seems my father is either dead or dropped off the face of the earth. So since I have nowhere else to go, I figured I'd take Carrie up on her offer and stay with you girls," Mako replied, grinning brightly. "I brought my stuff in this truck I rented. I'm all ready to move in if you guys are ready to take me."

"Just as long as you don't have any fish trophies, you can stay," Mai told him.

Mako anime dropped. "Oh, can't I keep at least one?"

"No. It'll stink up the house."

"Aww…But it's a twenty-foot herring I caught in the waters of Scandinavia!"

"I don't care if it's a four-hundred-foot herring you caught in the sands of Egypt! It's not coming into this house!"

"Oh, all right. I'll throw it out." Mako sighed. "Say, where are the other women of the house? If I'm going to live here, I should at least get to meet the hormone-driven girls that'll be under the same roof as me."

"Jessie's in her room studying for a test. Serenity is socializing with one of her friends on the phone. And Carrie is away at the museum talking to Ishizu about Kami knows what. I just hope it helps her out after all that she's been through," Mai remarked.

"…I have a feeling more things have happened to her since I left on her birthday, and not all of them were pleasant," Mako assumed.

"Yeah…I'll tell you about them after we unload your truck and get you settled in. And I'll get a couple trash bags for you so you can get rid of those trophies," Mai said with a flirty grin, resulting in Mako making a face.

After throwing out Mako's precious trophies, it didn't take long to get his stuff upstairs to the last available bedroom. There wasn't a bed in there and Mako hadn't brought one, but there were spare sheets in the closet and he said he'd be comfortable enough sleeping without a mattress for awhile. His clothes were put on hangers and hung in his closet, with his unmentionables remaining in their suitcase. All his other possessions were stashed around the room, awaiting furniture to be placed inside of or on at a different time. He smiled the whole time. He had finally found a place to call home…Even if he was living with three teenage girls and a woman.

Then Mai led him into her room and sat him on the bed, locking the door behind them to give them some privacy. She told Mako what had happened to Carrie since he had left, some of which he knew from watching the television at whatever place his boat docked that day. But that only pertained to the Battle City Tournament, so his information was limited. Mai filled in his major gaps with the good and the terrible, feeling sad because there were more terrible than good things. Mai was reduced to tears when she came to the actions of Carl, and Mako was trying to control his anger as tears fell from his own eyes. He deserved to know what his friend had been through in his absence, and to also know that she would get better with their support.

"She'll have my support, you can count on that," Mako vowed, smiling the best he could as both of their tears finally ran dry.

"I know," Mai murmured.

Suddenly there was a banging at Mai's door. "Hey Mai! I'm done with my homework! Are you gonna cook dinner or can I just order a couple of pizzas for us to save us all from being poisoned?"

Mai smiled and shook her head at Jessica's rude comments. "That girl…"

"Well, if my info tells me right, that would be the little West, Jessica," Mako commented.

"Hey, do you have a boy in there? You know you're supposed to tell us when you bring one of your dates home to bang! You gotta warn us so we can put our ear-buds in and turn our I-Pods at top volume to block out the noise! We don't wanna hear your moaning!" Jessica exclaimed.

"Your information was correct," Mai muttered, a nerve popping out of her forehead. "Excuse me for a moment, Mako. I have to yell at an impudent little girl." She stood and pulled that door open so fast that Jessica nearly hit her in the face when she went to knock again. "Jessica Ann West! That kind of language is inappropriate! And for your information, this isn't one of my dates! This is a friend of your sister's, and he's going to be living with us from now on! Do you get it now or am I going to have to knock some sense into your head?"

"…Yeah…I got it…," Jessica stammered, a little scared for her life.

Serenity popped her head out of her room, drawn from her social hour by all the yelling. She came to stand next to Jessica at the same time that Mako moved to stand by the fuming Mai. She recognized the man from when she had saved Carrie from drowning. He had been there and brought her dueling equipment home after she forgot it at the battle site. He must have recognized her, too, because he smiled warmly in way that she couldn't help but return.

"Hey, you're that fish guy that followed Tristan and Carrie here that one time. I didn't know you were one of her friends. I just thought you were some creepy stalker that Tristan let in for prank reasons," Jessica recalled. "Aren't you a little old to be living with a bunch of teenage girls and a young woman?"

"My name is Mako Tsunami, and I'm not that old. I am only twenty-three," he stated.

"Like I said, too old to be living with a bunch of teenage girls," Jessica repeated.

"He's younger than me, so shut up," Mai growled. "Carrie invited him to live here, and that's that. It's about time we had a man around here. I'm tired of having to do all the heavy work around here by myself since a certain pink-eyed girl is too lazy. At least Serenity does some things around here."

Whatever," Jessica grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "So what's for dinner already?"

"Ugh…That's all you ever care about…," Mai groaned, face-palming.

"That's most teenagers for you," Mako remarked. "Don't worry, Jessica. Mako's cooking tonight!"

"Just as long as it's not fish."

"Oh, come on!"

* * *

_A/N: Yay! Mako's back! And Megan got to live and Iris was brought back to life...Yay to that, too! So what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. And please check out my friend's Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic entitled **The Corners of Time. **Thanks again!_


	50. 50 - Substitute

_A/N: Whoa...Chapter 50 already? I never expected for this story to come so far or for it to be so popular...Thanks to all of the people who made this possible! This chapter is dedicated to all who read this! Please read on, my friends!_

* * *

Chapter 50

Iris felt strange, something she had not let herself experience in the presence of Carrie because she was too focused on her new goal. Here she was, in a strange new world that was hers transformed after five thousand years, in strange clothes going to a strange home that she had never been in and yet knew well. She understood the ways of this world only through Carrie's own knowledge—if she had been resurrected on different terms she would have been lost. The knowledge did not ease the strange feelings, but they lessened them greatly.

Her mission was simple. She was to play the role of Carrie West until the girl had recovered from terrible events in her life. There was no mention of what would become of Iris after Carrie became better, but she didn't think about it. Iris had been dead for five thousand years and should have remained dead for the rest of time. If Carrie decided to return her to her grave, then she would have no objections so long as she found nothing to live for.

And wouldn't she find something to live for since her Pharaoh was in this time as well?

The blonde Egyptian shook her head. _No. I shall not interfere with her companion. They have found one another, my reincarnation and the spirit of the Pharaoh. It was my wish for us to meet again someday just like this. I shall not do a thing to make it otherwise. I am merely here to assist my sixth reincarnation. Once I am not needed anymore, I shall return to my eternal slumber._

_That is where I belong now._

She walked up the couple steps that led to the front door of Carrie's home and knocked lightly. Iris looked around as she waited to be granted admittance. Vegetation grew so easily here whereas it was difficult to find in her homeland. The only flowers she had seen in Egypt had been in the palace gardens, but in this strange country by the name of Japan they were everywhere. She knelt down on the concrete step and gently pulled an orange blossom from where it had decided to sprout. A tiger lily, she believed was the name for it from what she could glean from Carrie's memories. Iris took in the scent of the beautiful flower, holding its long stem in her hand the same way one might hold a delicate creature.

The door opened and Iris's jade gaze focused on the figure that stood before her. A dark-haired pink-eyed girl dressed a little too showy for a teenager…She reminded Iris of a seer named Ramla from her lifetime. But this girl was now her reincarnation's sister by the name of Jessica, and she knew very little about this mystical stuff so she wouldn't appreciate being referred to by her former life's name. The girl gave Iris an odd look when she saw her 'sister' smelling a tiger lily.

"You know, you could have just opened the door yourself," Jessica remarked. "Heh. I guess you were too busy smelling flowers to think about your key. You dumb blonde."

Iris shot her a dirty look. "I am not dumb. I may be blonde, but I'm not dumb. And I could have used my key if I had not left it in my desk at Kaiba Corp. the last time I went to work there. It's too late for me to go get it. So you letting me in was the only option I had, so unless you wanted your sister to sleep outside, stop teasing me."

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just get your ass in here before I'm tempted to slam this door in your face."

_I suppose this is typical sister behavior, _Iris thought as she entered the house with the tiger lily still in her hands. She would not know the feeling considering all of her family had been killed when she was but a babe; the closest to sisters she had had were Mana and Teana. _Well, I hope I acted accordingly, or else it will be more difficult to be Carrie than I assumed._

A blonde-haired violet-eyed woman was seated at a table with a dark-haired blue-eyed man and a brown-haired brown-eyed girl about the same age as Jessica. They seemed to be having their evening meal and conversing about things unknown to Iris. The conversation ended when they saw her and they all stared. Iris grew nervous. Why were they looking at her like that? Did they realize she was not Carrie? Was it more obvious than her reincarnate had believed?

Then the man, Mako she recalled, smiled warmly and stood up. Without warning he approached her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Iris stiffened at first, but his warmth was welcoming after being cold for so long and she couldn't help but return his gesture of kindness. She could have stayed there forever if it was possible.

"We were wondering when you would show up, Carrie," Mako said as he released her and allowed her to stand on her own feet again. "From what Mai told me you were gone last night. Left without a word. And you're just now getting home? What in the world were you and Ishizu talking about that kept you away for almost a full day?"

Iris blinked stupidly. _Carrie barely spoke to Ishizu in these past twenty-four hours...She must have lied to cover for her darkness killing Carl and all those other things. _"…What we talked about is none of your concern. And we didn't just talk. When it grew late she let me come to her apartment for the night so we could resume in the morning. Excuse me for wanting to talk to someone about my feelings, for Ra's sake."

"Oh please, Carrie. Don't be so touchy," Jessica muttered.

Mai shot her a look before smiling at Carrie. "Don't mind her. You know how she has a strange way of coping with things. Mako just made us dinner and it's not fishy at all. Come join us."

The food looked strange and smelled like it might be tasty, but Iris did not feel hungry. It would be rude to turn down a meal and might rouse suspicion. Iris was willing to risk that as she did not want to test how alive her body was only to have this meal remain in her stomach for the rest of time or have to regurgitate it. So she smiled and shook her head politely to refuse the meal.

"I…ate at Ishizu's before coming home," Iris lied, though everything she was now was a lie. "But thanks, anyway, Mako. Everything looks good, though I'm surprised you didn't make any fish at all."

Mako crossed his arms, looking put out. "Your picky friends wouldn't let me."

"Fish stinks," Jessica stated.

"It tastes horrible," Mai agreed.

"I can't eat anything with eyeballs," Serenity put in.

"I see what you mean. Picky, indeed." Iris shook her head with a small grin on her face. "Well, if we're home alone you can make me one of your famous fish dishes. Unlike these fools, I kinda like stinky, horrible things with eyeballs," Iris told him. And it was true, for as an Egyptian she had tasted the flesh of fish for most of her life. The Nile had supplied it and it was in greater abundance than most meats. Having Mako the fisherman around would be like having a part of her past. She would make sure to strengthen Carrie's friendship with him.

"Well, I'm going upstairs to get some shut-eye," Iris informed them, turning away and raising her hand to bid them farewell.

"Oh, I just remembered! Kaiba's given you paid leave until you're feeling up to work so you can come straight home after school tomorrow," Mai told her.

"And I'll keep this place nice and neat so you can rest," Mako added.

"I'll help," Serenity remarked.

"…And I'll eat your food for you," Jessica grumbled, standing up and heading for the stove where Mako's cooking was still steaming and waiting to be eaten.

Iris smiled and murmured her thanks before continuing on her way towards Carrie's bedroom. _Carrie is very lucky to have such great friends. Though Kaiba is a jerk that really doesn't care too much for her, he's being considerate with all that has happened to her lately. Perhaps some of Priest Seth has managed to become active in him at last. Everyone she knows seems to care so much about her...Perhaps she would have healed better if she had come home herself. Ah well...Let us see how the gods turn this path we are following. For it is sure to be one filled with many turns and obstacles that will prove a challenge._

She changed into Carrie's nightclothes, though she really would have preferred to sleep the way she had in life once she had reached womanhood. But, oh how awkward it would have been for one of the others to walk in on her in the morning to find not a scrap of clothing on her. So she put up with the strange uncomfortable material and climbed under the covers of Carrie's bed. It was dark outside, and the open window allowed for a slight breeze to come into the room. This was a peaceful place, and Iris felt her eyes grow heavy despite having been asleep for five millennia.

_I wonder what Carrie is doing right now._

* * *

Carrie had been sleeping ever since Iris had left the museum, and in order to keep her hidden from those that knew her the Ishtars had moved her to their apartment that was within walking distance. Marik had forfeited his room to give her a bed to rest on, which was where she lay unmoving for many hours. Ishizu kept a constant vigil over the sleeping blonde, leaving only when she had no choice and then only if Odion was there to take her place.

Marik knew why they kept close watch over Carrie. There were several reasons. One was to make sure she was still alive. Another was to watch out for Mirage seizing control. The most important reason was they wanted to bombard her with questions once she opened her eyes. That one he was opposed to. The last thing she would want was to be questioned. But he kept his thoughts to himself because Ishizu never listened to him anyway and would just lecture him.

He was watching over her around midnight when Odion had excused himself to use the facilities and Ishizu went to get some rest. That was when she had decided to open her eyes for the first time in many hours. He had not expected her to rise so quickly after bringing the dead back to life. The energy she had used to do so had been so great even he could see it. Where such magical energy had come from, he could only assume Carrie had borrowed it from Mirage. But even so, it should have tired her out so immensely that she shouldn't wake for another day or more. Where did she find the strength to awaken now?

"…Marik," she greeted with a small smile. "Where…am I?"

"You're in our home in my bedroom. Ishizu thought it would be safer for you to hide here than in the museum. No one else will know of your whereabouts," Marik assured her in a quiet voice.

"Oh…That's good." Carrie yawned, looking as if she might fall asleep again. Marik was not opposed to this; she needed her rest. And she definitely needed to go back to sleep if she didn't want to be questioned by his siblings. "…I suppose…Ishizu wants to speak with me when I'm fully awake again. She always…wants to talk when something new happens and…I'm at the forefront of its occurring."

Marik nodded. "I don't want her bugging you, but if I told her that she would just give me an earful. I'm sorry…I wish things could be different for you. But this is the best we can do."

"It's all right, Marik…We all wish things were different. I, of all people, would know," Carrie told him, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Talking to your sister isn't so bad…At least she knows what she's talking about. And she…can be helpful sometimes. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't know a lot of the things I know today. And I never would have met the Guardians, and those four can be fun to be around when they're not so serious."

"You wouldn't have met me, either," Marik pointed out.

"Actually…I think I would have. What with you being a big baddie after my Puzzle and all," Carrie said with a teasing grin. "I just wouldn't have known as much about you… Like how you're her brother…And no one would have woken me up to duel your darkness and we would have all been screwed. Well, at least I wouldn't have remembered Iris's life or have known that she and Yami were romantically involved with one another." She sighed. "I talk too much…for someone who expended her energy bringing her boyfriend's first love back to life…"

"Aren't you worried about her?" Marik asked.

"A little," Carrie admitted. "But somehow…I know I can trust her not to steal Yami from me. After all…It was her wish that she would be reunited with him when she was reincarnated. Why would she screw that up?"

"I suppose you're right." Marik turned towards the door when he heard the flush of the toilet from the bathroom. "I'd get back to sleep quickly. Odion will be in here soon."

"Yeah, yeah…No more talking…" Carrie trailed off, her eyes fluttering closed again as she returned to dreamland.

_Rest well, Carrie,_ Marik thought as Odion entered the room again. _And rest long._

* * *

Yugi lay staring at the ceiling of his bedroom, unable to sleep after all that he had seen that day. His mind was too busy flitting through the memories of what he had seen to quiet down enough for sleep. Many things he believed had been wrong. Megan was not evil, just misguided by abuse. Prisons were not well-guarded or prepared for an attack by a couple of deranged spirits. Thief Bakura was not too evil to become infatuated with someone. Kaiba did believe somewhat in this magical stuff despite what he claimed. The Guardians weren't just good for a laugh; when needed they would jump into action to protect their mistress. And Mirage wasn't unstoppable; she just needed to have a silver ankh relic shoved up against her to put a halt to her destruction.

Megan left an impression in his mind. He had always pictured her to be an evil woman that could kill him with one look from her piercing blue eyes. But she had turned out to be as human as anyone else. And despite being in a very bad physical condition she had been willing to die without resistance because she had been a horrible mother and thought death would be her righteous payment.

_At least her actions got through to Carrie before Mirage could kill her, _Yugi thought with a shudder, not knowing if he could have witnessed Megan's death without going crazy or getting sick.

Yami said nothing; he was moping in the Puzzle again. Yugi could only imagine how the spirit was feeling after Carrie had left him.

"_Yami," she had whispered as she looked forward again. "I...want to be alone for now. Please try to understand...why I'm doing this. I don't want to hurt you...but I'm hurting right now. I just want to be alone for awhile so I can get my head straight. So...goodbye."_

Her words were simple and easy to decipher. She wanted to be alone, separated from even the person she loved, until she could get over what Carl had done. She didn't want her pain to make everyone else suffer, too. When she felt ready to face the world again, she would return to them. And most importantly, she would return to Yami.

But could Yami wait without hurting?

Yugi wasn't sure.

_Yami, everything is going to be fine, _Yugi told the spirit, trying to be comforting.

_**I know, Yugi. I know, **_Yami murmured.

_You know, you could try to look on the bright side and stop being so depressing for once. Carrie wouldn't want you acting this way. She would want you to be strong._

_**I know. It's just…difficult.**_

_Yeah, but you don't have to be such a damper. You get me sad, and I'm the happy person in the gang. If you keep this up, people are gonna start thinking something's wrong with me, and I don't want that. So smile, be happy, and stop being down before I have to come in there and make you stop being depressed._

_**And how in the world would you do that?**_

_Are you challenging me, Pharaoh?_

_**If I am, you would never accept it.**_

_Don't talk about me like you know me!_

_**Sometimes I wish I didn't know you. Unfortunately, I'm not that lucky.**_

_You're such a jerk, you know that?_

_**At least I'm not annoying like you.**_

_That's it! I'm coming in there!_

_**No you're not! I'll send some horrible dark Monsters to beat you up if you do!**_

Yugi smiled in spite of himself. His 'annoying-the-grumpy-lovesick-Pharaoh' tactics were working their magic. At least if Yami was arguing with him he wasn't thinking about Carrie. And Yami might hate him for it now, but later he would come to realize that his reincarnation was just trying to help him out.

Cuz that's what friends do. They help each other.

* * *

"Hey, Yugi!" Joey greeted as the short boy walked out of his grandfather's shop.

Tea, Tristan, and a reluctant Bakura were standing with the blonde boy, but there was no sign of Carrie. Yugi tried not to think about her and forced a smile onto his face. He was tired from staying up late annoying Yami in order to keep the spirit from moping. School would be difficult, but he didn't mind. Helping a friend was much more important than some schoolwork.

"So how did that confrontation with Megan go?" Tristan asked as they started walking.

"It was…interesting," was Yugi's vague reply.

"Interesting how?" Joey pressed.

"Guys, don't you watch the news or YouTube? There was a sighting of a giant dragon-like creature with two humans on it that attacked New York City. They were after Megan Pegasus, and from the video I saw on YouTube it was Mirage and Thief Bakura that launched the attack," Tea told them matter-of-factly.

"What the-? Yugi, is that true?" Tristan wanted to know.

Yugi nodded, not surprised that someone had videotaped the whole incident of yesterday. "And Megan isn't as evil as she appeared. She was abused just like Carrie. That's why in that video she was so torn up."

"What about Carl? Did Mirage and Thief Bakura go after him, too?" Joey demanded.

"Yes they did. He's dead," Ryou Bakura replied before Tea and Yugi could speak. "I won't give you any details about his death. Just know it was not swift and he shall be suffering for the rest of time."

"Just as long as his death was gruesome, I don't care," Tristan muttered. "He deserved it."

"Where is Carrie now?" Tea asked—YouTube and the news had failed to tell her that.

"Hi guys," a female voice said from behind the gang.

They turned to see Iris in Carrie's school uniform, only they believed her to be Carrie since they could hardly tell the difference. Sure, she was a bit darker than her seventh life and there were some other minor contrasts, but her friends couldn't tell. She smiled as warmly as she thought she should, feeling strange under their gazes. In Egypt she had been stared at because of her origin and the events that separated her from the Pharaoh, but it was different then. Now she was being stared at because of things Carrie had done. It felt strange like most other things in this new world.

"…Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?"

"No, it's not that," Joey told her. "It's just…You know. Shouldn't you be at home with everything that's gone on with you? I mean, the school's letting you off until you're completely recovered. Don't you want to take advantage of that?"

Iris shook her head. "Nah. I want something to be normal in my life again. Staying home while my friends are at school wouldn't be normal at all. And if people keep excusing me for things, I'm just going to be bored out of my skull. If I were you I might want to skip out of school at every opening, but I'm not."

"We understand." Tea studied her for a moment longer. "…There's something different about you. I just…can't put my finger on it."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm the same as I was before," Iris said, feeling a bit nervous. Perhaps the contrasts between her and Carrie were more noticeable than either of them had thought. Perhaps the girl had underestimated the brain power of her friends.

"Now that you mention it, Tea, her voice does sound a bit more mature and her skin is darker…and I think she's a cup bigger than she used to be," Tristan agreed.

Tea sweat-dropped. "If you say so…"

"Guys, nothing is different about Carrie. She looks and sounds the same to me, and my eyes and ears are as good as anyone's. So maybe you wankers need to get your eyes and ears checked before you start saying such things about your friends," Bakura remarked rather bitterly. "Now that's all settled, can we please head off to school? Your insistent yammering is starting to drive me bonkers!"

Iris let out a silent sigh of relief. _Thank you Bakura._

The others sweat-dropped. "A bit British today, aren't we Bakura?" Joey muttered.

"Shut up," Bakura grumbled.

"Who gave you permission to talk, anyway? You're always trying to take over the world and send people's souls to the Shadow Realm. You shouldn't get to boss us around or speak," Tristan pointed out as they started on their way.

"It's not his fault. It's that spirit in the Ring," Iris reminded them.

_**You would know, wouldn't you my dearest Tawaret? **_Thief Bakura thought from the Millennium Ring.

_**There's…something familiar about her, **_Yami thought from within the Puzzle.

* * *

It seemed that somehow all the students and teachers in Domino High had found out about what happened to Carrie because everyone was being super-sweet to 'Carrie' on her first day back since ending up in the hospital. Iris found that in every class there was always about ten students willing to help her with and or do her work for her. She took advantage of that since she didn't completely understand this modern form of education. In physical education she was excused from participating if she wasn't feeling up to it. Iris would have done so if she hadn't been playing the role of Carrie. Carrie loved gym class and if she wanted some normality back in her life she would participate.

There were whispers all about her as she changed into the school's gym uniform, mostly about her. Iris could tell by the way their eyes kept shifting towards her. Tea was the only one that wasn't saying a word, and that was only because she was friends with Carrie. Their whispered words were only said out of concern for the blonde, concern well-placed in Iris's opinion. Carrie had truly touched many lives.

"Carrie, you don't have to prove yourself to anyone. You can sit out if you would like," a girl named Aimi, a popular athletic girl, told her politely, concerned.

"I'm not proving myself to anyone. I'm just trying to get things back to the way they used to be," Iris said with a smile.

For the ten-lap warm-up she ran as quickly as she could, her body used to running from her days of living in Egypt. Her heart beat heavily against her chest, but she hardly broke a sweat. Running in a desert was more of a workout than running in an air-conditioned gymnasium. The game they played was shooting an orange ball striped in some places with a thin strip of black into a hoop a few feet above her head. She tried her best with the team she was assigned, but only made it in twice the whole period. This stirred more whispering amongst both the girls and the boys, and Iris couldn't help but feel like she had messed up this part of Carrie.

"It's okay, Carrie. You did your best and that's all that matters," Aimi remarked when they were back in the locker room.

In other words, they were using Carrie's trauma as an excuse for Iris sucking at basketball.

When lunch rolled around, Iris snuck onto the roof of the school building the escape the concerned people inside. She didn't even want to be around Carrie's friends at this moment; she felt suffocated by everyone's concern. Even if lunch only provided a thirty-minute reprieve from the chaos of caring, it was better than nothing. She ate the strange food Mai had packed for her out of a brown paper bag, looking at the world around her with unseeing eyes.

_Carrie lives a very hard life, but at least it's full of people that care a great deal about her. It's better than living a difficult life surrounded by people that hate her, _Iris thought.

* * *

Carrie awoke around noon, nature's call arousing her from her rest. She made for the bathroom, feeling strange because she had not eaten or drank a thing in what seemed like forever. And what was stranger still was that she felt neither hunger or thirst. In fact, she felt nothing.

Nothing at all.

_I could get used to this, _she thought. _But I can't help but feel like...There's something wrong with me._

_What is wrong with me?_

* * *

_A/N: End of this landmark chapter! Yay! So Iris lived her first day in Carrie's shoes and Carrie just slept it all away. And Thief Bakura already realized who she was and even remembers what her real name is (mentioned in long flashback chapter in case you forgot). What is wrong with Carrie? Guess we'll have to wait and see in future chapters! ^.^ So what did you think of this? Please tell me. Thank you for reading!_


	51. 51 - One Becomes Three

_A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. Been busy reading books and doing schoolwork. Anyways, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it! Please read on!_

* * *

Chapter 51

Two and a half uneventful weeks passed by with Iris maintaining her cover as 'Carrie' and Carrie remaining hidden at the Ishtars. How did the Egyptian girl do it? She stayed at home in her room after school as much as possible and never let Yugi or Ryou get her alone lest Yami or Thief Bakura would come out. She never went to the museum because doing so was sure to mean an encounter with her former Guardians, and they would see through her in an instant. No one saw her behavior as strange, or if they did they let it slide because of what had happened to 'her.' Iris wasn't sure how Carrie would have felt about all this, but she couldn't help but get a little irritated by the excuses people made up for her. Couldn't they just leave well enough alone?

She managed to get out of the school building just as the bell rang before anyone could run into the halls and bug her. She didn't even wait for her friends, immediately breaking into a sprint towards home. They would understand with the excuses they would make up for such behavior. Iris just wanted to be left alone for a few moments without the concerned questioning gazes of others on her. Was that too much to ask? She didn't think it was, so the rest of the world would have to grant her that.

_He's getting that much closer to realizing I'm not who I say I am, _Iris thought as she ran. She recalled an earlier class when she had caught a pair of crimson eyes staring at her from the face of Yugi. Those eyes had not been his, and even as they quickly flashed away from her, she had been able to see the doubt in them that questioned who she really was. _It won't be much longer before he shall confront me. He may not have regained much of his memory from being sealed away in the Puzzle, but he has enough to know my true identity if he does confront me about it. There will be no lying about that. I shall be happy to have my mask removed for one person, but...I must hold on to this as long as I can for Carrie's sake._

The blonde Egyptian was about to make the final turn that would take her to her street when she was abruptly grabbed from behind. She spun on her heel to face the threat and judge it worthy of fighting. All thoughts of fighting left her when she saw it was just Bakura. He had been standing in the shadows of this building and she had failed to notice him in her need to get home. That didn't explain why he had grabbed her or how he had gotten there so fast. Then she recalled that she hadn't seen him in school earlier and she knew she wasn't facing the innocent Ryou.

"Hello, Tawaret. It has been far too long," Thief greeted, his grip still on the back of her pink blouse.

"…Thief, you know that's not my name. I'm Carrie, and if you don't release me I'll have to kick your ass," Iris growled.

The evil spirit chuckled and fixated his narrowed brown gaze on her face. "You don't have to play that part for me, dear. I've known of your true identity ever since you first walked towards me seventeen days ago at Yugi's home. Do not misjudge; you have filled Carrie's shoes well. But I have known you in the time where we both had our own bodies and I can see the difference. The Pharaoh would too if he wasn't so hard-headed."

Iris swallowed hard, still intent on trying to lie her way out of this situation. "Yami may be hard-headed, but at least he doesn't accuse someone of being her first life! This is your last warning, Thief! Let go of me or I'll kick your ass so hard you won't be able to sit for five thousand years!"

With a violent tug, Iris was able to pull the blouse from his grip. He made no move to restrain her again, but that did little to ease the girl that she was in the clear. It would be better if she separated herself from this person of her past as quickly as possible. She started to walk away from him once more.

"Must I remind you of our little deal that we made in the desert regarding the Pharaoh?" Thief Bakura asked. "Our deal sealed by a kiss?"

Iris froze, unable to take another step. She didn't need to be reminded. How could she ever forget the day when the only other survivor of the Kuru Eruna massacre had changed her life forever? He had been brought in after murdering someone, and then after he had escaped she had tried to bring him back to her side. To no avail. But he had agreed to postpone his fight against the Pharaoh if only she would embrace him once. And she had done so.

And because of that one time, he would always know her identity.

Thief smirked. "Well, it seems I've struck a nerve."

"Tell me something, Bakura. Why is it that your memory is so much keener than that of the Pharaoh?" Iris wanted to know, turning around to face him again.

"That is something I do not know. It's just the way things worked out, I suppose," Thief replied with a shrug. "It is strange to see you alive again when you've not walked in five thousand years. And to find you walking in Carrie's place is even stranger. Tell me… What is the meaning of this? Has Carrie gone to the grave and you've risen in her place?"

Iris shook her head. "No. I am merely to take her place while she recovers. Nothing more."

"I see," Thief murmured. "A kind action, but then you were always thinking of others before you ever thought of yourself. Why not reveal yourself to the Pharaoh so you can have him like you did all those years ago? He is the reason you died…because you could not live without him. Well, you're both here in this time. You've been reunited."

"No. He belongs to Carrie now, not me. My wish has been fulfilled. I had my chance."

"Yes, but you're Carrie. Or at least you're filling in as her, and he doesn't know that."

"What are you trying to do? I thought you were my enemy. Enemies do not talk such a way to their enemies unless they're trying to manipulate them. You must be trying to convince me to do something I'll regret, and taking Yami from Carrie is most assuredly something I would regret." She changed the subject before he could speak another word about Yami. "Why wasn't Ryou at school? Were you doing something heinous that kept him from his education?"

Thief shook his head. "Actually, he was feeling under the weather. He has been deteriorating physically for some time now. I am unsure of the cause of this, but I think it might have something to do with my taking over and exposure to the Shadow Realm."

"Then here's a simple solution. Leave him alone and stop using his body."

Thief grabbed her by the front of her blouse and slammed her into the wall of the building before she could do anything. She met his bitter gaze unwaveringly, unafraid of this man simply because she had never felt fear towards him. Not even when he threatened to destroy her homeland and the man she loved did she fear him, so why start being afraid now?

"You know just as well as I do that I need a body in order to do anything around here. I am the Pharaoh's adversary, and so long as he exists I will continue to exist as well. What started in our lifetime shall be finished in this time, no matter how much you wish it to be different. Face it, my dear Iris. What happened back then…The whole sealing of the Immortal One and the Items…It was for nothing. All it was…was the beginning of everything that is now far into motion. Your death and the deaths of all those you knew were pointless."

Iris swallowed hard, trying to keep her emotions hidden. "That's what you think."

"I want you to use your magic to restore this body of my hikari. I have become attached to this little Brit, and I don't think I'd like to lose him anytime soon."

"…Why would I help you?"

"For the same reason I helped you all those years ago. There's someone I love in this time that I don't want to be separated from, and without a body I would surely never see her again."

"Tough luck. Mirage is not worth it, anyway."

"Look, it's not just for my benefit. Ryou is friends with Carrie and her crowd. If he were to die off, they would be saddened greatly. You wouldn't want to upset your friends, would you? And if this body fails, someone else will take the Ring and the Eye, and then what will that mean for you guys? You'll never locate all of the Items and then the Pharaoh will never be able to defeat me or remember his past. And I can cause all the havoc I want and you'll never find me. See? This is best for us all if you help me."

Iris thought it through and sighed. He was right. Ryou was a friend and it was better if Thief stuck with him. "Fine. But I want the Millennium Eye in return for this kind gesture that is 'best for us all.' It's only fair; a trade just like the one we made all those years ago."

Thief smirked as his hand slid into his pants pocket. "Yes, but there was much more at stake on that trade back then, wasn't there?"

"Indeed."

The white-haired spirit pulled the Millennium Eye from his pocket, last seen in the face of Maximillion Pegasus at Duelist Kingdom. Bad memories of a different man who had this entered Iris's mind, but she quickly pushed them aside. This was no time to remember that horrible man. She had to close the deal, for everyone's sake.

"This will be yours as soon as Ryou is restored," Thief said, moving the Item around on his fingers like that crystal ball thing shown in commercials on TV. "Not a moment sooner. So start working, dearest Iris."

* * *

The blonde Egyptian made it home thirty minutes later, closing the door behind her as silently as she could. Using her magic on Bakura had drained her a little, but fighting the Eye out of his grip was more tiring than that. Though he had promised to give her the Item in exchange for restoring Ryou, he was very unwilling to give up the Item he had managed to claim. A costly mistake. Now he lay in a heap on the sidewalk and was probably not going to come around for another hour or so.

She smoothed down her school blouse and straightened her skirt. _These modern times sure have changed Bakura from what I remember him, _she thought with a sigh. Her feet carried her upstairs to her room where she changed out of her uniform into a pair of jeans and a rainbow tank top. The Millennium Eye joined Carrie's other Items in a secret location within her huge closet. _He was never so greedy, even though he was the King of Thieves...and he always stood by his word. How could just being in a different time period have changed him so? Eh...Maybe it's just Mirage._

"Hey, how do I look, Carrie?"

Iris glanced over her shoulder at Jessica, who had appeared in her doorway looking strange. She had dyed her hair pink and it was being held back by some sort of headband. A red dress with a white design on it covered her, as well as a pair of dark green-ish bluish shorts. On her feet were some strange pair of blue fabric sandals, and on her backside was some sort of purse thing.

"What are you supposed to be?" Iris asked without thinking.

Jessica's pink eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms. "I'm Sakura Haruno, duh!"

"No, last time I checked you were Jessica West," Iris remarked.

"You dumbass! I'm Sakura Haruno for the cosplay convention being held in Kyoto! I've been talking about this forever! God, do you ever listen to me?" Jessica took a deep breath to calm herself, thinking about something Iris didn't know. "Serenity's coming with me, and we're going with a lot of friends. It's gonna last from tonight to Sunday, which is five days. We've got our assignments that we'll miss; Mokuba agreed to do them for us. We've got enough costumes from all our favorite Anime to fill for all of the days, and we're gonna take pictures so you don't miss out, okay?"

Iris shrugged. "What are you all going to be?"

"Well, my costumes are all awesome. I'm Sakura from Naruto tonight. Then I'll be Kikyo from InuYasha, Yuffie from Final Fantasy 7, Yura of the Hair from InuYasha, and then I'll finish it off by being Tayuya from Naruto. Serenity's being Hinata Hyuuga tonight, and then she's being Kagome, Tifa, Sango, and Konan. It's gonna be so awesome!" Jessica exclaimed, excited.

"Sounds like fun," Iris said with a smile. "I almost wish I could come with you."

"Too bad…You're having that sleepover with your friends here Friday night and they're staying until Sunday. You guys were even planning on going out on Mako's boat to go out swimming. You can't just cancel those kinds of plans just to hang out with your sister and her friends," Jessica pointed out.

The blonde Egyptian sighed. "I suppose you're right. Well, you and Serenity have fun. And if you see anyone that claims he's Sasuke, take pictures of his horrible costume."

Jessica beamed. "You bet!"

A horn blared outside from the car of one of Jessica's friends, and Serenity dressed as Hinata popped in the doorway with their duffel bags on her shoulders. They said their farewells before sprinting downstairs. Iris listened to the echo of the closing door followed by the rev of the engine as the car took off down the street to mix with every other vehicle in Domino City. The smile was gone from her face with their departure. Though she was not really related to Jessica, she couldn't help but feel that sisterly connection. True, that was mostly due to the memories Carrie had given her, but just these past few weeks had left that impression even stronger.

_I cannot let myself become so attached to these people. That will just make it harder when I have to let go, _Iris thought as she moved to sit on her windowsill. _Carrie, you've got the best of support right here. Hurry back. You need not stay away for so long. Where are you, Carrie? What's keeping you from coming home?_

* * *

A painful coughing fit erupted from Carrie's throat as she lay in Marik's bed in his clothes. The Ishtars continued to watch over her, but their watching had increased when Carrie began to show signs of illness. A wet cloth lay on her brow in an attempt to cool her where the medicine failed. Three comforters covered her body and yet she still shivered. Whatever ailed her resisted their medicinal and herbal remedies, and the Ishtars feared what this might mean for her.

She hadn't just become this sick right after bringing Iris back. A couple days after that, she had been as strong physically as she usually was. Marik managed to talk Ishizu and Odion out of questioning Carrie about what she had done, claiming she wasn't mentally ready for such things. The girl resumed normal behavior around the apartment; the only thing she did not do was consume anything. Marik always brought her food and drink, but she would always pour those things down the toilet when they weren't looking. Despite that she seemed fine. He even gave her a spare set of his clothes to change into so she wouldn't be stuck in the same stinky ensemble all the time.

Then Marik came into her room one day to find her kneeling in front of his full-length mirror with tears in her eyes, and she was singing a song he had never heard before.

"Blue rivers flow from green skies

Down the pale plains of my face.

The drum beats slowly, painfully

Against the branches of my ribcage."

Almost without realizing it, she moved to hug herself, refusing to look away from the haggard face that stared back at her.

"Fears grips my shoulders so tightly

I lose myself to it, unable to fight.

It haunts and shadows and taunts

A ghost that cannot cross over."

One of her hands reached out hesitantly to touch the mirror, making contact with the person on the other side of the reflective surface.

"What if I become what I hate?

What will I think of me then?

What if I turn into something not great?

What if I cannot change back again?

"Dance in the meadow, lay in the grass.

Pray the fear flees.

Who I am and what I'll be is not made with brass.

Become who I want to be."

She pulled away from the mirror and held her head high, looking a bit more proud than she had for some time. Her unwavering gaze met that of her reflection without hesitation.

"Cry my pain, cry my pain.

Never let it stay inside.

Let it flow, let it show, let them know my name.

Hold my head up with pride.

"People change, people grow.

Follow the flow wherever it goes.

Don't let fear steal the show.

This is my life and I won't let it go.

"Spin in the wind, swing in the rain.

Dive in the ocean, pull the reins.

Live my life and live it well.

Play the trumpet and ring the bell."

Then suddenly Carrie's proud mood made a dramatic switch. She became crestfallen and her head lowered in response. Her hands flew up to the mirror to meet her reflection, almost as if she was trying to hold onto something.

"Try to hold onto myself…

I try to hold onto myself.

But it's so hard to hold onto myself…

Why try when fear makes me hate myself?

"Sing a song, sing a verse.

Improvise and don't rehearse.

Pain can't be put to print.

Only my heart can pay that rent.

"I sing…and I sing…and I sing…

Carrie's body slid until she was lying facedown on the floor, yet her hands still managed to remain on the mirror and her eyes flitted up to the broken person looking back at her.

"The blue rivers still flow from my green skies

Across the pale plains of my face.

And fear will never release its grip

Until I'm floating away…"

Then Carrie had passed out.

That was the beginning of her illness.

Marik was given the duty of watching her during the day while his older siblings searched through their materials for an explanation for all of this. That was not an easy task; they had to avoid being seen by the Guardians lest rouse suspicions. Carrie awoke every now and then, but refused to take any food. The one time she did eat it just came back up all over Marik. The only reason she was still alive was because of the water that her stomach would accept, and even that was in small doses.

He sat by her bedside now, Carrie's hand in one hand and the silver ankh in the other in case Mirage decided to take advantage of the girl's weakened state. It hadn't happened yet. It seemed like even when she was deteriorating physically, her willpower remained strong enough to keep the dark spirit back. He couldn't help but admire the broken girl and prayed the gods would grant her peace at last.

Her hand gripped his tightly like it usually did before she would come to, and just as he expected her eyes flitted halfway open to stare at the ceiling.

"Marik…," she rasped, sounding very frail. "…I'm sorry…"

"For what exactly?" Marik asked, taking the cloth from her head and rewetting it in the basin of water on the dresser beside him.

"…For this…I'm holding you back from…your life with this strange illness…," Carrie murmured. "…I think I'm dying…"

"Now don't say that. I'm sure we'll find a cure for whatever this is. My sister Ishizu is a smart woman, and she'll look through all her resources to save you. I promise…There's no way you're going to die, especially not at this age," Marik said.

Carrie gave him the smallest hint of a smile. "…My soul's cursed to die young."

"So what if your past lives have all died at seventeen or eighteen? That was their bad luck, and a few of those girls were probably lost causes, anyway. You're different…and you're very strong. You'll break that cursed cycle. You'll defeat Mirage and marry the Pharaoh and have one big happy family with eight little spiky-haired kids," Marik told her.

She snorted. "…Yeah right…Eight little spiky-haired ghost kids…is more like it."

The door creaked, and Marik turned to see Ishizu peeking into the room.

"Marik, I need to speak with you for a moment," she stated in a very serious voice.

"Oh. All right then. I'll be back in a sec, Carrie," Marik promised.

The Egyptian teen stood and followed his sister out of the room, closing the door behind him. They moved into the living room, where Odion was already seated. An old-looking scroll lay on the table, and it was then that Marik noticed that both of his siblings were wearing gloves. That scroll must have come from the museum from the times before the Nameless Pharaoh.

"Did you find out what made Carrie sick and how to treat it?" Marik inquired.

Ishizu nodded. "We suspected from the beginning that it had something to do with her resurrecting Iris. It just seemed too much of a coincidence for her to accomplish that and then days later fall ill. So as you know, we've been searching through the Egyptian archives to find something of this. We started in the time of Iris, but found ourselves moving even farther back. This scroll holds the answer, and it comes from a full fifteen hundred years before Iris was even conceived."

"Can you just skip the history lesson and get to the point?" Marik asked, bored.

"No," Ishizu snapped, and that was that.

"Carrie was not the first person to resurrect her past life," Odion remarked, unrolling the scroll to reveal the ancient hieroglyphics and drawings that were on the yellowed parchment. "Sixty-five hundred years ago, a priest did the same. He wanted to gain the knowledge of what life had been like before, and his previous life was more than eager to bestow his knowledge upon his youth. They spent days in the priest's sleeping chambers like a pupil and student. But then the priest fell ill, and not even the best healers or his past life could cure him.

"Three weeks after the resurrection, the priest fell dead. His past life remained alive and strong in his stead. He suggested the reason for it himself. When the priest's past life had come to, he felt the same as he had before he had died. But with the passage of time, he felt himself becoming stronger whereas his reincarnation grew weaker until he died. The two events were connected, he claimed. The priest had brought back his past life, and it was not possible for two people with the same soul to live at the same time. One had to survive, the stronger of them. Since the priest was younger, weaker, and had expended a great amount of energy to resurrect his past life, his soul was consumed by that of the very one he had wanted so much to bring back. In other words, the past life stole the life out of his reincarnation."

"Wait. So you're saying that the reason Carrie's sick…is because Iris is alive? But… They're nowhere near each other," Marik pointed out.

"They don't have to be near one another. They just both have to live," Ishizu said.

"…So what's the cure?" Marik wanted to know.

Odion sighed. "The only 'cure' is for one of the lives to die. So that means we have a choice to make. Do we want Carrie to wait for death in around three days, or do we kill Iris who is portraying Carrie when she's sure to be around the girl's friends?"

"I can just imagine the looks on the mummies' faces when they discover what we've done," Ishizu murmured.

"So it comes down to Carrie…or Iris…," Marik muttered. _Like it always does._

* * *

**Carrie, you're dying, **Mirage stated from the dark recesses of Carrie's mind.

_Leave me alone,_ Carrie whispered frailly, yet her will remained strong.

**Look, I'm trying to help you here. By bringing Iris back, you've disrupted the order of things. You have to set it right. You only have three days tops to do that. Iris has to die or you're going to follow your cursed soul into oblivion.**

_Why do you care? You're the reason my soul's cursed, anyway._

**I don't wanna lose Thief, okay? If you die, I'll be separated from him until who knows how many lives from now?**

_Just leave me alone._

**I won't until you come to your senses.**

_It's too late for that._

**Not if you let me-**

_You're not taking control._

**But-!**

_LEAVE ME ALONE!_

That last mental scream shattered through her mind, and her desire to be rid of that annoying dark voice in her head literally shoved Mirage out of her. The dark spirit reappeared in a physical form outside of Carrie's body. She didn't look like herself; she looked more like a black-haired darkly-clothed version of Tira from Soul Calibur 3. She even had the ring blade to match. Mirage had no explanation for this, but she didn't mind the change in physique.

**Fine. You want to be left alone, I'll leave you alone, **Mirage thought as she opened the window to Marik's room and jumped out. **But I'll be back soon…after I slay Iris. Then I'll return for you because you made the mistake of setting me free.**

* * *

_A/N: O.O Strange chapter! That's all I can say about it. What did you think of all this? Please tell me. Thank you for reading!_


	52. 52 - Sparks Fly

_A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. Blame school and my World History teacher for giving me so much work to do. Well, here's the next chapter. Please read on and enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 52

It was night with the window open and the stars in the sky. Mai, Mako, and Iris were fast asleep in their beds, finally granted an evening of peace without Jessica and Serenity around. It wasn't Serenity that was the problem; it was just that Jessica pulled her into everything because they were friends. The house was quiet after their departure, eerily so, but at least they could have casual conversations without the dark-haired girl turning it into something perverted. Dinner, homework, and then sleepy-sleepy time…

Then suddenly Iris was torn from her dreams by the smallest of sounds and she quickly rolled out of her bed to avoid being sliced in half by a ring blade. The blade cut straight through her sheets and mattress all the way down to the floor. Iris glanced at the window from her crouched position on the floor to see her attacker. She did not recognize the woman from encounter, but she recalled someone similar existing in a video game. The darkness radiating from the person was unmistakable.

"Mirage!" Iris hissed as the dark figure leapt on the bed to retrieve her weapon.

The dark spirit sneered. "Surprised? Well, your seventh life wanted to be rid of me…And frankly, I wanted to be rid of you. It's your fault she's dying, you know. Two people with the same soul cannot survive in the same time for long in the flesh." Her voice even sounded like Tira's, not that she minded that at all.

"…Carrie's dying?" Iris was shocked to say the least.

"Yeah, she's got about three days left if she's lucky," Mirage replied casually. "But neither of you will last that long. I'm gonna kill you now, you ready? Cuz even if you're not, here I come!"

She dove at Iris, blade below her legs as she tried to hurt the Egyptian girl. Iris quickly rolled out of the way and hurried to her feet; fighting on an equal level was much better than her being on the floor. Mirage roughly pulled her blade out of the wooden floor and prepared to come at Iris again, but the former spellcaster was quicker to cast a spell. Mirage was slammed into the wall by an unseen force. The ring blade fell from her hands and landed within running distance of both combatants. Iris made a mad dash for the ring, but Mirage beat her to it despite what had just happened to her moments ago. Iris jumped back as the dark spirit swung her blade, but not fast enough. The sharp edge of the blade caught her across the chest and both arms. She couldn't stop herself from crying out in pain as the blood began to flow, but she would not let Mirage get away unscathed. Her eyes glowed gold, and under the sleeve of her T-shirt the eye tattoo on her right shoulder did the same. Mirage caught on fire in mid-air, as she had been planning to attack Iris again, and fell to the ground, rolling and screaming soundlessly in pain.

Lights turned on and footsteps came from just outside of Carrie's door. Mako and Mai had woken up during the struggle due to Iris's scream. Mirage quickly jumped out the open window, fire and blade still on her, to avoid being seen by anyone but her target. Iris closed her eyes against the tears that were flowing without any known cause.

"Carrie, what's wrong?" Mai asked as she entered with Mako, both looking concerned.

"Someone…just tried to kill me," Iris replied, glancing out the window like Mirage might appear again. Her back was to those that had just come in, and for that she was glad. She didn't want to see the looks on their face right now…and she didn't like to cry in front of others because it seemed inferior to do so.

"What? Who?" Mako demanded, furious and protective as always. He and Mai moved to stand in front of her to look for damage. He was clad only in a pair of shorts and Mai was in a dark spaghetti strap nightshirt with red booty-shorts.

Iris shrugged feebly. "I'm not sure. It was too dark for me to see them clearly. But they sure did a number to my room…My bed mostly. And they got me once, but I think I'll be fine for tonight."

"Oh, honey. You're bleeding," Mai pointed out, trying her best to stay calm. "They cut you…And you're bleeding so badly. I think we should call the police."

"No, no. I'll be fine," Iris assured her as her magic finally began to knit the skin back together. This was visible through the slashes in her bloodstained white tee. The skin became just the same as it had been before the attack, though there was no getting the blood on her shirt and light blue shorts to go away just as quickly. "See? No more problems there. So we don't need to call the po-po about this. We can just go back to bed and forget this ever happened."

"Carrie, someone just tried to kill you!" Mako exclaimed, closing the window and locking it tightly with the curtains closed to the night. "We can't just forget it happened! They could come back at any time! This problem won't go away like those wounds you healed with Mirage's help! We need to get the authorities to kick that person's ass and throw them in the slammer before they have the chance to strike again!"

"They won't strike again, not with you guys here with me," Iris told him, placing a hand on his trembling shoulder. "There's a reason they fled when they heard you coming. This person only has it in for me, not you. They don't want any unnecessary bloodshed…At least for now. We'll be fine."

"Are…Are you sure, Carrie?" Mai asked.

The blonde Egyptian nodded once before looking back at Mako. He was still shaking with suppressed anger, as he had the right to be. They had grown pretty close since her arrival in this house for some reason she did not understand. She connected with him in ways that no one else could, not even Carrie. She knew nothing could come of this, but she couldn't help but to dread the day she would have to leave him.

_But I will have to leave him if Carrie is to live, _Iris thought. _Mirage is not one to lie about the condition of her host, and she says that she is dying. It must be so, and therefore I must die to prevent her death. But...How can I do that if I am under constant surveillance and I turn away at even the thought of dying again? It shall be hard, but...It must be done._

"Mako, let it go. For me," Iris whispered.

Mako's fist unclenched as he turned around, but he refused to meet her gaze as his own was hidden in the shadow of his hair. Iris couldn't recall him ever looking so upset in her time here or in Carrie's. Did he really care that much about her? Was it healthy for him to care that much about someone?

"…Fine. But you're sleeping in one of our rooms so we can keep an eye on you," Mako said after a few more moments of awkward silence. He glanced at the damage caused from the assassination attempt with disdain. "…I'll fix up this stuff in the morning. We'll talk things over then when we're more awake."

"Yes. We'll have much to talk about," Mai agreed. "Grab new nightclothes and change in the bathroom. Those are going in the trash now."

Iris sighed and pulled a black tank and white shorts out of her dresser. She knew they weren't overreacting, but she was more than able to handle attackers on her own if anyone tried to get her again. She had her magic, and if she were really Carrie then she wouldn't need to fight off Mirage because she never would have let that dark spirit escape. The blonde Egyptian slipped into the bathroom and removed her bloodied and torn articles to replace them with the clean ones. She stuffed the ruined clothes in the trashcan, glad that Jessica wasn't there to make comments about them relating to her moon cycle as Iris was sure she would have. Then she stepped back out in the hall where a decision awaited her.

Mai was of the same gender as her and wasn't easily outmatched, but she wasn't as muscular and threatening as Mako. If Mirage did decide to come back, she wouldn't be so quick to attack a brawny man as she would a busty woman…Would she?

Without waiting for either adult to speak, Iris stepped through the door of Mako's room. Mai quirked an eyebrow, but the only response she got was a shrug from the dark-haired fisherman. Iris heard them bid each other goodnight followed by the sound of Mai's door closing and then Mako's. She looked at him without saying a word, wondering where it would be that they would end up sleeping.

"You take the bed. I'll take a pillow, and there are blankets in the closet I could use," Mako told her, moving to make said arrangements.

"No. This is your room. If anyone's sleeping on the floor, it's troublesome little me," Iris stated defiantly.

"I'd sooner die than let a girl sleep on the hard floor," Mako remarked.

"Then I guess you're going to have to die," Iris said, grabbing a pillow off the bed and making to put it on the floor.

Mako took a deep breath. "Look, if we're going to argue about this, it'll be pointless. Why don't we both just share the bed on respective sides and agree not to touch each other so this pointless argument is put to an end?"

"Fine," Iris muttered, throwing the pillow back on the bed before climbing in on the right side. "But I won't be happy about it."

Mako couldn't help but smile at that, especially since Iris crossed her arms and pulled her best unhappy face. He climbed in on the other side, careful not to go anywhere near her, turned his back to her, and bid her goodnight. She said nothing to that as she slid under the covers, turning her back to his back with her face towards the closed window. Mirage was nowhere to be seen; it seemed that one murder attempt was enough for her on this night. Still, the events of her attack left Iris chilled to the bone about the next time the dark spirit would choose to try to murder her.

"Hey, you okay over there?" Mako asked, feeling her shivering even from his side.

"Yeah…I'm fine," Iris lied.

"…Still shook up about that attack, huh?" Mako assumed.

"Yeah, but I'll be fine," Iris told him. "Umm…This is going to sound like a strange request…but…Could you hold me?"

"…Uh, sure," Mako hesitantly replied.

Iris closed her eyes and felt the mattress shift as Mako readjusted his position. Moments later she felt the brawny fisherman's arms around her, his body warm against her own. A smile graced her lips as that simple touch reminded her of the times when she had lain in the Pharaoh's arms. The Pharaoh had never been so ripped, of course, but he had been just as warm and gentle as this man was being now. She softly touched Mako's hands with one of her own without thinking, forsaking her vow that she would find nothing to live for so Carrie's life could return to normal someday. She wanted nothing more than to stay in these strong arms forever…

_Pharaoh...,_ she thought feverishly. _And Mako Tsunami...How could you both take my heart into your hands without knowing it and at the worst times...?_

"Uh, Carrie? What are you doing now?" Mako wanted to know, a little unnerved by the girl's recent actions. Her soft skin was pressed so close to his…He couldn't help but feel a bit nervous which accounted for the pink tint to his face. Now her cool hand was on his…What was her angle? Didn't she already have a boyfriend that could send his mind to the Shadow Realm if he showed even a little interest in her?

She turned around in arms to face him, her emerald eyes revealing emotions she had wished to keep inside for the rest of time. He was taken aback by all that he saw there, and though he still believed this was Carrie, he found there was more to her than he ever could have imagined. Iris's lips found his almost without her being aware of it, and before either of them could stop themselves they engaged in a long gentle kiss. To Iris, it was like embracing her first lover. To Mako, it was better than any other girl with which he had been involved. It left both of them wanting more, but they knew their boundaries. Carrie was meant to be with Yami, and Mako knew if he intervened with that he would eventually regret it. Iris didn't have much time left in life, and as much as she liked this fisherman, she had to admit that her heart still belonged to the Pharaoh.

Even so, she fell asleep with her body pressed against Mako's, her body perfectly melding into the crook of his arm…Almost like it was meant to be.

* * *

Mirage stopped running when she reached the graveyard, very displeased that her attack had failed. The fire Iris had magically set to her was long out, the damage healed by the same terms in which it had been dealt. The ring blade she carried had some blood on its edges, but not enough. Iris still lived—she could feel it in her bones. She stomped her foot in irritation. She had to kill the stronger of the two lives first, and if Iris did not fall before Carrie's life faded, she might be too strong for Mirage to take out. Then what would become of the immortal one when that happened? She would surely be hunted down and destroyed forever…Would the same thing happen to Thief?

She dropped the bloodied ring blade on the ground and perched herself on someone named Julius Martin's tombstone, arms crossed over her chest as she continued to pout. The thought of returning to the house to take Iris out kept showing itself in her mind, and it was a very tempting offer. But now Iris knew she would be coming; two attacks in one night would be asking for a bit much. And then there were those two mortals that could interfere…No. It would be far too risky to attempt another attack on this night by herself.

**I guess I'll have to wait until sunrise to catch her offguard, **Mirage thought bitterly, cringing as a hundred thousand children in the world died of starvation and the pain of their deaths coursed through her. **Then I can take out Carrie, and her little friends will be too torn up about her death to think about me and Thief. We can easily take the Millennium Items my host has already gathered, and then it would only be a matter of 'persuading' that spirit Shadi into giving us the Millennium Key. Humanity shall die and we shall live forever.**

**Now if only Thief would find me so I could spend some quality time with him…I'm getting quite bored out here all by myself. If I get too bored, I might have to go find someone to kill, and if this plan fails and I get stuck with Carrie again she wouldn't like that at all. People nowadays die way too quick…How boring!**

She heard something move behind her in a place where no living thing was expected, but she did not panic. A person like her was doomed to exist as long as pain persisted in the world…So long as she had a body, of course. The heart within her breast could not completely die as long as the living continued to suffer, and if someone tried to kill her they would fail and find themselves dead. So of course she wasn't panicked or afraid of whatever was approaching her. They would get what was coming to them if they proved to be an enemy…or they would be used to keep her entertained.

"Who are you?" Thief demanded, stepping into view in her peripheral vision. Mirage saw one of the pointers of his Ring glowing and pointing in her direction and knew he had tracked her down with his Item but was confused because she looked different. Looks could be deceiving, and people like him never did trust those they didn't recognize. They were more the kind to kill now and ask questions later. Her kind of people.

"Oh, Thief. Don't you recognize me? I am the immortal one, the darkness sealed within Carrie, Mirage as you so fondly call me…Unleashed upon the world by a dying mortal who couldn't stand me anymore!" Mirage exclaimed, smiling and laughing charmingly as she struck a pose on the tombstone.

"…Really? Well, Mirage…You look…a bit different than I remember," Thief remarked.

"Yeah…I'm modeled after some video game character. Tira, the Angel of Death that offers herself to evil, Soul Edge's servant…blah, blah, blah. I guess Carrie just wanted me gone so badly that she didn't even bother to think to make me look like my real self. Not that I'm complaining…This girl's got a body that'll make all the boys want to offer themselves to evil," Mirage said with a smirk. "Don't you think, my dear?"

Thief grinned. "You look amazing this way, but you are much more beautiful as yourself."

Mirage feigned a blush. "You're too sweet, my cute little lord of darkness."

"So Carrie managed to release you from your prison and she's dying? Why is that?" Thief wanted to know.

"Two people with the same soul cannot last very long in the same time period. The one that resurrects their past life, in this case dear old Carrie, dies around three weeks after they bring back the long-dead person, in this case Iris. Basically, the soul goes to the stronger of the two, and Carrie is definitely weaker than her first life. So she's got roughly three days left before she bites the dust," Mirage explained.

Thief shook his head. "Such a pity. I suppose that's the price one pays for wanting a replacement while they recover from the bad in life. Ah well…She lived a good life."

"I tried to kill Iris, but I failed," Mirage announced and pouted again.

The former King of Thieves' face darkened. "Why did you do that?"

"Oh, my cute little lord of darkness…I forgot you had a soft spot for that girl!" Mirage turned away from him, red from embarrassment. "Well…I don't like her cuz she's the reason Carrie's dying and you know I'm kinda attached to that girl…And if Carrie dies she'll be stronger than me and it might spell out the end for the both of us!" She spoke so fast Thief barely caught everything she said. "Plus I love you and I don't want any competition…And she would stand in my way of ending all humanity!"

"Oh, is that all?" Thief Bakura sighed. "Look, it's true that I care some for Iris, but she was meant to rest in peace long ago. I let her go with death. She was merely someone that I once knew in life. You may put her back where she belongs for any reason you wish and I shall not feel anything. I am happy with you, and you are the only one I want."

"…Really?"

"Really, my beautiful queen of death," Thief replied, wrapping his arms gently around her shoulders.

Mirage smiled and tried to keep herself from shuddering in pleasure when she felt his lips on her throat. "You know…I have my own body now. I'm free and will remain so for quite some time. We could always…you know…right now. Sure, it'll be little Ryou that loses something tonight, but we won't have to face any consequences from an angry blonde girl."

"…Are you sure that's what you want, my queen of death?"

Mirage's expression was enough of an answer. "I want that body, Thief! You'd better give it to me right now or else, my cute little lord of darkness!"

Thief smirked. "Or else what?"

Mirage sneered. "You don't want to find out."

The white-haired man violently shoved Mirage off Julius Martin's tombstone. She somehow managed to land on her back on the soft grass, the pain from the 'attack' rattling through her pleasantly. Thief gave her hardly a second to breathe before he pounced, landing on her with ease and instantly his mouth was roughly against hers. He bit her lip, sending sweet sensual pain through her as her lips came open in a moan to grant his tongue entrance. She reversed their positions, slamming his body against the ground while she lay on top of him. While their mouths were engaged, her hands worked to remove his jacket and button-up tunic. Her own top came off far too easily; Tira was not known for wearing conservation clothes or undergarments.

Clothes went a-flying and passion was exchanged, and it is told that Julius Martin turned over in his coffin and his maggots used his bones to plug their ears because of all the noise.

And what was once the sacred resting place of a man turned into a desecrated playground.

* * *

"…How long do I…have?" Carrie asked suddenly. She looked at Marik through half-closed eyes, but that was enough for him to see that lying would not fool her.

The Egyptian teen sighed. "Not long. You'll be gone by Saturday, if not sooner. I'm sorry…But two people with the same spirit weren't meant to exist in the same time. Unless Iris dies…You will."

Carrie made a sound in her throat that sounded close to a sigh. "…Well, I guess…this is the price I pay…for not facing my problems and sending my former self…to face them for me, huh? What are…Ishizu and Odion doing…?"

"They're debating," Marik replied, and it wasn't a lie. They were arguing about their course of action. Odion wanted to put an end to Iris, claiming she had already had her chance at life and Carrie should get to live hers without her life being stolen away by a past life that had already caused enough damage to her. Ishizu wanted to find a way to help Carrie live without any blood being shed, though that option had very little action attached to it due to its improbability.

The blonde groaned and closed her eyes. "The great debate…Carrie or Iris…I go through that debate every time…I think of Yami. Does he…really love me or does he love who… I once was? Sometimes it seems like the former…but other times…it seems like the latter. And I…don't suppose it helped matters…when I sent her in my place…"

"Yeah, I don't think so," Marik agreed.

"Do you think…any of them figured it out yet?" she asked.

"Nah. I would have heard something if they did," Marik told her. "Why? Do you want them to know?"

"…Yes…and no…Yes because it would mean…that I really am different than her…and no because…I don't want them to know what a mess their friend is right now…and the lengths I went to in order to keep them…from seeing this," Carrie murmured. "…Marik, I…I don't want you to kill Iris. I know…letting her live will end with my death…but… Hasn't there been enough bloodshed? Let the dying die…and the living live."

"But Carrie…"

"Promise me…that you and yours will not kill Iris."

"Carrie-"

"Promise me!"

Marik sighed as Carrie erupted into a coughing fit. "All right. I promise we won't try to kill Iris. But…You just sentenced yourself to death."

The girl's eyes closed and a single tear slid out from underneath one. "…I know."

Marik gripped her hand tightly and fought back his own tears. _Why?_ he thought. _Why are you doing this?_

_Why do you choose death over life?_

"…Death is the key…to freedom from pain," Carrie whispered, falling unconscious.

* * *

_A/N: End of a short chapter. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading!_


	53. 53 - They're on a Boat

_A/N: Sorry once again for taking too long to update. This time you can blame good books, school, and my Mind Twin for letting me enter her contest on DA. Speaking of which, since I want to have that story, **Entangled Strands**, completed before the May deadline, this story is going to go on a hiatus for the foreseeable future. Sorry! Please read on and don't kill me!_

* * *

Chapter 53

Friday came far too quickly with too many events involved. Mirage was constantly hunting Iris, trying to get her alone but never succeeding. This was because of the people who lived with her. Mai and Mako wouldn't grant her a moment's peace even when she was in the bathroom for more than five minutes. They were paranoid that someone would try to kill her, and since it was true she couldn't blame them. They attempted to talk her out of letting her friends sleep over this weekend, but she wouldn't have that. If this was how she was going to end her time with these people, then she wanted it to be on terms that Carrie could just fall back into easily. After much debate Mai and Mako finally gave in, but they put the gang on alert.

Mako acted kinda awkward around Iris now; she knew Wednesday night was to blame for it. She liked him and he liked her, but they could never really act on their feelings. Iris would just be heartbroken when she was forced to leave him, so she didn't want to get anymore attached than she already was. Mako knew 'Carrie' already had a boyfriend and if Yami found out he kissed her, he'd be a dead man with his soul trapped in the Shadow Realm. So they kept their distance. The only time they let themselves be alone was when he was in her room repairing the damage Mirage had caused. She would come in and start a light conversation with him just so he would be aware they were still friends.

The gang was in overload mode trying to figure out who wanted to kill 'Carrie.' No one was more concerned than Yami, and Iris could tell that he would like nothing more than to be in her hands so he could protect her himself. But she wasn't going to give up her charade of Carrie, so she couldn't accept him into her life. She shot his request down, saying she was more than able to protect herself and they would all be there to keep an eye on her over the weekend. Much debate went on between her and them before they finally gave up.

Joey had given Iris the cards he and Pegasus had created just for Carrie. She didn't know how to react, considering these weren't really meant for her, but she managed an ecstatic smile and gave him a tight embrace that left him gasping for breath. Dark Magician Lady and Dark Magician Dragon Warrior were now lying in Carrie's deck next to Uria's card. Iris hoped that when she died and Carrie returned, she would find them and know the truth of their being.

Now she was left looking at the clock that was just seconds away from dismissing them for the weekend. The rest of the gang was with her in that sense. Their eyes were peeled to the face with the pointers, completely ignoring their teacher. What did he matter, anyway? School would be over in a couple of weeks, testing would be over, and they'd be gone for the summer. So what if they didn't pay attention in that one class?

After what felt like an eternity, the bell rang, sending the students away until Monday. Iris was not surprised when she was the first one out of the door—no one else was as fast as she was, especially since she had magic on her side. She called for her friends to meet her at the docks. They were going to go on Mako's boat this afternoon, and then they would return to her house at nightfall for the sleepover. The night would be spent watching movies well into morning, and then they would sleep until Saturday afternoon and go out again. It was a repeating cycle.

_Only I'll have to disappear sometime tonight, _Iris thought as she walked briskly in the direction of her house. _If my reincarnation is going to live her life, I must die so she can have her soul back at full strength. Then she can take control of Mirage again. The world will be better without so many of us running around. Carrie deserves her shot at life. I already had mine._

She bounded upstairs without saying a word to anyone, shutting and locking her door to give herself some privacy. The blonde Egyptian changed out of her school uniform into an ebony bikini Carrie had stuffed away in some drawer. The girl had never worn it, but Iris thought it was time to use it. She slid on a pair of jeans over her bottom half to be covered on the ride there, put on some pretty nifty sandals, and grabbed her beach towel and sunglasses. Once glance in the mirror proved her to be a total beach babe…whatever that meant.

Iris unlocked the door and walked out into the hall where Mai stood waiting for her. The woman had also chosen to wear a bikini, only hers was violet like her eyes and a bit more revealing than what Iris was wearing. A pair of shorts covered her bottom half, and she had a T-shirt draped over her arm with her beach towel in preparation for looks. The blonde Egyptian smiled approvingly of Mai's choice.

"You've got little choice, don't you?" she teased.

Mai sighed. "It's the curse of being well-endowed. You hang out with a bunch of boys and you know they're not gonna be looking at your face. I've got to be prepared in case it gets to a point where I get annoyed."

"You ladies ready to go?" Mako asked, stepping out of his room. He had sunglasses and sandals and a beach towel just like they did, but unlike them he had nothing covering his top half. All he had on was his famous pair of dark blue shorts. He was just asking to be drooled on. Why couldn't he be more like Mai and have a backup plan?

"Yeah, we're ready," Iris replied, trying her best not to stare at his abs.

"All right. Then let's head out," Mako said.

"I call driver's seat!" Mai stated.

Mako twirled the keys around his fingers. "Maybe next time, honey. Finders keepers."

Mai pouted, but that didn't stop her from climbing into the passenger seat beside the hot fisherman. Iris was glad for that; she didn't think she could stand sitting next to him what with their feelings and that kiss and him being shirtless. She sat in one of the backseats with their possessions, hiding behind the seat in which the dark-haired man sat so he couldn't see her in the mirror. The car roared to life. She felt it start moving and the wind blew through her hair. The strands caressed her in a way that was both reassuring and comforting. She could enjoy this last day of life. She could create a place of happiness for Carrie to return to before she died again.

It didn't take long to arrive at the docks. They passed the place where Carrie had been forced to duel Yugi/Yami along the way, and just seeing it brought back painful memories from that day in Carrie's life. Iris couldn't help but pity her, though the day of her seventeenth birthday had ended in happiness with the reunion of her and Yami. Would that girl never stop suffering from pain? Was pain attracted to her like men were attracted to Mai's breasts? Would it continue to harass Carrie just like men tended to harass Mai? Would either of them ever catch a break?

The gang was assembled when they parked the car, as were a few unexpected guests that Iris had taken the time to invite without telling the others. Alyssa was there, sporting a beautiful flowery bikini without anything to cover up with besides a long white tee. Mokuba and Kaiba were there, the former wearing light blue-and-dark blue striped swimming trunks that went with his everyday shirt perfectly and the latter wearing his normal attire. Duke was there, too, sporting red and black trunks and he was a last-minute invite for good reason. He was already eyeing the other females, and when the others arrived his eyes hungrily went after Mai and Iris.

"Oh. I guess Bakura couldn't make it," Iris murmured, though she knew the reason the dark man wasn't there. He was with Mirage…wherever she was. "Ah well. You guys ready to head out to sea?"

"You betcha!" Joey exclaimed with a thumbs-up. He was sporting a pair of Hawaiian style swimming trunks. "Let's load onto your yacht, Tsunami! I can't wait to hit the deep water!"

"Liar. You just want to see if Mai's top comes loose while we're out there," Tristan claimed, wearing a pair of plain brown trunks.

"Oh, don't even bring that up. Anyone could lose any of their clothing out there and we could be scarred for life," Tea nervously remarked, arms crossed over the top of her pink tankini (a bikini with a tank top-top instead of the bra thing for those who didn't get it). She was smart enough to wear a covering on her bottom half, even if it was a yellow polka dot skirt that barely made it to the middle of her thighs…

"Can we please change the subject?" Yugi asked, his face the color of a tomato. He had on a pair of blue trunks…and he still had the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. Didn't he or Carrie ever remove that thing? Iris doubted it, but didn't condemn such an action. Keeping it on them was the only way to ensure its safety, along with Yami's. She could almost feel the spirit's eyes on her now, and it was all she could do not to shudder.

"Kaiba, I thought I told you to dress in something that you could swim in," Iris muttered in a very Carrie-like fashion.

"He did. He's just too embarrassed to be seen in next to nothing by all you guys," Mokuba told her teasingly. This resulted in Kaiba rolling his eyes and looking away from them. This didn't stop Iris from noticing the look those eyes held. It was the same look Priest Seth always got when something bothered or embarrassed him.

"Come on, Kaiba. The rest of us are wearing next to nothing. Surely you being in something like boxers won't shock us more than seeing Joey in them. Besides, some of us have seen you in worse…conditions, so to speak," Iris remarked. "So come on. Take off the jacket and the shirt and the pants and the fancy shoes. It's time to kick back for a few hours with your one friend and your many enemies."

"Yeah, c'mon Kaiba! Take it off!" Alyssa encouraged.

Kaiba looked irritated by their comments, especially the part about having seen him in worse conditions. But if he didn't oblige, that stupid mutt Joey would start taunting him, and he couldn't stand that nuisance. He sighed. "It'll all come off once we're on the boat. I'm not about to be seen on land looking ridiculous with you losers."

"Fair enough," Mako agreed. "Follow me to Great White."

The fisherman led the group to the yacht that a third of Carrie's Duelist Kingdom money had paid for. It was a huge fancy yacht that even put Kaiba's to shame. The name was written in cursive on the side, but it wasn't really necessary. Anyone could see this great white yacht belonged to him since there was no other boat that big in the docks. It was a wonder no one had tried to steal it yet.

The group climbed the steps and found spots on the deck to sit with their belongings. Kaiba made sure to stay far away from the others, though many pairs of eyes were still on him in expectation to see him in next to nothing for mocking purposes. Mako set them out to sea and let the autopilot do the rest before returning to the deck.

"All right, Rich Boy. Take it off," Joey commanded, standing in front of the businessman now with crossed arms. "Ya got no more excuses not to. So stand up and do it."

"I don't have to listen to a dog like you," Kaiba growled but he stood anyway.

"You said you would do it, man," Duke pointed out.

"We all heard you. So grow up and stick to your words like a real man," Tristan put in.

Kaiba didn't reply to any of them, feeling they were all beneath him. But he did slip out of his silver jacket and fancy shoes. Then he grabbed the hem of his dark muscle shirt and pulled it off to reveal a nice set of abs. Not the most impressive, but there on that scrawny businessman that spent most of his time indoors. Tea, Mai, and Alyssa stared openly in surprise, and most of the boys looked on in jealousy. But Iris wasn't concerned; she knew a reincarnation of Priest Seth wouldn't be flat or flabby. Joey and Tristan started making jokes about how he'd gotten those abs out of jealousy, though they themselves had a nice set of their own. Something about working too hard with women in his office…The businessman proceeded to slid out of his pants to reveal black trunks, nothing more.

"Well, was that so hard?" Iris asked as she and Mai slapped the boys making dirty jokes.

She didn't expect the businessman to answer, and he didn't. He just returned to his seat and kept his gaze away from the members of the gang.

"I'm bored!" Alyssa complained. "Can we do something now?"

"Let's dance," Tea suggested.

"I think I put a dance remix CD with a stereo on here somewhere…Be right back," Mako said before disappearing below deck. He returned not even a minute later, holding the solar-powered stereo in one hand and the CD case in the other. "Most of these dances are kinda goofy, though. Cotton-Eyed Joe, Electric Slide, Cha-Cha Slide, Macarena, the Chicken Dance, the Hokey Pokey…Why the hell did I get this CD again?"

"They're not that bad," Yugi mumbled.

"Yeah right. We did those in dance class and we didn't even spend a week on them because they were so lame," Tea muttered. "Let's just crank up the radio and dance to whatever song comes on."

"No way! You never know what's gonna play and you're never ready for the mood switch! Plus there are those annoying radio ads that take forever to end! It's like waiting for death, only longer!" Joey complained.

"He has a point," Tristan, Duke, Mai, and Mokuba agreed.

"I am not doing the freaking Hokey Pokey," Tea and Kaiba stated in unison.

Iris shook her head. "You guys are so lame! It doesn't matter how goofy it looks or sounds. All that matters is that we have fun doing it. There's more to life than appearances, you know. Play it, Mako. I'm going to do all of these dances even if it means I have to dance alone. And I'll have fun doing it, too."

Mako did exactly what he was told. The first song to come on was the Macarena. Iris kicked off her sandals in preparation for the other dances, and even though she herself had never done any of these, she performed the steps without trouble. That was thanks to Carrie's memories, though. Without them, she would have looked a fool. It wasn't long until Alyssa joined her in being a goof. Then Mokuba and Mako came up to put their hands on their hips, followed by Joey, Tristan, and Duke. Mai got the nerve to come up with Yugi about three-fourths of the way through the song, and then Tea lost her restraint and decided why not. She came in at the very end, just in time for the Electric Slide.

Right in the middle of the Electric Slide, Iris walked over to Kaiba and pulled him up to dance with the rest of them. He was reluctant and resisted, but Iris wouldn't have that. She made him stand right next to her while she danced, looking at him the whole time. He eventually started moving to the song, too—music can really take someone in. She smiled and turned her gaze away from him, seeing as it was no longer necessary. He would do this all even if he didn't like it.

They did the Cha-Cha Slide next, though the girls had to be careful about how funky they got with so many guys around…and Duke. Then the Cotton-Eyed Joe came on and killed about half of them, since it was like one of the longest dance songs ever made and required a lot of work. The Chicken Dance was ridiculous as always, but it got the group laughing and smiling more than usual. Iris swung around on Yugi's arm during a certain part of that song, though she thought she saw a flash of crimson in those eyes once. Then the Hokey Pokey came on, and _everyone_ did it, even those that claimed they wouldn't. Crank That, Soldier Boy (or however you spell his name) was also on the CD, so they broke out that dance while they were at it.

When the CD was over, Mako announced they had reached their destination and brought the yacht to a halt. Joey wasted no time in diving off the side straight into the cool waters of the ocean. Tristan came after him with a cannon ball. Alyssa, being a show-off, back-flipped into the ocean. Tea and Mai, after removing the things covering the bottom half of their swimsuits, just jumped in normally, as did Yugi and Mokuba. Duke and Mako dove in at the same time, and Iris and Kaiba decided not to go all showy and just walked into it.

"Joey, your shorts are getting away from you," Duke pointed out after the blonde boy resurfaced from his dive.

He turned red and looked in the direction where his Hawaiian trunks were floating. Everyone was laughing as he quickly went to grab them and put them back on without revealing anything. It figured he'd be the first to lose something. He was just that unlucky.

"If there's gonna be nudity over here, I think I'll go swim on the other side of this thing," Iris remarked, floating on her back and propelling herself away. "No offense, Joey, but I don't wanna see your nether regions…or anyone else's for that matter. I'd prefer to not be scarred for life, thank you. So see ya, suckers!" She splashed them all with water before going under to swim away faster.

"She's so childish," Kaiba grumbled.

"Well, at least she's acting like herself again," Tea put in.

"True. After everything she has been through and done, I didn't expect her to recover so quickly. But she has, and it's remarkable," Mai agreed.

"Yeah, and she looks amazing in that two-piece," Duke commented only to get bonked on the head by Alyssa.

"I didn't think she would wear one. You know, since her body was defiled," Tristan murmured.

"Maybe we just don't know her as well as we think we do," Yugi said, looking after the blonde out of habit rather than Yami's urging.

"That, or she's just trying to hide her emotions so we don't worry about her," Alyssa suggested. "It wouldn't be the first time, and I doubt it'll be the last. That girl is locked inside her own head so much that sometimes I wonder if we'll ever see the real her. Guess we can blame this all on that jerk Carl. May he not rest in peace."

"I hope she's okay," Mokuba muttered under his breath.

"C'mon guys! This is Carrie we're talking about! She always pulls through no matter what she's been through! True, she may never be the same girl again, but she'll still be Carrie! We all evolve into different people. Change is inevitable. But we're all who we are, so let's not worry our heads off! Carrie will come around when she's good and ready, I promise!" Joey stated.

"I sure hope you're right."

* * *

In the distance, Mirage and Thief stood together looking at their vessel. They themselves were on a boat, but were too far away to be seen by their prey. The sea was a perfect place to attack someone. One could slip below and attack without anyone knowing their identity. And since Iris had separated herself from the others, it would be even easier. All they would hear were her death screams, and none of them would be quick enough to come to her aid. So frozen in fear they would be, they'd be unable to do anything but listen with wide eyes.

"I'll take care of her quickly, Thief," Mirage assured him, dropping her ring blade onto the floor of the boat before moving to remove her clothes.

"Must you do that?" Thief asked, looking away though he really didn't mind her body.

"Well, I don't want my clothes getting soaked! Besides, it's easier to transform without cloth being in the way," Mirage insisted. Luckily, there was no one else around to see her in her nude state. "Don't act so embarrassed, my cute little lord of darkness! You've seen me like this just last night! You weren't complaining then!"

"It was different. It was dark in a cemetery and no one living was about. There is no need for that in broad daylight when mortals are about. But I'll not argue with you, immortal one. You are far wiser than I am and know more magic than I could ever hope to learn. Just make this quick, all right?"

Mirage smiled and stepped into the ocean. "Whatever you say, dear."

She became submerged and began swimming towards Iris's position. Her magic morphed her body into that of a mermaid, making it easier to swim fast without a need to surface for air. In her hands she carried a trident, and if that failed her nails were sharp as daggers; she could tear Iris apart. All that blood accompanied with her pain would excite her. The blood would also attract sharks that would tear her body to bits to eliminate any trace of the poser. It would be a fitting end to the Egyptian that was sapping the life from her reincarnation.

The dark spirit passed under the Great White to the side where Iris was floating alone. She smiled despite herself; the dumb blonde would never know what hit her until it was too late. All of Carrie's friends would assume Carrie had died and would grieve without knowing the truth. Then after this was done, Mirage would return to finish off the real Carrie before she could recover. Yami would be unable to combat the evils of this world as he would be torn up with grief for his lost lover. Everything would work out for the side of darkness. The world would finally come to an end.

Without hesitation, she shot upward and locked her hand around Iris's ankle. The blonde Egyptian barely had time to scream before she was dragged under. Mirage stabbed the trident through her abdomen, but the blonde Egyptian was prepared for that. Her magic began healing the wound immediately as she removed the weapon from herself and tossed it into the deep. The blood that managed to escape would still attract bloodthirsty sharks, though. Mirage wasn't about to let her get away with her life. She grabbed Iris around the throat, not hesitating to dig her sharp claws into her flesh as she choked the life out of the Egyptian. Iris raked her across the face with her own nails in order to free herself, but she was running short on air. She would need to head up to the surface before too long or she would die from drowning. Mirage couldn't let her do that. Already there was commotion above because someone had heard Iris scream. She had to kill the blonde now or it would be too late. Mirage cut her across the left thigh as Iris tried to swim away, causing her to wince and halt in her retreat. Another rake across the throat and chest, along with a spell to slow the healing process, and death was practically assured. She felt the heartbeats of many approaching sharks and decided she had overstayed her welcome. Mirage pushed Iris's bleeding body towards the surface before swimming away, black fins propelling her back the way she had come.

The others had gotten back onto the yacht upon hearing Iris scream and were looking over at her side in fear. They couldn't see her body a few seconds ago, but then it surfaced with several lacerations in major places. Iris coughed up water that had been in her lungs but it didn't help much considering her throat, chest, and thigh were slashed open, not to mention the blood still seeping from the trident wounds that hadn't completely healed. She was going to bleed out if someone didn't help her.

Then Mokuba pointed out something that made rescue even more necessary. Many dorsal fins of bloodthirsty killers were coming for her, attracted by the scent of the red substance leaving her body. Iris herself could sense their arrival, but she was in too much pain and too weak to try to get away from them. She was just glad she was above water and wouldn't have to see when they tore into her. She just wished they would take her under so her friends wouldn't see her destruction.

Her friends weren't about to let her die, though.

Mako worked through the shock to grab his harpoon. Normally he would leave sharks alone, but this was a completely different circumstance. He shot it into the shark closest to Iris, impaling it right through the head for immediate death. The other sharks hesitated at the scent of new blood, but they didn't even try to eat their buddy as its body drifted into the deep. Mako shot again, hitting his mark, and started barking orders. Someone was going to have to brave the waters to get 'Carrie' while he was shooting or else the worst could happen. As long as she was bleeding in the water, more sharks would come. Tristan volunteered, each though he felt absolutely terrified of shark-infested waters. His friendship with 'Carrie' conquered all of that.

So when Mako shot his harpoon into the next shark, he didn't hesitate to jump.

He swam over to Iris and held her close to his body despite all the blood that would get on him. Amazingly she was still conscious, but she didn't look like she could hold on much longer. The sharks were getting closer in anticipation of their meal. The others threw down a rope ladder so Tristan could climb back up, and he quickly grabbed hold of it. A shark lunged for him when he began to climb, but with skillful dodging on his part and excellent shooting on Mako's, he managed to escape injury. Hands reached to take Iris from him once he was near the deck, and Iris was laid flat on the floor while Mai ran to find a first-aid kit.

"Her wounds are healing, but something's blocking the magic," Mako pointed out, dropping his harpoon to the ground as he inspected her injuries.

"My guess is it's whatever attacked her," Joey said. "Her top's hanging on only cuz of the blood. Once we get her cleaned up, it'll be different. Mokuba, go get me Mai's shirt, will ya? We gotta have it handy for when she's better."

"No one can survive lacerations like that without immediate medical help," Kaiba muttered.

"…Yugi…," Iris murmured, glancing over at him through half-closed eyes. "…Give me …the Puzzle for a moment…There's…something I have to try. If it works…I'll be healed. Please…Let me try."

The spiky-haired kid did not hesitate to hand the Millennium Puzzle over to the blonde Egyptian. Her eyes closed as her soul voluntarily entered its walls. She ran right past Yami, not caring that he saw her soul as it really was, and towards the place where the Duel Monster tablets stood in rows. She found Mystical Elf's and summoned her. She told the blue Spellcaster she needed to borrow her magic in order to survive; the Elf did not hesitate to merge with Iris.

Her emerald eyes flashed open, glowing with a blinding light. Her eye tattoo on her right shoulder did so as well, finally gathering attention where it had failed to do so earlier. The wounds took on the same light and the damaged tissue started to knit itself back together. The blood she had lost seeped back into her skin where it would find its way into her vessels. When she finally blinked, the light disappeared. Everything had returned to normal as far as her body was concerned.

"…What the hell just happened?" Alyssa asked after a few moments of silence.

"I used Mystical Elf's magic to save my life," Iris replied, trying to stand but stumbling like a drunken person. Mako was quick to steady her and hold her upright in case she was to fall again. The tightness of his grip made her think he was afraid of the possibility of almost losing her again. She passed the Millennium Puzzle back to a stunned Yugi.

"What was with that light? And why is there a tattoo of the eye of Horus on your shoulder?" Mokuba inquired, handing her Mai's shirt because her top was dangerously close to revealing her chest to everyone.

Iris shrugged, sliding into the top as her bikini top fell to the ground. "I'm not sure. I guess the light's a side-effect of merging with a Duel Monster spirit. And as for the tat, well…It's been there for a couple of weeks now. I haven't really paid much attention to it, to be honest."

_**Iris used to have a mark on her shoulder that matched the eye on the Items, **_Yami thought to himself. Having seen Iris's soul in a blur, he was beginning to doubt her identity as 'Carrie' even more than before. _**Is it possible that she's really…?**_

"Can we go home now? It's getting late, and after being attacked, I just wanna lie on a couch and watch movies all night with my friends," Iris said. "'Course, if any of you wanna leave cuz of what just happened, I'd understand. We'll just go back to land and you guys can go home like normal."

"Nah, Carrie. If anything, seeing you attacked just makes us want to be around you more," Tristan told her, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Isn't that right, guys?" The others nodded, besides Kaiba who was planning on going home, anyway. "See, Carrie? We all want to protect you from whatever it is trying to kill you this time."

Iris smiled. _You shouldn't want that. This girl you're talking to will be dead before you wake up tomorrow and your real friend shall replace her. I should have just let my soul return to her, but then Mirage would have gone straight for her with my death. I must end my life on my terms, not hers. Carrie shall return and Mirage will be sealed within her again. Tonight will end it all. Tonight, once the others have fallen asleep, I shall sneak off to the museum and put an end to this life I had no right to live. I shall return to the afterlife, and Carrie shall return here, where she belongs._

* * *

Carrie was formulating her own plan of action while Iris and the gang returned to dry land. She knew she wouldn't make it past this evening; she could feel it in her heart and was smart enough not to deny it. Death was creeping upon her. Death was inevitable as it was. There was no stopping Death from coming for her now.

Marik was arguing with his siblings in the living room rather loudly, so much so that even in her weakened state she could hear every word as clear as if they were standing right beside her. Ishizu and Odion wanted to end Iris's life for her—Odion more than anyone wanted that—but Marik was telling them of his promise that no harm would come to the blonde Egyptian by their hands. They were not pleased. But even if Marik didn't want to see Carrie die, he was fighting to abide by her final wish. She could never thank him enough for his loyalty.

When he would return, she would ask him for one of his sister's gowns that looked like the one Iris had been buried in. Why? She planned on taking her incarnation's place in that sarcophagus. No one had noticed the missing mummy yet, but when the inspectors came there would be no hiding it. Carrie had to take Iris's place just as Iris had taken her place. An exchange of roles, in other words. She would even have him retrieve the Rod from her room to seal her magically against the elements just as Bastet had done for Iris all those years ago.

No one would ever know the difference.

No one would ever realize what had happened.

_I wonder if there really is an afterlife, _Carrie thought, closing her eyes as a tear rolled down her face. _I wonder if I'll make it there._

The doorknob turned and she readied herself to speak.

* * *

_A/N: End of another chapter. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading! See you when **Entangled Strands **is complete!_


	54. 54 - Three Returns to One

_A/N: Well, I've finally returned! Sorry for keeping you guys waiting for so long. I finished **Entangled Strands** and I hope I win something. ^.^ Anywho, let's pick up where we left off. Please read on and enjoy, my friends!_

* * *

Chapter 54

Iris looked away from the television screen for just a moment to check everyone's status. They had all fallen asleep, some deeper than others, during their fourth movie. She assumed these movies were supposed to be scary, but none really struck her down with fear. She just watched them to pass the time. It worked, for one by one her friends gave into their fatigue. First it had been little Mokuba in the arms of his brother—Kaiba had decided to stay at the last moment—and then Tristan, Duke, and Joey. Mai and Tea dozed off during the second lame thriller. Alyssa, Kaiba, and Yugi managed to keep their eyes open until there were ten minutes left of the third movie. And Mako, who was sitting right next to Iris, had just fallen asleep halfway through the fourth.

She was alone, at last.

Respectfully, she turned the TV off with the remote. Carefully she removed herself from the couch she had been sharing with Mako and Tristan as to not disturb their sleep. On cat's feet she moved away from the living room to climb the stairs up to Carrie's room. There she would change back into the dress she had died in and then she would return to the museum to die. Carrie would return to reclaim her place in this world. No one would know the difference—no one would ever know what had happened.

_Except Thief Bakura, _Iris corrected as she made her way upstairs slowly to avoid making one of them creak. _He knows. He knows more than I'd like him to know. And so does his little lover Mirage. That's why she wants me dead. She knows that Carrie and I are the only ones that can contain her. She wants to be free. But those such as her can never be granted freedom._

She heard someone stir downstairs, but they were too late to catch her. Iris was already standing on the other side of Carrie's door. They would probably assume that she had decided to go to bed and then go back to sleep. Or maybe they just had to pee and wouldn't even notice her absence. She gave it not another thought; time could not be wasted here. Iris simply removed her nightclothes and slipped into her old gown, feeling much more comfortable in this than any of these modern clothes she'd been forced to wear.

_I shall not miss jeans or blouses...or even bras. They're just too uncomfortable, _she thought with a shudder.

Then someone opened her door; it was too late to hide. Not that she would want to. She recognized the soul of the person behind her with every beat of her heart. Her green eyes closed against the cascade of tears that wanted to flow. Iris promised she wouldn't cry. She didn't want to end this short life feeling heartbroken.

"…Is that you, Iris?" his deep voice asked.

"…Yes, my Pharaoh. It is I," she replied, turning around slowly to face him.

His crimson eyes stared at her from the face of Yugi, but she could read his emotions clearly. He was shocked by her reappearance in his life. He probably hadn't expected to see her again until he went to the afterlife as he should have five thousand years ago. How much did he remember about her? Did he know how they had felt for one another all those years ago, or had that been permanently lost to him?

_There was separation between Carrie and him...because he did not tell her about me, _Iris recalled. _He does know something of what we had for one another. But how deep does he think those feelings run? Does he still feel those feelings for me? Ra, I hope not. He belongs to Carrie now. I had my time with him._

"What are you doing here?" Yami asked, awestruck. "Is this a dream?"

"No, this is no dream. You know that to be the truth. You have seen my soul exposed when I ran through the Puzzle to heal myself. You've had your doubts about my identity for some time now. As to what I am doing here, I am filling in for your beloved Carrie while she recovers. She did not think herself strong enough to face her life, so she resurrected me from the dead to take her place," Iris explained.

"But…How?" Yami wanted to know.

"Magic," was Iris's reply. "But you must forget about me, Pharaoh. I return to the afterlife tonight and Carrie comes back here. It must happen."

"Why? Why must you die again?" Yami demanded abruptly.

"Because if I don't die, then she will. I am sapping her life from her with every second I remain alive. Two people with the same soul cannot coexist. The one that is stronger steals the life from the other, and that means the one brought back kills the one who resurrected them. Carrie didn't know it. I myself did not know until Mirage tried to kill me Wednesday night." She stopped Yami from speaking by raising her hand. "Yes, Mirage is separated from Carrie. The poor girl wanted so much to be alone that she managed to push the darkness from herself. Mirage is parading around in the form of some video game character by the name of Tira, only in darker tones. The point is, if I don't die on my terms tonight, Carrie shall die by losing her soul or Mirage slicing her open with her ring blade."

"…But…I don't want to be separated from you again…," Yami admitted.

"Do not say such things!" Iris snapped, slapping him across the face. "You are committed to Carrie now. We had our chance five thousand years ago, and even though our time together was short, we enjoyed it while it lasted. You and I…We cannot be together any longer. You bound yourself to Carrie, myself reborn for the sixth time. You cannot betray her by choosing me. Do not say such things."

"Why do you not permit me to speak what I feel as the truth?" Yami remarked bitterly.

"Because it is not the truth any longer. You are with Carrie, not me. I am dead, as I have been for five thousand years. This life I lived now is not my life. I was merely filling in for Carrie while she regained the confidence she lost when her father violated her," Iris replied, just as bitter. "Are you really intending to betray her by not letting me go? Do you really want her to die and for me to continue this existence? I do not, and Mirage does not. I know not what Carrie wants, but staring Death in the face makes people crazy. You should want her, not me."

"But she _is_ you," Yami insisted.

Iris shook her head. "No, she's not. She is Carrie Alyson West, born from misery. I am Patria of Kuru Eruna, renamed Iris when I was taken into the palace to be raised beside you. She and I are two different people entirely. The only thing we share is our soul. If you really loved either of us, you would know that." She turned her back to him and looked out the window at the night sky. "Do not be so heartless, Pharaoh. Carrie has suffered enough. She would have gone on suffering if you had not come into her life. You were the first good thing she ever had. Do not be the last bad thing she will ever know by choosing her first life over her. That would be something I could never forgive you for."

Her hands clasped together and she closed her eyes to the world. And then she sang:

"Through the sands of time

My spirit flies to be

In the arms of a happy sigh

Being near once more to thee.

"Resurrected, here I stand

In the stead of a different life.

Once again, I hold your heart in my hand

But it's cast aside in spite.

"I cannot hold you, nor can I say

That I love you—there's no way.

My spirit claimed you before I came.

My spirit even bestowed you your name.

"Forgive me for this deception, for I

Could only walk and speak and cry.

Inside my heart thrums and aches.

As I stand here, my body shakes.

"I want you, but I have had my chance.

Before, long ago, lost in the sands of the past

Your and my souls shared a dance

That we knew would always last

For all of time.

"Forgive me, my love, for I must take

This mask from my face for both of our sakes.

I cannot play this part anymore

Where once I was resolved to fill before.

"You knew me once—my face haunts your dreams.

I am in your long lost memories.

Remember me though it may not seem

That this is real, but it is, you see.

"Listen, my love, and listen well.

It was you who once made my body swell.

My name you spoke so sweetly then.

Iris, you whispered. Remember when…

"I stand here in your new lover's place

Because she fell weak and I can face

The cost of my wish coming true.

My spirit was reunited with you.

"So do not go making a mistake

About who you shall now take.

You had me once and that was enough.

This decision is not all that tough.

"Choose her, she belongs

Lost in love in your arms.

Forget me, forget me forever.

Your lover is your new endeavor.

"Take her and let me be.

Allow for me to go free

Back to the place where I have rested for so long.

Please receive the message that is in this song."

"Goodbye, Pharaoh," Iris murmured before sliding the window open and jumping up onto the window sill.

"Wait, Iris. I…I'm going with you," Yami stated.

"No, you are not. You are marching your royal ass back downstairs and letting Yugi sleep. Just because you're a spirit doesn't mean that using his body has no effect on him. Leave your reincarnation be," Iris reprimanded. "Besides, you do not need to see me die. You didn't see me the first time and I will not let you see me die this time, either."

"You can't stop me," Yami told her.

"Do you want to bet on that?" Iris challenged. "Do not make me have to use my powers against you. This mark on my shoulder is the binding word that says I am to never hurt you. I am trying not to, but it is difficult with your pressing. If you come, you shall see me die and that shall hurt you, going against my vow. If I must make you stay, that shall be raising my hand against you, which also goes against my vow. Do not make me do something I would regret. Just stay and let this be the end of it."

"But-!" Yami protested.

He was cut off by Iris swearing suddenly. Her hands pressed against her chest to the place where her heart beat. "She's dying faster than I expected. I can feel her life coming into me. It won't be long now. If I do not hurry, she shall be gone before morning." Her emerald eyes looked authoritatively at her former ruler. "I am leaving and you should not follow. If you do…I shall never forgive you."

Then she jumped out the window and disappeared into the night. Yami sighed and closed his eyes. He knew what he would do, even if it angered the woman he had loved in life. He was going to follow her. Even if seeing her die would cause him great pain, he had to go…for both of their sakes.

And for Carrie's.

* * *

It had not been easy to sneak Carrie out of the apartment, but hardly anything was easy anymore. Marik had pretended that he needed to do the laundry and snuck her out in the basket to avoid being caught by his siblings. Ishizu and Odion would know she was missing soon enough, but would they guess where he was taking her? He didn't know, nor was he ready to find out.

He carried her the rest of the way in his arms—she slept most of the time. Her frail form looked strange in his sister's gown. Somehow she seemed to be glowing. He didn't want to think about why she looked that way; it would be admitting that she was really going to be gone soon. She was going to take Iris's place in the sarcophagus when she left this world. They looked so much alike that no one would probably ever know who were the real Iris and Carrie. They would switch places and the world would be none the wiser.

His lavender eyes spotted the mummies' Volvo and Nefer-Tina's motorcycle in the parking lot. The Guardians were still in the museum, but they were probably sleeping in their sarcophagi. It was night, after all. He had been to the museum at night before and they were always asleep by nine. Even they would never know what had become of their first and second mistress. Even they would not be aware of the role swap.

Marik removed the key from his pocket and slid it into the lock. He slid in silently, locking the door behind him so that no one could break in after him. Without a sound he walked towards the Egyptian section of the museum where Iris's sarcophagus stood without a body in its grasp. He didn't bother with a light—why take the risk of being discovered? He knew the way like the back of his hand, anyway. Lights were for those that weren't sure of themselves in the dark.

The lights of the city flitted through the windows, reflecting off the surface of shiny artifacts as he entered the Egyptian wing. He heard snoring from the Guardians' coffins; this confirmed that he had been right about them. He slipped past their sleeping forms to the only empty resting place in that area. Marik laid Carrie down on the floor while he pried the lid away from what would be her deathbed.

"Marik…," she whispered, her eyes barely opening as she feebly reached out her hand.

"What is it, Carrie?" he asked as he managed to silently get the lid off.

"I need…the eye of Horus…on my right shoulder. That is…the only big difference between me…and Iris," Carrie told him quietly.

"Oh, right." Marik picked her off the ground and stood her up in Iris's sarcophagus. "I think we have some ink in the backroom. Rath refuses to use modern-day pens, you know. I'll be right back, I promise."

He slipped away on cat's feet, leaving Carrie alone. Her body slumped against the sides of the sarcophagus as her body shook with her ragged breath. She felt awkward in this dress, especially since she wasn't wearing any undergarments because Iris hadn't worn any undergarments. Bras hadn't even existed in her time. But that awkwardness was overshadowed by the coming of her death. She would not live to see the sun rise. She knew that to be the absolute truth.

"It looks like the roles are about to be switched. Too bad…You were the easier one to control. If big bad Iris catches me, I'll be done for. Oh, why couldn't you just live until you're eighteen? I told ya you'd never break the cycle of your curse."

Carrie looked through half-open eyes at Mirage—she'd recognized that voice as the voice of Tira, but knew that character wasn't real. She couldn't piece together how she was seeing the darkness sealed inside of her. Then she recalled that she had sent her out of her body when she wanted to be alone. What a foolish decision that had been. What had her darkness done since then? How many people had died as a result of her stupid actions?

"I couldn't kill Iris. I tried, I really did. Oh, but she was just too clever for me. Her magic healed her the first time, then I couldn't get her alone…And even when I mangled her in the sea and stopped her from using her magic to recover, she managed to merge with Mystical Elf and heal herself that way. What a clever little first life you had, Carrie! You should feel so proud." Mirage came face-to-face with Carrie and roughly grabbed her face. "But none of that cleverness came to you. If you were half as clever as she was, you never would have brought her back. Life could have gone on normally. You could have gone through the human process of healing surrounded by your friends and family. But no…You had to be stupid. So now you're paying the price for that stupidity. You're gonna die now and there's nothing you can do about it."

"…You won't be free…She'll hunt you down…," Carrie murmured.

"I'm well aware of that. I'll go out fighting with my cute little lord of darkness at my side," Mirage stated. "…People look most beautiful right before they die…Maybe that's why you're glowing so lovely right now. I've seen this in so many of my victims. They all get such lovely complexions right before their blood leaves them…and even after sometimes." She raised her ring blade so that it was even with Carrie's throat. "Allow me to end your suffering, dear friend. You shouldn't suffer any longer now."

The blade lunged forward to behead Carrie…

But it was blocked by a sword with a golden hilt shaped like a snake.

"You needn't desecrate the body of our former mistress, immortal one," Rath growled as she glanced over at him and the other Guardians that had awoken during Mirage's ranting. She knocked his weapon away at the same time she pulled her own back. "If it was not for her, you would not exist. Hate crimes do not need to be committed here."

Mirage smirked. "What fools you all are! This is not your former mistress! This is your present mistress in the guise of the former! She and your beloved Iris swapped places because Carrie was too weak to be human! She is dying for resurrecting her first life! I'm just putting her out of her misery!"

"You lie!" Nefer-Tina snapped.

"Look upon her yourselves! She does not bear the eye of Horus on her right shoulder, whereas Iris did! She is an impostor! Iris is in her place and she is in Iris's! You know I speak the truth!" Mirage shouted.

"Silence your wicked tongue, immortal one!" Ja-Kal withdrew the silver ankh from his pocket and held it out threateningly in Mirage's direction. "We shall not stand for this! However you managed to take control from Mistress Carrie, you shall lose it just as quickly! You shall leave this place as if you had never come! And Ra help me, if I ever see you again you shall not get off so easy!"

Mirage stepped back one step, but the sinister smirk never left her face. "Fools…"

She entered battle with three of the four Guardians. Armon was left with the duty of protecting 'Iris' from harm and went to stand in front of her sarcophagus. Carrie groaned once, gaining his attention, before slumping forward towards the floor. He hurried to catch her. It was then that he saw that she was not who they thought she was. Mirage had spoken the truth. Still, it did not excuse anything. She had tried to kill their mistress and for that she would suffer.

Marik rushed into the scene, avoiding the battle as best he could with a vial of ink and a brush in his hands. He swore under his breath; he hadn't wanted the mummies to know about this or for a battle to take place around such valuable things. But there was no time for worrying about that. From the looks of things, Carrie was fading. He ran over to her and Armon, who was kneeling on the ground next to where he had laid his mistress.

"What is going on, Marik?" Armon demanded.

"It's a long story," Marik said. "Basically, Carrie borrowed some magic from Mirage to resurrect Iris to fill in for her while she recovered from what had happened to her. Carrie stayed in hiding with us while Iris went to play her part. Things were fine and dandy until three days after the resurrection…Carrie became ill and nothing would cure her. We discovered the reason for it. Two people with the same soul cannot coexist in the flesh. If it happens, then the stronger life saps the energy from the other. So Iris has been, in essence, killing Carrie without knowing it. It's been almost three weeks now…Carrie won't live to see tomorrow."

"…So you brought her here to take Iris's place. A role swap of sorts, only permanent," Armon assumed.

Marik nodded. "It was her idea. She figured that if she was going to die, she might as well leave no trace of herself behind. The only major difference between her and Iris is that eye. I was just about to fix that. Could you hold her up while I paint the eye of Horus on her right shoulder?"

Armon said nothing; he simply and gently moved Carrie's body so that her right shoulder was facing Marik. The bleach-blonde Egyptian began his work, eliminating the variation between this life and the first.

"…I hope you're not mad at me for not telling you earlier…Carrie made me promise not to," Marik told him.

"I'm not mad. I'm just…confused…and upset," Armon admitted.

"You and me both, buddy," Marik murmured.

* * *

Iris burst into the museum, breaking the lock without a second thought before continuing on her way towards the place where her seventh life lay dying. She was a bit frantic, though she kept it well under wraps as she went on her way. The only thing she failed to notice as a result of her frantic disposition was the two—yeah, two—people following her. Her focus was completely on Carrie. She could feel her life force fading ever more and coming into her. It was both a soothing and revolting feeling, becoming stronger like this. Luckily Mirage was around and could finish what she had started earlier today.

She sped past the battle, masking herself to avoid being seen by those fighting for now. It was true that she wanted to die for Carrie's sake, but first she wanted to see her seventh life and depart with a few words. Then she would return to the place where she had been in for the past five thousand years—everything would be back to normal. Marik and Armon were with her. It seemed her little reincarnation had chosen to take her place in death because not only was Carrie dressed like her, but she had gotten Marik to paint the eye of Horus on her right shoulder to mirror Iris's own. It would all be for nothing. Carrie would live to see the light of tomorrow.

"Leave her be. I shall not let her die," Iris stated as she came to a stop next to them.

Armon bowed. "Mistress Iris. It is good to see you again."

"As it is to see you, Guardian Armon. I just wish we had met under better circumstances where Death wasn't knocking at anyone's door," Iris murmured. "Marik, you do not need to finish that eye. Carrie won't be taking my place. I shall be going back to where I belong and she shall return to where she belongs."

"But what if you're not quick enough?" Marik countered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Armon demanded.

"She took her time getting here. We can't depend on her to save Carrie, especially since she's the reason Carrie's dying," Marik clarified without any regret.

"That's only because she didn't know her existence was doing this to Carrie!" Armon pointed out.

"I didn't know…until Wednesday night when Mirage tried to kill me," Iris admitted.

"See? You've known for two full days and you've done nothing to try and save her. I suppose you were becoming a little attached to her life, weren't you? You didn't want to leave your new friends or the Nameless Pharaoh and let her come back, did you? You wanted this all for yourself. Sure, you would never be able to reveal yourself to anyone. You'd have to live forever under the name of your seventh life. But at least you'd be alive and with your long-lost lover," Marik growled, disgusted. "I wish I hadn't promised Carrie that I wouldn't kill you."

"Marik! Watch your tongue or I might just chop it off!" Armon threatened.

"No, Armon. Do not make such threats. He is not wrong in speaking in such a way. He is not all that wrong. I do like the time I have been granted back in the flesh. The people I have met have been kind and I like them…for the most part. I am human and therefore I am selfish. I will admit that I wish I did not have to leave. But that is not why I took so long in coming here. I wanted Carrie to be surrounded by her friends when she came back home, and that wasn't possible any other night but this one. I wanted her to find herself in a happy place when she recovered—this was the best way. If there were another, I would have taken it. I do not want her to die so I might live, Marik. That is the truth. Hate me as you will, but you know I do not lie," Iris told him.

Marik rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Iris didn't expect him to. He finished painting the eye of Horus on Carrie's shoulder and dropped the brush to the floor next to the ink vial. The black substance still on the brush splattered on the tile, marring its perfect surface with its darkness. He refused to look her way; his eyes focused on the ragged rising and falling of Carrie's chest that was barely noticeable. Iris followed his gaze, biting her tongue as she saw herself in her seventh life's face…dying.

_It must be done, _she thought authoritatively.

She grabbed the brush from the floor and turned it into an ebony dagger that glinted darkly in the moonlight. Armon's eyes widened in alarm at the sight of the weapon; he knew what she intended to do with that. Even Marik was a bit shocked by her sudden action. He may despise her for killing Carrie, but he didn't want to see someone kill themselves, either. She paid them no attention. The only thought she had was that she needed to die quickly.

"…I cannot kill myself. My magic prevents me from being able to do that. Any harm I try to inflict upon myself shall heal immediately," Iris remarked. "That was why it was so hard to die before. When I lost the Pharaoh back then, I knew the only way I could go was to starve myself so the magic would lose its potency…and then nature would do the rest. It took weeks…time we do not have now. Someone in this room must be willing to kill me of their own accord with this dagger. If this strikes my heart, my magic shall be unable to save me."

"Don't look at me," Marik grumbled.

"I would never dream of raising my hand against you," Armon stated.

Iris smiled. "I know. I don't plan on telling either of you to kill me. There's only one person in this room that would want me dead…And she has my face along with a portion of my soul. I believe she is the one you call Mirage."

"…She would not play by your rules. She would just try to kill you with that ring blade she's got on her," Marik pointed out.

"Not if the Guardians can suppress her with that silver ankh. She won't have the power to disobey. And in her weakened state, Carrie would be able to lock her away in her mind once more so she won't be a problem," Iris said. "Armon, go help your comrades in disabling the immortal one. Marik and I can keep your mistress from being hurt."

Armon would have protested, but these were orders given from his first mistress. He ran into battle against Mirage, leaving Iris alone with an unconscious Carrie and a bitter Marik. She held the black dagger tightly in her trembling hands as she tried to keep her cool because losing her calm now would be very bad. Taking deep breaths helped a little. It would be best if this were over quickly and without any more unexpected guests.

Then she heard footsteps behind her and swore.

"I told you not to follow me, Pharaoh!" she snapped without turning to look at him. "I know you hold rank over my head, but for Ra's sake! Couldn't you have just listened to me this once? I told you not to come after me because I didn't want to hurt you! And you brought…Mako?"

The fisherman smiled grimly at the back of her head. "He didn't bring me anywhere. I followed him after I eavesdropped on your little conversation with him. You didn't honestly think I would fall asleep before you, did you? Something was up with you… You look a bit anxious for us all to doze off. So I figured I play along so I could find out what you were up to at this hour. Seems I wasn't the only one."

Iris stood and faced the men with a sad, worried expression on her face. "You shouldn't have come. I'm going to die soon. You don't need to see that. You shouldn't have come."

Mako stepped past Yami and took Iris's hands in his own. "Yes, I did."

"I'm not the one you love, Mako. You love Carrie. I was just filling in for her while she recovered," Iris whispered.

"You're wrong. I don't love Carrie. She's just my best friend. I love you. I've loved you since you walked into the house three weeks ago. I don't know how I knew it, but there was something different about you that didn't seem at all like Carrie. We have a lot in common that I don't have with your reincarnation. And we shared that kiss…And that just made it so much more obvious. I may not have known your name until tonight, but Iris… I love you," Mako told her, tears starting to glisten in his dark eyes.

"…Then you've chosen the wrong girl to fall for," Iris sobbed as tears filled her own eyes. "Mako, you know I can't stay. If I do, then your best friend will die. I don't want that, and I know you don't want that. I have to go."

"I know," Mako breathed. "And I'm not going to stop you. I just wanted to tell you… These past few weeks we've had together have been a few of the best I've ever had. I will never forget them or you. You'll always hold a special place in my heart. I hope we meet again someday."

Iris gave him a grim smile. "I hope so, too."

And then they kissed.

Yami rolled his eyes. "All right, enough of that. That's my ex you're locking lips with right in front of me. Don't you have any decency?"

"Oh, shut your pie hole, Pharaoh. You're just jealous that she's moved on," Marik teased.

"I've moved on, too," Yami pointed out.

"Yeah, to her sixth reincarnation," Marik shot back.

Yami crossed his arms and huffed. "Shut up."

Ja-Kal managed to touch the silver ankh to Mirage's skin, causing her to scream in agony as its magic burned through her blood. She collapsed to the ground, powerless, and her ring blade clattered on the floor next to her. Armon hoisted her over his shoulder—she kicked and screamed but was not strong enough to do any real damage. She was thrown unceremoniously to the ground at Iris's feet. Mirage hissed like a snake and tried to back away from the powerful magician, but Armon blocked her retreat with the other Guardians.

Iris pulled away from Mako and made herself level with Mirage and Carrie. She held the black dagger out for Mirage to take. The dark spirit didn't trust her for one instant and knocked the blade away. Rath returned it to his first mistress.

"You wanted to kill me. Well, here's your chance. Aim right for my heart with this blade and it shall be done," Iris stated.

Mirage took the blade this time with fury. "Fine, but I'm only doing this because Carrie's weaker than you!"

Iris smiled a wan smile. "You're wrong about that."

Then Mirage plunged the dagger straight into Iris's heart. Blood splattered as it tore right through her and the point stuck out of her back; the crimson liquid oozed from the opening and began to pool on the floor. Iris closed her eyes as her body slumped backward. Mako, despite his tears, made sure she wouldn't fall onto the ground. He held her bleeding body in his arms, knowing her life was gone but still not willing to accept it. The others around him were not without their own tears—only Mirage seemed somewhat indifferent, but she still had a few measly tears to shed for someone that contained a portion of her soul.

A bright blinding light engulfed Carrie's body, streaming from the twice-corpse that was Iris. Since there were no longer two people with the same soul in the same time, her life energy was returning to Carrie. All the damage that had been done to her in the past three weeks was reversed—it was almost as if it had never happened. The light faded away when Carrie's eyes opened again. She sat up and blinked a few times to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"…Am I dead?" she asked.

No one quite knew how to respond to that…

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. I hope it was worth the wait and that you enjoyed it. Well, Iris is gone again, and Carrie's still alive. All's well that ends well. Too bad Mako didn't get the woman of his dreams. Well, what did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful day!_


	55. 55 - Death and Matrons and Spirits, O My

_A/N: Sorry once again for taking too long to update. The good news is that school won't be interfering with my life until August 11th, so I'll have plenty of time to work on this now. Well, anyway, please read on._

* * *

Chapter 55

Carrie sat on the deck of Mako's yacht later that day, looking at the sun and the ocean and taking in all that she could. Being so close to death made one appreciate the little things in life, but it also made one realize how insignificant their life really was in the big scheme of things. The others were playing games and dancing behind her, unaware of what had happened the night before. Only a few people knew the truth and they were trying their best to cover up their true emotions.

Marik, Mako, and Yami had explained everything to her when she had woken up. Iris had given up her life to let her live. Carrie had hugged Mako tightly when she found out how he had fallen for her first life—watching Iris die had not been good for him at all. Then Carrie reabsorbed Mirage into her mind, taking away her freedom once again. The dark spirit whined and protested, not liking this at all especially since the silver ankh had taken all her power away. Rath healed Iris's wound, removing all traces of the stabbing from her body, before the Guardians put their first mistress back in her sarcophagus for the last time. Then Ishizu and Odion came in and scolded them all for the trouble they had caused and the broken lock on the front door. They had spent the rest of that morning cleaning the place up and fixing things with magic—well, Rath fixed things with magic—as a form of punishment.

They managed to make it back home before the others had woken up. Yugi had given her the Puzzle back then, despite her claims that it was not necessary. He explained that Yami needed her now more than ever. She understood then that watching Iris die had not just been hard on Mako, who had just fallen for her, but also the Pharaoh, who had loved her when he had been alive. He would need her just as she had needed him so many times before, and she would be there for him.

She stifled a yawn and laid on her back to watch the clouds. She had managed to find another swim suit in the back of her dresser—this one was a light blue bikini—but since Duke was still around she had herself covered with black shorts and a white tank top. It would come off when she wanted to jump in the water…_if _her friends were willing to let her in the ocean after what had happened to Iris just yesterday.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," Ryou teased as he sat beside her. He had come to the docks just before they set out to sea, claiming he had gotten the dates wrong. The others were none the wiser, so Carrie had no choice but to let him come along. He was her friend despite his dark side, anyway. It would have been wrong to deny him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. Just a bit tired because I didn't sleep very well last night," Carrie replied. "I'm sure you know why, since your darker half and mine were 'involved' recently. She probably told him everything."

Ryou nodded once. "Yeah…He's not very happy that she was defeated. He keeps swearing and cursing the Guardians' names. I think he may even come out and try to kill them for always suppressing her with that bloody talisman."

Carrie raised an eyebrow. "He's not mad at me for taking her back inside me?"

"Strangely enough, no. Bakura would prefer to have you around more than Iris because you don't beat him up as much as she did. And since one of you had to die at Mirage's weakened hand, he's glad you're the one that stayed alive. Even if it means his love had to go back in the slammer that is your mind, he's glad you're okay," Ryou told her.

"Well, that's awfully nice of him to say," Carrie murmured.

"Do you think Mako and the Pharaoh will be okay?" Ryou asked.

She glanced over at the morose fisherman faking a smile and then at the somber spirit seated beside her. "In time, they will be. But this is a fresh wound that still hurts on their hearts. Time heals everything. They will be back to normal in awhile."

"That's good to hear." Ryou's eyes came to rest on the eye of Horus on her shoulder. "Were you really willing to swap lives forever?"

"I was. Only if I was going to die, though. If there was a way for us both to live in this time in the flesh, I would have gone with that instead. But there wasn't. I almost died for my selfish behavior. I didn't want to face reality in my weakened state…I didn't want to be human. So I got someone else to do it for me. Look where that got us. I was so close to death and she gave up her life to me despite being reunited her lover and finding someone else to love. Iris is a stronger woman than I will ever be. The least I could have done last night was take her place," Carrie stated.

"…I think you're wrong about that. She's no stronger than you are, Carrie. Think about everything you've been through, and yet you still find things to smile and laugh at and you hold your head high. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for being. Iris may have lost her village when she was just a babe, but her childhood was fairly easy in comparison to you…At least, until she turned eight, if memory serves me. I still say your life has been harder than hers up to this point. To be the way you are after everything you've gone through…That's real strength," Ryou claimed.

Carrie smiled up at him. "Thank you."

He returned her smile. "You're welcome, love."

The yacht came to a stop when Mako determined they were far enough out to sea to swim. She stood and slid out of her shorts and shirt, noticing that Ryou blushed as she did so because he was such a shy kid. She didn't wait for anyone's approval to go in the water; the crazy blonde girl jumped right off the side and dove into the blue sea. She surfaced moments later, wet all over but smiling brighter than they could remember her ever smiling before.

"Come on in, you guys! The water's great!" she called. "Last one in has a failing bankrupt company!"

* * *

Saturday night came on silent wings, and those that had been unable to sleep the previous night passed out quickly in Carrie's living room while the movies played. Carrie went to sleep on Mako's shoulder and he fell asleep resting his head on hers. Yugi curled up into a ball and nodded off, fatigued by Yami's use of his body. Ryou, because Thief had been up worrying about Mirage, also closed his eyes rather quickly.

The last one to doze off would be Joey.

He noticed that everyone else was asleep and thought he'd be a good guy and turn the television off. The blonde goofball cleverly maneuvered himself around his sleeping buds to push the power button—he was not about to try to reach the remote under Carrie's body because he liked life. He succeeded with little trouble and returned to his pillow only to be distracted by a light upstairs. His curiosity got the better of him, so he headed for that strange illumination.

The progress up the stairs was slow because one false step could lead to a creak and a creak could wake someone up. Joey Wheeler held his breath as he made his way, afraid that even the sound of his breath would awaken his friends and Kaiba. He let out his breath when he was finally at the top and let his guard down…only to trip over an end table he had failed to notice in the dark. He swore silently and righted the darn thing, pausing for any sign that the crash had woken anyone. Nothing. He continued on his route.

The illumination was of two colors and coming from two rooms: Carrie's and Jessica's. His blonde friend's room was first in his line of vision, a bright green light coming from behind the door. Jessica's was across the hall and a pink light came from behind her door. He chose Carrie's room over Jessica's because it was first and his favorite color was green. Bracing himself for what he would see in there, he turned the doorknob.

A figure cloaked in shadows held a green amulet in its pale hand, the source of the illumination. It was placing the amulet onto Carrie's dresser next to her deck. Joey stared in shock at the creature, unaware of what to do but feeling that he should do something. The figure sensed him somehow and turned to face him. Its face was that of a female, pale but beautiful with purple hair framing it in curls. Black lips turned up in a smile at his appearance, and her pale hand beckoned him in.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Joey demanded, rooted to the spot.

"_I am a Matron, nothing of importance," _the creature replied in a crackling voice. _"As to what I am doing here...I am delivering a gift unto the one you call Carrie West. But now that you have come, Joseph Wheeler, you remind Me of something else that must be done. Come forth, child. You must know something."_

"Is it gonna hurt anyone in this house if you stay?" Joey wanted to know.

The Matron smiled. _"No. I have no intention of harming anyone in this dwelling. You are all safe...or as safe as you can be given the circumstances."_

Hesitantly, Joey stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. "All right. What is it you want with me, Matron?"

"_Joseph Wheeler, you were one of the first people to be kind to Carrie West. You have a good heart and an easy-going attitude. I know all about you, as I am the Watcher of Carrie West. I am like a guardian angel, only not so poetic. A Matron-Watcher's job is to keep the events equal—the good and the bad must never tip heavily to one side. My duty has been hard because the Matron of Carl West was taken away when his heart became corrupt, leaving complete control of that man's life to himself. But I have caught up thanks to the immortal one destroying him for good," _the Matron told him.

"_But back to the point. Only a few Matrons remain to this world because We are not immortal, and We ail when hearts go bad. Dark hearts are never a good thing, but they are particularly bad for Matrons. Our numbers reach twenty at best, and We are forced to hide in the Spirit Realm of the Duel Monsters where hearts rarely go bad. We cannot stay there forever or else Our duties would never become complete. We would fail Our humans._

"_This is where you and your good heart come in. Our children need to be around one such as you in order to stay healthy and strong. Including Me, there are five other female Matrons with child. When We birth them, We would like for you to raise them."_

Joey blinked. "What? You want me…to raise Matron-babies? But…But I'm still in school! And then there's the money they'll cost me…not to mention my life! There's gotta be someone better than me for this job! Yugi's gotta good heart, and so does Tea, Carrie, Alyssa, Mokuba, the old lady down the street, the man at the pizzeria, my sister…"

"_Quit your listing, Joseph. We have chosen you to be Our children's caretaker. You will not be burdened, either, child. Matrons mature quickly. In comparison to humans, Our children will be adults in two months' time. Before you know it, they will be walking, saying their first words, floating around in the air...and then they'll be gone," _the Matron informed him. A sad look came into her dark eyes. _"It is worse than watching human children grow up. At least humans have longer with their children."_

"Will I ever have to do this again after this one time?" Joey asked anxiously.

The Matron smiled and shook her head. _"We will not ask that much of you, Joseph. Our kind is in dire need of children, but as you pointed out, there are other good hearts in this world. After you raise the ones We carry now, We have others chosen to take care of the next batch. It may take a millennia, but we shall find a way to survive the darkness of the human heart...by finding good ones like yours."_

"…This is gonna make me sound so greedy, but-?"

"_What's in it for you?" _the Matron interjected, but she did not seem insulted. _"You shall have limitless funds at your disposal during those two months to pay for the ever-changing sextuplets you'll be raising. And I shall bestow upon you knowledge in two ways-through this life lesson in case you ever want to have children...and by giving it to you Myself. It is knowledge that only Carrie knows...about your past life."_

"Past life?" Joey raised an eyebrow. "Why would I care about my past life?"

"_Because, naïve little child, you played a big role in the events that took place during the time of the Nameless Pharaoh. Not only were you his friend, but you led his armies into battle. Your name in that time was Jahi. You shall fulfill that role once again when the legions of the dark side rise to confront the Nameless Pharaoh."_

"Me…A leader of an army? Whoa…Lady, I think you got me confused with someone else. I'm just Joey, the goofy knucklehead that brings light to a dull situation through the gift of laughter. I ain't a general."

"_I am not confused, Joey. You are the same man as Jahi, for both of you wield the almighty Red Eyes Black Dragon. That was his ka, the beast living within that could only be completely released through the death of the holder. He summoned Red Eyes whenever he went into battle in the Nameless Pharaoh's honor. No army could stand against him...Until Thief King Bakura came with his legions of darkness. He met his match and barely managed to get out of the struggle with his life. But Jahi was a good man with a pure heart...Just like you, Joseph."_

"So…I need to remember Jahi's life to be helpful when it comes to facing Thief King Bakura again?"

The Matron nodded. _"Come forth, Joseph Wheeler. It is time for you to assume the role you had in the past. When I place My hand on your brow, you shall know all that you must to help save the world."_

Hesitantly, Joey stepped closer to the pale Matron. He was so confused by all that was happening now…And it didn't help that he was starting to feel really tired. The Matron straightened to her full height—a full seven feet at the least—and he noticed the bulge where her abdomen should be. This lady really was heavy with child. His brown eyes went up to the Matron's beautiful face, holding steady despite his racing heart. She smiled pleasantly before resting her cold, pale hand on his forehead.

The memories hit him like a tsunami, knocking him breathless and rendering him unable to surface as the waves kept coming in a steady flow. He saw himself in Egypt, only it wasn't him. The man he saw had darker hair—closer to brown than blonde—and was dressed in armor rather than normal clothes. His hair was usually covered by some sort of helmet with intricate designs on it. When he wasn't in battle, the man would go around shirtless with only a green skirt-thing covering his bottom half and golden armlets on his wrists. Joey saw people he knew as they had been back then—Carrie as Iris, Alyssa as Bastet, Yugi as the Nameless Pharaoh, Kaiba as Priest Seth, Tristan as Bastet's friend and servant Hondo, Grandpa as Shimon, Tea as Amisi…etc. It amazed him how the past seemed to repeat itself. Would he have become friends with these people had it not been for Jahi's life? He didn't know.

The Matron pulled away when the last of Jahi's memories was given to Joey. The blonde collapsed to the ground, fatigued and overwhelmed by all he had seen.

"_You know the truth now, Joseph. It is better to know and chose to forget than to not know at all. Remember that, child," _the Matron whispered before turning to leave.

"…What's in Jessica's room?" Joey asked tiredly.

"_It is a guest awaiting the return of herself. She is not kind to those that intrude if they are not whom she awaits. I wouldn't go in there if I were you, especially in your state. Ramla is not a very kind soul...In that sense, she is a lot like her third life," _the Matron told him with a smile. _"Good day to you, Joseph Wheeler. And remember your promise to Us."_

Then the Matron was gone. Joey struggled to stand, but he knew he couldn't stay up in Carrie's room. If his blonde female friend found him there, he would get a beat-down that he didn't want. So, slowly, he made his way back downstairs, not at all tempted to go into Jessica's room after what had just happened and what the Matron had said. He was more than happy to climb into his sleeping bag and finally give into his fatigue.

_Please let this all just have been a crazy dream,_ Joey thought before he nodded off.

* * *

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" Tristan shouted just seconds before his pillow collided with Carrie's head. She grumbled and grabbed a pillow off the couch to throw at his face as she stretched, stifling her yawn while doing so. She glanced around at the others and was not all that surprised to see them engaged in a full-scale pillow fight. The only person still asleep was Joey; she assumed he was the last one to go to sleep last night.

"All right, that's enough of beating the crap out of each other," Carrie said when Kaiba ended up in a headlock after hitting Mako. "Everyone go get dressed. Mai, could you get started with breakfast? I'll be down to take your place in a moment."

"You just hurry. I don't want these boys to be staring at me in my nightclothes anymore than they have to," Mai muttered as the group dispersed.

"What are we supposed to do about him?" Tea asked, pointing at Joey.

"He'll wake up as soon as he smells breakfast cooking," Tristan assured her.

That was true enough. They didn't need to worry about Joey waking up—food always made him wide awake. Carrie headed upstairs to her room without another thought, glad to be home after being ill for almost three weeks. She stepped into her room for the first time in what felt like an eternity. It looked the same, but something felt different. She couldn't put her finger on it.

Then she saw the glowing green amulet on her dresser next to her desk. Curious, she went to retrieve it. All of her guards were up in case this was something evil. It didn't hurt to be cautious, after all. She carefully picked the thing up and examined it.

"'The past holds the key to your future,'" she read on the amulet. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means just what it says," a female voice replied.

Carrie turned around to see a woman that looked a lot like the Dark Magician Girl perched on the corner of her bed. A man in dragon armor that looked a bit like the Dark Magician stood beside her, arms folded over his chest.

"Who are you guys?" Carrie demanded.

"We're Duel Monsters put into card forms by your friend Joey and your uncle Pegasus," the female said, twirling her black staff around gracefully. "I am known as Dark Magician Lady. My companion is Dark Magician Dragon Warrior. Joey gave us to you when Iris was in your place. Check your deck if you don't believe me."

Two cards removed themselves from Carrie's deck and flew into her hand. The art matched the Duel Monsters in front of her…or came as close as they could with Pegasus's skill. Some of Joey's influence marred their appearance just a bit. But it was a kind thought for him to go through all the trouble of making cards for her. She would have to hug him for this later.

"What are you doing here? Carrie has not released you from your cards," Yami remarked, materializing beside the blonde.

"Her Matron-Watcher summoned us to explain the meaning of the amulet," Dark Magician Dragon Warrior told him. "She didn't have time to stick around since she's with child and staying in the human world too long would ail her. It would have been nice if you had showed up earlier and not kept us waiting, but you're only human. Your tardiness cannot be blamed."

"I like you already," Carrie muttered sarcastically.

"Don't mind him. He's just grumpy because he wasn't put into card form until recently while the other Dark Magicians were. You'll have to excuse him," Dark Magician Lady apologized as she promptly hit Dragon Warrior upside the head with her staff. "Now let's get down to business before my companion infuriates you."

"Can you tell me what a Matron-Watcher is first?" Carrie asked.

"Sure. Matrons are spiritual mortals that have duties to the humans. Matron-Watchers are like those guardian angels you humans like to dream about, only not so poetic in nature. They keep the scale of your life from tipping over to the dark side or from being too much on the light side. They also keep your life from being too dull. Very few of them remain alive, though—too many people's hearts have turned bad and that's fatal to these Matrons. But you have one that's pregnant, and your friend Joey's going to help raise it and the other five babies that'll be coming," Dark Magician Lady informed her. "But don't worry. Matrons age quickly. They'll be adults two months after they're born."

"So my Matron-Watcher visited last night and left this? And she also talked to Joey? No wonder he's tired," Carrie murmured, looking at the glowing green amulet. "All right. Tell me what this message means now please."

"It means what happened five thousand years ago will happen again," Dragon Warrior stated, cutting Dark Magician Lady off. He was promptly hit again with her staff as a result.

"You mean…We're all going to suffer the same fate?" Yami wanted to know.

"It's not that dramatic, Pharaoh. Like I said, this Monster here is being a grumpy little boy and just wants to sulk and scare you," Dark Magician Lady told him. "Most of the people around you were alive when you walked this place in the flesh. They had different names and looked different, but they have the same soul. They played roles in your past that helped you to accomplish what you did, but it wasn't enough then to stop the Dark One, Zork. You and yours shall have to face that all over, but you must gain the knowledge you did not have then. The past holds the key to your future."

"Great. Another thing to worry my head off about," Carrie grumbled.

"You don't need to worry about it now. You have another year until you must face the Dark One," Dark Magician Lady assured her.

"A year? God, that's less time than I thought!" Carrie exclaimed.

Dragon Warrior rolled his eyes. "It has to happen, and it's better to be dealt with sooner than later. The immortal one shall have her part to play in this as well despite not being alive back when the Pharaoh was. I suppose it's because of her relationship with Thief Bakura. Of course, if she's involved then you'll be out of the picture until the end…"

"D.M.D.W.!" Dark Magician Lady interjected, hitting him once more with her staff. "You know you're not supposed to reveal the future!"

"You can see the future?" Carrie asked.

"No, we can't. Only a few Duel Spirits are capable of that, and it's not an easy thing for them to do. The spirit in your sister's room, Ramla, is a seer. She came to visit us last night while you were sleeping. Apparently boredom is something you suffer even when dead," Dark Magician Lady explained. "She's awaiting the return of Jessica for a reason she wouldn't even tell us."

"Ramla? Strange name," Carrie mused. "But if she can see the future-"

"Don't even think about it!" Dark Magician Lady shouted, on her feet and barring Carrie's exit route. "The future is not for you to know until it becomes the present. If you knew it, you wouldn't be willing to go through with it. Besides, it's better to not know it than to know and realize there's nothing you can do to change it. Ramla said that to us last night, and she knows what she's talking about. She's been seeing the future since before she was born. It's more of a curse than a gift."

Carrie huffed and crossed her arms. "Can I at least see her?"

"Mind getting dressed first?" Dragon Warrior muttered.

"What, don't you like her short shorts and tank top?" Dark Magician Lady teased.

"Everyone, avert your gaze for one minute," Carrie grumbled impatiently as she headed for her dresser. Quickly, she changed out of her nightclothes into a pink halter top and dark plaid shorts. The Puzzle was joined by that glowing green amulet—Carrie thought it best to hold onto that sucker—and she purposely threw her discarded clothes at Dragon Warrior's head just to pay him back for his rude behavior, resulting in Dark Magician Lady giggling.

"Just remember, this was your idea, not mine," she remarked as she opened the door to Carrie's room.

The entourage moved right across the hall to Jessica's room, closing the door behind them before Mai could exit hers and yell at Carrie for taking so long. A pink light came from the eyes of something floating on the ceiling. Its form was unseen; only its pink eyes were visible. They turned to face Carrie and Yami, clearly unhappy to see humans that weren't Jessica in here.

"Carrie wanted to see you," Dragon Warrior said, leaning against the wall.

"I knew she would," the invisible form murmured as it detached from the ceiling and descended to just a few feet above the floor. "Iris told me she would since Carrie's so curious. Iris is hardly ever wrong. Even death would not make her so."

"Iris was here?" Yami asked, and Carrie felt his pain.

"Yes, but she did not have much time to be so. The afterlife was calling her back; she had been gone far too long from it. Three weeks' leave is hardly acceptable. She's lucky the gods did not place blame unto her shoulders," the pink-eyed being stated. "Do not worry about her. She shall be fine, as she has been for these past five thousand years. The afterlife is a happy place. You shall realize that in due time." Her gaze turned to Carrie. "Now, what is it you want to know? And please do not say the future, for that is something I cannot tell you for your own good."

"Why are you waiting for my sister? She knows nothing about any of this. I don't want to get her involved. It'll put her in danger," Carrie told Ramla.

"You cannot protect her forever. She's of fifteen years now and does not appreciate your trying to hide all the bad from her. She knows you're hiding things from her, things that everyone else knows but they won't tell her because they don't want to betray you. One day she will go against your word to learn the truth. And just because she doesn't know anything about spirits and Duel Monsters and the Millennium Items doesn't mean she's safe. Rather, it means she's more in danger because she won't understand any of it," Ramla commented.

"How do you know so much about her?" Yami inquired.

Ramla took her form before them then. "Because I am her…or I was her first life. She is my fourth life, unlucky enough to be reborn with Iris's sixth reincarnation as her sister."

Carrie was taken aback by this information as she stared upon the first face of her sister. Ramla looked almost exactly like Jessica. They had the same pink eyes and black hair. Ramla had a circlet with a crescent symbol on her head, though, along with gold beads hanging from the tips of her hair. Her skin was a lot darker than a Japanese-American's could hope to be, and her outfit had a teal cloth covering her chest with a knee-length skirt of the same color. No shoes, but on her ankles were gold bands, accompanying the one on her thigh, the two sets of armlets on her arms, and the earrings in her lobes. Ramla had been wealthy in life, it seemed. And, as Carrie unfortunately noticed, well-endowed. It didn't help matters that Ramla was also tall…Like six feet tall.

"It is because I am her that wait for her to return from her cosplay event to tell her what I know," Ramla continued. "If anyone is to tell her what she is unaware of, it should be her first life."

"And me. I wanna be there, too," Carrie put in. "I'm her sister. I may not be able to see the future and I may not be a spirit, but I know a lot, too. I'm the reason she doesn't know about this because I thought it would protect her. I should be there to help explain it. We just have to leave out the part about Iris being me for these past three weeks. No one else really knows about that, and it would be better if it stayed that way."

Ramla nodded. "Understood. I shall wait for you to come with Jessica when she returns here." She noticed the inked-on eye still on Carrie's shoulder. "You may want to remove that before those that don't know what happened start asking questions."

"I've tried, but old ink is really hard to remove," Carrie complained.

"Don't even draw that blade, D.M.D.W.!" Dark Magician Lady warned, causing Dragon Warrior to remove his hand from the hilt of his sword. She swung her staff around so the red gem end was facing Carrie's marked shoulder. "I'll remove it for you. Piece of date!"

"Don't you mean piece of cake?" Carrie wanted to know.

"Nah. Cakes weren't really around in Egypt. But dates were, and they're really good," Dark Magician Lady replied. Then she began to chant her spell. Light shot from her staff onto Carrie's shoulder. It didn't hurt; it actually kinda tickled. When the light faded, the eye of Horus was gone as if it had never been. "Ta-da!"

"Thank you, D.M. Lady," Carrie murmured. "But it's time you guys returned to the place Duel Monsters go when they're not in this world." She held up their cards and the Monsters disappeared into them. Carrie glanced back at Ramla, who had already resumed her form as a pair of floating eyes. "I'll see you later, then."

"You shall, dearest Carrie. You shall," Ramla whispered before Carrie left the room.

* * *

_A/N: The end of a long and strange chapter! Joey's gotta play the role of daddy for a dying race, he's got a past life, Carrie got a cryptic message on an amulet, and Jessie's gonna meet her first life soon! Yay for random confusion! Don't worry, we'll be getting around to Noah Kaiba and Dartz in time! In fact, this idea will lead into the thing with Noah in a way you can't see...and neither can I! And my original name for Jessie's first life was Luna, but I figured I should use an Egyptian name for an Egyptian lady, but I couldn't find one that meant moon, so I went with one that means prophetess. Anyway, thanks for reading! And have a wonderful day!_


	56. 56 - Jessica's Enlightenment

_A/N: All right, let's get the ball rolling! Another chapter for my loyal readers! Please read on and enjoy, my friends!_

* * *

Chapter 56

Jessica and Serenity, dressed as Tayuya and Konan, came through the door several hours later, cameras strapped around their necks with their duffel bags looking larger than they had been when the girls had left. They looked like they had had the time of their lives at the Kyoto cosplay convention, and Carrie caught their smiles as soon as she saw them. It was more grim than happy, sadly, because she knew Jessica would be mad at her in a few minutes' time when the truth would be revealed.

"That was the best thing ever!" Jessica exclaimed, tossing her duffel bag onto the couch before plopping down beside it. "I've got pictures galore, and I bought you and Mai and Mako something! See? I didn't forget about those I left behind! I love you all!"

She unearthed a Harpie Lady plushy from her things and threw it in Mai's direction. "There were three of them, one for each Sister, but I didn't have enough money to get them all for you. Sorry."

Mai smiled. "That's all right, Jessie. It's the thought that counts. Besides, this is my favorite Harpie of them all." She squeezed the pink-haired Sister in her arms.

Jessica rifled through her bag to find Mako's gift and threw it at his face. "It's a Great White plushy to go with your yacht. Since you're not allowed to have fish in the house, I thought I'd get ya one that'll never stink. He was hard to get, so you'd better appreciate it, sir."

Mako tackled her and gave her a noogie. "Thanks for thinking about me, squirt."

"Hey! You're messing up my wig!" Jessica complained, swatting him away. She glanced at Carrie with a sneaky look on her face as her hand disappeared into her bag once again. "The one I got for you cost me the most, but I think it was worth it, dear sister. It is, after all, the Monster you used to win most of your duels in Battle City." As her hand emerged from the bowels of her belongings, out came a long crimson plushy form of Uria. Jessica wrapped it around Carrie's arm so the face was looking right up at her. "Your favorite Dragon is now adorable enough to hug and not ferocious enough to hurt a fly. I think it's an improvement from the real thing."

Carrie heard Uria grumble from within her mind and had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. "Thank you."

"No problem," Jessica said, zipping her bag back up. "The rest of the stuff in here is for me…Except one thing is for Mokuba to repay him for doing our schoolwork for us. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get this makeup off my face and return to normal clothes. Being in cosplay is fun and all, but there's only so much a girl can take. Come on, Serenity. To the bathroom with us."

"I'll put your things in your rooms," Carrie offered as the younger girls stood. "And I'll get your clothes, too. You know, save you the trip."

Jessica gave her an odd look. "That's…generous of you, Carrie."

Her dark-haired sister passed over her duffel bag, and Serenity did the same. They went their separate ways to two different bathrooms in order to clean up. Mai took the dirty clothes from the bags into the laundry room, leaving only the things the girls had bought while in Kyoto. Carrie hurried upstairs to put their things away and get clothes for them to change into, not even glancing at Ramla as she did so. There was no need. Ramla knew what her appearance meant. Jessica was home, and the truth would be revealed soon.

_And Jessie will be mad at me, _Carrie thought sadly.

"You don't know that," Yami pointed out, walking beside her as she made her way to the bathroom that Serenity was in.

_I know how Jessie reacts to certain things. Trust me, she'll be pissed, _Carrie stated as she slipped inside the bathroom just long enough to set Serenity's clothes on the toilet lid. _Being the last one to know things does not bode well with her. She'll be full of angry questions, demanding to know why I never told her but I've told others that have known me for a shorter amount of time. All I have to respond to that would be I was trying to protect her, and that won't go over well with her, either._

"She might understand better than you think. Ramla will be there, too," Yami remarked.

_Actually, I think that might make me look worse. It'll make it look like the only reason I'm telling her the truth is because her first life was gonna do it, anyway,_ Carrie pointed out as she slid into the other bathroom to put Jessica's clothes on the toilet lid before leaving again. _Let's face it, Yami. She's gonna be mad no matter what. I have failed her as a sister by not being honest with her from the beginning. I should have told her all of this while I was finding out about it. But I didn't and now I'm going to suffer the consequences for such insolence._

"Don't you think you're being a bit hard on yourself?" Yami asked, concerned.

Carrie shook her head. _No. If anything, I'm being too easy._ _I deserve the worst Jessica can dish out for me and then some. I'm not worthy of anything anymore._

A tear slipped out from under Carrie's eye as she continued on her way back up to Jessica's room, hitting the stairs and falling to pieces in resemblance to Carrie's strength. At last, she was allowing herself to be human, to feel the pain that she had held back for so long. Pain that had been forgotten while she was sick came anew, flooding through her with a current that would not be stopped. She tripped over the top step and fell on her face, but did not attempt to get up. She just laid there and cried silently to herself with Yami kneeling beside her, unable to help her in this form. He rested a hand on the small of her back to let her know she was not in this alone.

"Stand, Carrie," Ramla commanded, standing in front of them in her true form. "I know you are afraid and you are in pain, but now is not the time to break down. Your sister needs you. You need your sister. Arise."

Carrie didn't even lift her head—rather, she buried her face into her arm so no one would see her crying. Yami glared at Ramla vehemently, wondering who she was to boss a hurting girl around.

"There is no need for anger, Pharaoh. I may seem to be bossing her around, but in truth I am trying to help her. She must learn to put the pain in the past and forget what she does not wish to remember. If she cannot do that now, then she shall never be able to do it and she shall always remain the shell of the girl she once was. You do not want that, do you? Carrie must be able to let the past go, no matter how hard that may seem," Ramla stated.

Yami looked away from the other spirit and turned his attention back to the crumpled girl on the floor. "Come on, Carrie," he whispered. "We have something to correct. You can stand, I know you can. Just…Let it go for now, okay?"

**You look pathetic right now. Get your sorry ass off the floor, **Mirage grumbled.

_I don't wanna cry...I don't need to cry, _Carrie thought to herself, not caring if her thoughts leaked to the others. These words were for her own strength. _I may not be worthy of anything right now...but someone thinks I am. She may hate me after she finds out all that I've kept hidden from her...but I...I need to go through with it. For Jessica's sake as much as my own...I have to be...somewhat strong. _She pushed up with her arms and got her legs under her slowly, as if she was learning to stand for the very first time. _I can't let the past hold me down. I'll never get anywhere that way. It may hurt when I remember the bad things, but that shouldn't affect my present. Not this much, anyway. _Carrie pushed herself to the upright position, wobbling just a bit but able to keep her balance. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, biting her cheek to stop them from flowing anymore. _I have to learn to be strong..._

"You don't need to learn something that you already are," Ramla commented. "Carrie, you are stronger than you think."

Carrie managed a tearful smile at that. "Someone else told me that just yesterday."

"And they were right. But what we see in you matters nothing unless you can see it within yourself," Ramla told her. She walked towards Jessica's door, beckoning for the blonde and Yami to follow. "In time, I believe you shall."

"Time? I've only got a year until the darkness that threatened the world in Yami's time comes back to threaten it again. I don't think I have time to learn about myself in a year. Who knows what could happen between now and then? The world could be in danger every day that passes and I'll be spending every moment fighting off some stupid jerk that thinks they're the biggest badass to walk this planet," Carrie pointed out, following her into the room. "I don't have any time to spare."

"Nonsense. You have nothing to worry about. Only two evildoers show themselves before you must face the darkness from my time, and they're plenty of time apart," Ramla assured her.

"I thought you weren't supposed to reveal the future," Yami grumbled with crossed arms.

"What I said is vague enough that she shall not know who they are or when they shall come," Ramla countered.

"Carrie? Are you in my room?" Jessica demanded from the hall.

"…If I answer yes, will you kill me?" Carrie asked.

"I just might!" Jessica snapped, throwing open her door with an unhappy expression on her face, water flying from her wet hair onto her sister. "How many times have I told you not to be in my room unless you need to be? I bet you went through my stuff, didn't you? You don't trust me and now you're trying to make me into the bad guy! Why don't you ever listen to me? Is it because I'm one of the youngest people in this house? Huh? Is that it? Well, I matter just as much as anyone else, and you're gonna hafta start respecting me! I'm almost an adult!"

The blonde smiled despite being yelled at so vehemently. "…I know that, Jessie. That's why I'm here…Because I have to be. It's time to tell you the truth that I've kept hidden from you for so long. And she's here to help me."

"What gibberish are you talking about now?" Jessica wanted to know as she looked right at Ramla. "That's just a mirror showing my reflection, you dumb blonde!"

"You're here to help me, not the other way around," Ramla remarked, crossing her arms before turning her gaze to Jessica. "And there is no mirror here, Jessica West. You should see that, considering I am significantly taller and darker than you. Also, I am a bit more showy than you are in terms of clothes."

Jessica's jaw dropped. "Holy shit! Who the hell are you? And what are you doing in my room? And why in God's name do you look so much like me?"

Ramla groaned. "Such a wicked tongue on this one! I am Ramla of ancient Egypt, your first of four lives. And for your information, _I_ do not look like _you_. _You_ look like _me_. I came way before you. Try five thousand years before you. And didn't anyone ever tell you not to take your lord's name in vain? Ra, what have they been teaching the youth of these times?"

"I thought you said not to take your lord's name in vain," Jessica shot back.

"I did not come here to argue with myself," Ramla said through clenched teeth. "Jessica Ann West, do not try my patience. I wanted to tell you who you really are, and your sister was willing to help by coming clean on all that she has hidden from you since before you moved to this city. You do not need to talk—you only need to listen. I suggest you follow my advice before I am forced to become violent."

Jessica snorted. "You don't scare me."

Ramla's eyes glowed. "Oh, don't I?"

"Everyone, calm your crap down," Carrie ordered, trying to keep the peace.

"Shut up, Carrie!" Jessica snapped at the same time Ramla muttered, "Be silent."

Carrie sweat-dropped. _This is not going well..._

* * *

The blonde girl was unsure of how it happened, but somehow it all came out. Ramla and Jessica had managed to put aside their differences, and though they continued to glare at each other and talk through clenched teeth, all that Jessica needed to know came out. Carrie was able to speak without being told to shut up or be silent, still afraid that Jessica would get pissed but knowing it had to come out. Her little sister surprised her by holding her tongue and keeping calm. Maybe Yami had been right after all. Maybe Jessica did understand why Carrie had kept it all a secret for so long—to protect her, or at least try to protect her.

"So can I see your dead boyfriend?" Jessica asked when everything that could be said was said.

Carrie hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Sure. But please don't ruin him. I love him and I don't want you to hurt him and scare him off. I just got him back yesterday."

Jessica smiled. "I promise not to break your boyfriend."

"Somehow, I don't believe you," Carrie remarked as she slipped the Puzzle from around her neck and handed it over to her little sister. "Just don't be too surprised when you see him. I already warned you about who he looks like and why."

"Yeah, yeah. I know, I know," Jessica muttered, placing the Puzzle around her neck. Her pink eyes widened in surprise. "Holy shit! You weren't kidding when you said he looks like an older version of Yugi!" She let out a long whistle. "I see why you fell for him. He is a hot, sexy thing, isn't he?"

"All right, you give me that back now!" Carrie ordered, lunging for her Puzzle.

Jessica side-stepped her, causing her older sister to fall on her face. "You know I'm just playing around with you. I do think your boyfriend Dark is hot and sexy, but I've already got my heart set on another person. You know, someone who's _alive_ and doesn't look like an older version of my best friend." She removed the chain from her neck and held the Puzzle out for Carrie to take. "You don't need to worry about me trying to steal him from you. He's all yours. Just know that sex for you two will be very difficult, considering the circumstances."

"You are a bit young to be speaking of sexual intercourse," Ramla put in, displeased by the foul language coming from her fourth life's mouth. "I pray that you are still a virgin."

"She is," Carrie assured the seer as she took the Puzzle from her sister and got off the floor. "And so am I. Only one boy even looks at her and they're just friends. All kinds of boys look at me, but I'm only interested in a spirit. I swore I wouldn't do it until I turned eighteen so my life doesn't get ruined by the chance of a pregnancy that results with ghost-babies."

Ramla blinked. "You're…"

"That time doesn't count!" Carrie snapped, feeling the tears rise in her eyes again. "I was forced into it against my will after Carl destroyed me! I was powerless to fight him off! He may have violated me, but I will never, EVER count that as my first time! All right? Good! Glad we cleared that up!"

Jessica put her hands on her hips and glared at Ramla while Carrie curled into a ball on the floor. "Nice going, moron! Now you've hurt her and made her relive something she wants to forget! Some all-wise seer you are! Now me and Dark are gonna hafta make her feel better and who knows how long that'll take! You're so rude and stupid, you know that? You shouldn't have questioned her when she claimed to be a virgin! Look what you've done!"

Ramla lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to upset you…"

"You may not have meant to do it, but it happened. Carrie is still fragile when it comes to such a subject," Yami explained in a nicer tone, though he was no less angry than Jessica at Ramla for bringing up what Carl had done. "You must understand that what happened that night was very painful for her. Carl West, the man that was supposed to be her father, attacked her and left her helpless in that alley before he had his way with her to hurt her further. Even though that happened some time ago, she was unable to cope with the pain until recently. It is still a fresh wound on her heart, one that should be left alone until it heals completely."

"Pharaoh, I…I did not mean any of this. I just came here to see Jessica and reveal the truth to her. I did not want to upset you, my Pharaoh, or Iris reincarnate. Please, forgive me for my ignorance," Ramla pleaded, sounding genuinely apologetic.

"You've done what you came to do. I know that I am supposed to help my sister defeat Zork the Dark One whenever he decides to show his ugly ass in this world again. Your task is complete. Now get your ass outta here and back to the afterlife before I kick it there," Jessica growled.

Ramla looked at Yami. "Is…Is this what you wish of me, Pharaoh?"

"It is," Yami replied.

The seer bowed her head. "As you wish, my Pharaoh. I shall leave now. Please…Take good care of Carrie. She is our only chance to defeat the darkness and save the world. I do not want to be the reason that she fails."

Then Ramla faded from their sight, disappearing in an unnatural breeze to return to the afterlife where she belonged. Jessica let out her breath bitterly and pulled her sister off the floor, letting the blonde collapse into her arms. Carrie's tears fell down her face onto Jessica, but she didn't care. Her big sister needed her now…Jessica had never had the chance to be there for her before because Carrie never let anyone see her cry. She always kept her emotions hidden to give the illusion that she was invincible. But that was all it had been…An illusion. Her big sister was just as human as anyone else and she did cry. She was still strong, but her true strength was in knowing her weaknesses and letting herself give into them.

"Dark, you'd better never hurt her so that she looks like this," Jessica said, looking right at him—the Puzzle was touching her arm—with a less-than-pleasant glare. "If you do, you'd better run as fast as you can cuz once I get my hands on you, you'll regret ever being born."

"There is no need for threats. I swear on the fate of the world that I shall never hurt Carrie," Yami told her with a small smile, his hand on Carrie's back once again.

Jessica smiled. "Thank you, Dark. Carrie was so lucky to get you into her life. Without you, we would never have gotten out of that hellhole. You've done so much for her, for us. I don't know how I'll ever repay you. I just…wanna thank you for loving her and showing her what love is. You're the greatest dead man in the world, you know that?"

"I do now," Yami replied, grinning.

"Don't you ever leave us. Don't you ever leave her," Jessica whispered as she leaned over and hugged him, too. It was awkward since they had a weeping blonde between them and he was a spirit, but he felt genuinely touched by Jessica's words. He had never expected Carrie's little sister to warm up so quickly to him. It just wasn't in the little girl's nature. But he couldn't say he wasn't glad for it.

He just had to make sure he didn't ever hurt Carrie…

Or he was a dead spirit.

* * *

_A/N: Short chapter. But it covered what I wanted it to, so I guess that's okay. Next chapter, we shall jump ahead to where our heroes are out of school for the summer and Joey has to...be a daddy! Oh joy! Anyway, please review and thanks for reading!_


	57. 57 - Joey's Caretaker Days

_A/N: Another chapter already? Sheesh, I have no life. I am gonna have to put aside some time to work on my summer English project. It's a three-part project over **The Scarlet Letter**. I've read only the first two chapters of that book so far—I've been out of school since May 28. It's boring and makes absolutely no sense. But anyway, here's this awesome chapter! Please read on and enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 57

Joey tossed and turned in his bed, deep in sleep and dreaming about his two favorite things—food and girls. He mumbled incoherent things as he slept relating to those wet dreams of his. And he didn't have anything to worry about because he was on his summer break. Late nights resulted in sleeping in until noon. These were his favorite days and nights…He couldn't wait until the next school year was done with. This would be his life every day once he graduated.

A figure cloaked in shadows materialized in his room. It was Carrie's Matron-Watcher, come to retrieve the Matron-babies' caretaker. She approached his bedside, purposely ignoring what he murmured because it involved the fantasies of a teenage boy and were therefore inappropriate. She placed a hand on Joey's shoulder. He jerked in his sleep but otherwise didn't acknowledge that anything had changed.

"_Joseph Wheeler," _the Matron whispered. _"It's time to get up. You have a duty to the Matrons to fulfill. Arise, child."_

The blonde boy turned his back on her. "…Five more minutes, Mom…"

The Matron put her hands on her hips. _"I am not your mother, Joseph. And your duty cannot be postponed for five more minutes. Get up before I force you to get up."_

"Use force on me, Mai babe," Joey muttered into his pillow.

"_You leave Me no choice, sir," _the Matron grumbled. She raised her hand, making the bed levitate, and turned it upside down to deposit Joey onto the floor. He landed on his back sort of hard—he moaned and opened his eyes just in time to see his pillows and mattress coming straight for his face. He cried out in alarm, curling up into a ball in self-defense. The Matron stopped those things from falling on him and returned his bed to the upright position floating above him. _"Joseph, it's time."_

"Nyeh?" Joey uncurled himself and glanced up at her. "Hey, you're that Matron lady I saw when I was sleeping over at Carrie's. So that wasn't just a crazy dream. I guess it's time for me to take care of the kids, huh?"

The Matron nodded once. _"But you shall not raise Them here. It would cause too many questions from your father and anyone else that comes around. I have created a home not too far from here for you and the babies to live in until They are adults. Your friends may help you if you wish, but be careful who you let around Them. People like Seto Kaiba could be hazardous to Their health. After They reach a certain age, They should become resistant to the ailing affects of dark human hearts."_

Joey quirked an eyebrow. "I thought you told me that no Matron was unaffected by dark hearts. Dark hearts are fatal to your kind, right?"

"_That is correct for those of Us that survived this drastic change in humans, but with the aid of the Duel Monster Spirits that shall not be the case again," _the Matron explained. _"They cast spells on Our unborn to help Them become resistant. This is a spell that can never be undone and shall pass on through the generations. Matrons shall never have to fear dark hearts ever again. Then We can cleanse the earth of the darkness and return to perfecting Our duties once more."_ Her dark eyes focused on Joey. _"Get dressed, Joseph. The children await you."_

The blonde boy got to his feet and moved over to his dresser, the bed dropping back to the floor behind him. It didn't take him long to change into what he would wear in the day, though he felt awkward changing in front of a woman even if she was older than him and a spirit of sorts. A white muscle shirt and green shorts and he was set. He slipped into his socks and sneakers before asking if he should bring anything since he was going to be gone for two whole months.

The purple-haired Matron shook her head. _"Everything you shall need is at your home. You shall not need to return here until the children have become adults. When that time comes, all of your possessions shall return to this place, the house will disappear, and your life will return to normal."_

"What about Dad?" Joey asked.

"_I have covered that as well. He shall think you received a job as a babysitter for a couple that is out of town for the summer. And as you know, your father will just be glad to not have another mouth to feed. He is a bit stuck on himself, isn't he?" _the Matron remarked with a pitying look. _"Do not worry, Joseph. Your father's heart is not bad. He is just going through the motions, trying to figure out who he is again. He shall be good again soon, I promise."_

"Well, if you say so then it must be true," Joey said with a smile. "Take me to my summer job, Oh mighty Matron."

"_You may regret those words," _the Matron murmured, smiling.

She led him out of the house through his bedroom window, using her powers to ensure his safety and that there would be no sign of their having been there. They walked the streets side-by-side in the dark of the night. Joey was fighting off his fatigue, regretting that he had stayed up until midnight watching TV. It was only four in the morning. How was he going to have the patience to take care of six Matron-babies when he was tired?

He focused on the Matron in front of him to keep from falling asleep. She stood over him at seven feet with long curly purple hair framing her face and hanging loosely around her shoulders. She was as pale as she was beautiful, in contrast to her dark pupil-less eyes. The shadows she so often seemed to be cloaked in were just the cape she wore around her shoulders, a ratty old thing that had seen better days. She wore a violet dress with no sleeves that cut off just above her knees with a stylish black belt wrapped around her waist. Purple high-heeled sandal-like dress shoes were on her feet, but they didn't make a sound as she walked on the sidewalk. Seeing her in the moonlight proved her to be something more than human, for the lights of the street and the moon passed right through her, making her look see-through.

_She really is a spirit, _Joey thought. _A beautiful one, but still a spirit. And she bounced back from her pregnancy real quick. There's not one sign that she even had a kid. Must be the magic of being a Matron._

His new home appeared out of nowhere and looked as if it was neither in this world or the next. The building seemed to be as solid as the Matron, which was to say not very solid at all. She turned the doorknob of the house and moved inside, disappearing like the ghost she was. After only a moment's hesitation, Joey decided to follow her, closing the eerie door behind him.

The house was more solid-looking from the inside, but then again so was the Matron. Her shoes actually made noise as she walked in this place, telling him exactly where she was even though he lost track of her pretty quickly. He heard crying down the hall. It was more than one baby could make on its own. He found himself walking in that direction which led to the only open door in the house. He peeked inside.

Along the wall were seven bassinets, each holding a Matron-baby inside. The Matron was holding one and patting it soothingly on the back to stop its crying. Joey figured he should help and walked toward the nearest bassinet. It held a red-haired baby girl that looked to be at least nine months old with big crystal blue eyes. Her crying ceased when he carefully picked her up and cradled her in his arms. She ended up falling asleep moments later, soothed just by his presence. He wondered at it as he placed her back where she belonged.

"They sense your good heart and are calmed by it," the Matron stated as her own child fell back to sleep along with the others. "I was right to choose you for this task."

"I thought you said only six female Matrons were pregnant," Joey said as they left the nursery, closing the door silently behind them.

"There were. One of Us had twins," the Matron told him.

"I know you said they would age fast, but I didn't expect them to look so…you know, when they're just newborns," Joey remarked.

"Yes, it is a shame that We grow so fast. They were all birthed just yesterday, and in human terms They look to be almost a year old. I will be unable to watch Them grow as I must return to the other Matrons, but I shall check up on you whenever I can," the Matron assured them. She pulled a wallet out of thin air and passed it over to him. "Whenever you need to purchase something, just look inside of this. The amount that you need shall be there. And if it is stolen, the thief will be unable to gain anything from it and it shall return to you. Also, feel free to give the children names. We do not give names to Our kind because We can recognize each other without them. The only reason We have the title of Matrons is because a human bestowed it upon Us. To set Them apart, you can do the same for the children."

"All right, Violet. I'll give them names," Joey commented with a grin.

The Matron smiled. "Are you giving me a name now, too, Joseph?"

"It sure seems that way, doesn't it, Violet?" Joey teased.

"I'm fine with you calling Me that name due to the color I wear, but I hope you do not name all of My kind based on a color. That might arouse questions and odd glances," Violet pointed out.

"I'll be more creative than that, I promise. Just gimme time and I'll have the perfect name for each of these spirit babies. And you don't need to worry. Joey Wheeler will take excellent care of these little guys. My friends got my back just in case I have no idea what I'm doing, too. You'll be begging me to raise all ya kids from here on," Joey boasted.

Violet laughed. "We shall see, child." She gestured across the hall. "That's your new bedroom. I suggest you get some sleep before They wake up again. It might be the last bit of sleep you get for awhile."

"You don't have to say that twice. I remember when my parents brought home Serenity. True, I was just a couple of years old, but her crying kept me up and left me crying. The whole house was full of crying all night for the first three months…I really don't think anyone got any sleep unless it was during the day," Joey recalled with a cringe. "Well, goodnight and see ya later. I'm a gonna get me some Z's before the sun shows up. Take care, Violet."

"You as well, Joey," Violet murmured as she watched Joey walk off into his new bedroom and pass into unconsciousness on the bed. "And welcome to parenthood."

* * *

He awoke at eight to the smell of stinky and the blare of babies. With a groan, he rolled onto his back and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. With great reluctance he got out of the bed and walked across the hall to the nursery. All of the Matron-babies were up with tears in their eyes and a saggy diaper. Joey knew already this was too big a job for just him, but he didn't want to bother anyone at this time of morning just for smelly diapers. He would just have to tackle this one baby at a time.

Joey took the baby out of the first bassinet, a baby he would call MB-1 until he could figure out a name for it. This one had a full head of dark green curly hair and dark eyes, and as the blonde shortly found out, it was a boy. He changed the diaper of MB-1 quickly, making sure there wouldn't be a rash, and wished he had no nose all the while. The baby smiled at him, glad to not be carrying a load anymore.

Then it was on to MB-2, a platinum blonde girl with bubblegum pink eyes. She only wet her diaper, so she was a fast change to happiness…or so it seemed. While he was putting on a clean diaper, she…

"Oh, eww!" Joey exclaimed, plugging his nose with his free hand. "Why couldn't you have done that before I started changing you?"

MB-2 responded by giggling and farting in his face.

MB-3 and MB-4 were the twins and much cleaner than MB-2 had been. They were both boys with magenta hair and silver eyes and tanned skin—Joey could tell already he was going to confuse them. While changing them, he decided to wrap different colored hair bands around their ankles to tell them apart.

MB-5 was the little red-haired girl he had held earlier. She fell silent as soon as she saw him coming to her bassinet and gave him a big smile, making him feel a bit better after doing so much dirty work. She held perfectly still while he dealt with her mess, choosing to look at an interesting thing on the ceiling instead of his cringing face. Joey could tell already that he was going to like this one.

MB-6 was an indigo-haired, amber-eyed brown-skinned girl that just wanted to blow his ears out if he didn't have at least one hand on her at all times. Her nice brown surprise was made even nicer because he could only use one hand to take care of it. A name already came to him for her—Siren.

MB-7 was the last in line and he certainly was a crier. He had short sky blue hair and orange eyes full of tears. As soon as Joey opened his diaper, pee projected out so fast that Joey was barely quick enough to dodge the foul liquid. He grabbed the wastebasket to catch the rest of it before the urine could fully ruin the room's odor and waited until he was sure MB-7 was done before getting back off the floor. He groaned while he finished changing the boy, not looking forward to having to get that stain off the wall and floor.

"Maybe I should just call ya Hose," Joey muttered, carrying the boy back to his bassinet. "It would make sense…but when you get older you might take it as an insult. Gun would probably be a better fit, cuz guns shoot just like hoses…but your aim is definitely off or else you would have gotten me soiled."

The boy took that as a challenge and spit up all over Joey's face.

"Ugh…Gun it is," the blonde grumbled, placing the baby in its bed.

* * *

Joey managed to take a quick shower before the babies were in need of something again. It was time for their breakfast and his, though obviously theirs was more important. He wasn't even going to try to do this all on his own. He'd learned better during the diaper change. So while he was moving them into their high chairs, he whipped out his cell phone and called up Tristan.

"Yo, bro. It's me," Joey greeted.

"Hey, where are you? We were supposed to meet up at the beach. Everyone's waiting for you. Did you sleep in again and you need a lift?" Tristan asked.

"No, that's not it. I'm a little tied up right now with a job someone gave me," Joey replied as MB-2 started pulling on his hair, not wanting to sit still. "Ow! Now you stop that, little missy! Joey's hair isn't a toy!"

"Who are you talking to?" Tristan wanted to know.

"A baby girl who's being very naughty," Joey said.

"Whoa…You're _babysitting_?"

"Yeah, but not by my choice completely. This lady came to me a couple weeks ago while we were at Carrie's sleeping over and she asked me if I would take care of some children for the next two months. Well, she didn't _ask_ me…Rather, she _told_ me to do it. And she wasn't human and neither are these kids. They're called Matrons. They age pretty quickly according to Violet…That's the lady that brought me to them. Matrons don't have names so I gave one to her. But this is no walk in the park. There are seven of them and only one of me. I'm completely outnumbered and I need a hand before they spit up on me again," Joey explained, sitting MB-3 in his chair.

Tristan laughed on the other end. "Guys, you're not gonna believe what Joey just told me!"

"Hey, don't mock me!" Joey exclaimed while Tristan mockingly told the others what he had said.

"He's not lying or playing around, Tristan," Carrie's voice remarked from the other end. "Matrons are real and they are endangered. I was told so by Dark Magician Lady the day after Joey met my Matron, the one he calls Violet. Those kids he's babysitting are very important. We should go over there to help him."

"Hah! See? Carrie knows I'm telling the truth!" Joey boasted.

"I don't know…This all seems kinda crazy," Tea piped in.

"Oh, so you find Matrons to be crazy but you can believe in the Millennium Items and the magic that came from Yami's time?" Mai countered. "Look, I know Joey can be a bit out there sometimes, but I really don't think he's lying about this. He never would have been able to convince Carrie to lie with him, either. Violet and these seven little babes need his help and as his friends we should be helping him. So stop questioning whether he's telling the truth and just believe him already."

"You tell 'em, Mai!" Joey cheered as he placed MB-4 in his high chair.

"Just as long as none of those kids are his, I'm all for pitching in," Mai stated.

_Wait. She thinks I might have kids? Oh, what kinda world is this when your friends don't think you're a virgin? And even if I wasn't, I would so practice safe sex, _Joey thought as MB-5 was put in her seat.

"All right, all right," Tristan grumbled. "We'll be on our way, man. Just tell us where you are and we'll be there as quickly as possible."

"We're on the far side of town not too far from my place. Just look for a house that doesn't really look like it's there. It's just like the Matrons, somewhere in between this world and another. Only the Matrons are completely solid in here and so am I," Joey told him, putting Siren in her high chair and turning around to get Gun.

"A house that's not completely there…Got it," Tristan muttered, sounding cynical at first but immediately changing his tone as to not arouse anyone's anger.

"See ya soon, Tristan," Joey mumbled, hanging up the phone and sighing. "Now to hold ya guys off until the cavalry arrives…Ow! Siren, not you, too! Joey's hair is not something for tugging!"

Siren just giggled something incoherent with an angry expression on her face and pulled harder on his hair.

* * *

The gang arrived ten minutes later, and not a moment too soon. Joey rushed to the door when someone hesitantly knocked and flung it open, looking exasperated already.

"Thank Kami you guys are here!" he exclaimed. "I need seven of you to feed them while the rest of us clean up the messes they've been making since this morning. Don't worry; I'll clean up the big ones. But I seriously need some help before they end up making me bald!"

"The stress getting to you already?" Duke taunted.

"It's not that. It's that they like pulling on my hair," Joey clarified. "So if you got long hair, beware! It's gonna get pulled painfully. And there's no escaping it."

He led them into the dining room where the seven babies were seated and a huge mess had formed. MB-3 and MB-4 had grown bored and grabbed things off the kitchen counters to throw at Joey, which he barely managed to dodge. Siren had started wailing without crying, demanding attention. Gun was not about to be left out. He started throwing silverware at Joey with accuracy that wasn't natural. The poor blonde had only just managed to get the last fork out of his arm before his friends came to help him. MB-2 had chunks of his hair in her hands, delighted. Only MB-1 and MB-5 were well-behaved even during boredom.

"Holy shit. Did a war break out in here?" Jessica asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, and I was the opposition," Joey replied.

"…So…Who wants to feed the little monsters?" Tristan asked.

Serenity slapped his arm. "They're not monsters, Tristan. They're just overactive babies that need to be taken care of just like every other baby in this world. I'll gladly help my big brother take care of them. They're just so cute with the big pupil-less eyes and adorable little smiles. Oh, I could just squeeze them to death."

"Don't let Violet hear ya say that," Joey muttered, finding the baby food in the cabinet and grabbing seven jars. He removed seven spoons from the drawer—seven that remained after Gun got done with throwing silverware—and placed them on the table. "We need to feed them and clean this place up. Here's their food and there are bottles in the fridge. Ya might want to warm them up before you give them to the kids, though. I've got a pee mess to clean up in their nursery before it sets anymore. You can thank Gun for that." He jerked his thumb in the direction of the blue-haired boy in contempt.

"Have you named them all?" Tea wanted to know.

"Nah. I'm nowhere near having names for all of them. But I named Gun for his liking of shooting things around, including pee and silverware, and Siren there," he said, now pointing at the indigo-haired girl that was still wailing, "for her big mouth. I know babies are supposed to cry and all, but man. She tops them all. If ya find a name for the others, run it by me first since I'm gonna be taking care of them for the next two months." Joey sighed. "There goes my summer vacation."

"Well, I think it was very responsible of you to take on such a daunting task. It'll help you prepare for your future when you have kids," Mai remarked, grabbing a jar of baby food and popping the top off. "If you can handle seven babies at once, you can handle the responsibilities that real parenthood will throw at you. And it's not like you'll be in this alone. I'll always be around to help you whenever I'm not at work. You can at least count on me."

"That goes for me, too," Carrie put in, following in her friend's footsteps.

"And me," Mako concurred, grabbing another jar of baby food.

"You don't even have to ask me, Big Brother. As your sister, your responsibilities are mine, too," Serenity told him as she grabbed a jar as well.

"I'll help out," both Tristan and Duke shouted, tripping over each other in their sudden hurry to 'feed the monsters' as the former had so put it.

"You can always count on your friends to be here for you," Tea said, taking the last jar of baby food and approaching Gun to feed him.

Joey grinned. "Thanks, guys. You're the best."

"Me and Mokuba will take care of the mess in here," Jessica commented. "You and Yugi can go wash pee out of the carpet and off the wall."

"Nah. Yugi doesn't hafta do that. It's a real stinky job that I wouldn't make any of my friends do. It's my job to clean up that mess," Joey stated.

"Well, the work would go much faster if I helped you," Yugi pointed out.

"Yeah, and it would stop the smell from leaking out here if it was taken care of now!" Jessica rudely remarked, shoving the boys out of the kitchen/dining room. "So get to work before this whole house starts reeking to the high heavens!"

"Sheesh, she's pushy," Joey grumbled. "I hope she realizes that she pushed someone that hasn't had breakfast yet and a person that's really cranky and that both of those people are me. She's lucky that I don't hit ladies."

"You could go eat something while I start cleaning," Yugi offered.

"Nah, I'd probably end up puking it all up if I caught a whiff of that pee. It's better to hold off until everything's back to the way it was this morning. Don't ya worry, Yugi. I'll be fine," Joey assured him as they came to the closed door that led to the nursery. "Ya might wanna brace yourself for the smell, though. Wouldn't want my best friend to get sick…"

He pushed the door open and immediately the boys gagged, wondering how one baby's urine could smell so terrible. Joey blamed it on Gun being something more than human and was the first to move into the room. Yugi quickly followed, closing the door behind him so the stench wouldn't leak out anymore. The blonde had managed to get buckets of soapy water, sponges, and rubber gloves in there during those ten minutes of war with the Matron-babies. He put those rubber gloves on now with his best friend, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible. They grabbed soapy sponges and attacked the wall that Gun had…marked with his scent, in a matter of speaking.

_And to think, I've got two months of this to go through, _Joey thought bitterly.

* * *

_A/N: Day one of Joey playing the role of a father! It's not going all that well for him, is it? Well, at least his friends are there for him whenever he needs them, whether it's for a children's card game or a task like this one. Well, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day!_


	58. 58 - Matron-Children

_A/N: Another chapter already? I really have no life, do I? Well, anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 58

"Joey!" Siren exclaimed, running into his bedroom with her friends and pouncing on the sleeping blonde. "Wake up! Wake up! You've been sleeping since last night!"

The blonde boy groaned and rolled over to glance at the clock. "It's only seven thirty… I've hardly had seven hours of sleep…"

"You can sleep when you're dead," Gun claimed, launching a paper wad from a slingshot at his caretaker's head.

The red-haired girl thrust her hand out to stop the paper wad in midair. "You leave Joey alone. He's a good boy that is taking care of us. He should get to sleep in as late as he wants for all that he has done for us."

Gun turned his slingshot on her and hit her square in the forehead. "Oh, shut up, Rose. Everyone knows you're a suck-up. You've been that way ever since you were born. The moment you saw him you started sucking up. Why don't ya just marry him?"

"Cuz she's four, that's why," the platinum blonde girl pointed out.

"No one asked for your input, Glimmer," the green-haired boy muttered, on Rose's side.

Glimmer pouted and crossed her arms. "Well, I didn't hear anyone ask for yours, either, Jaden."

"It's just cuz his mom is in charge that he thinks he can boss us around," the twins said.

"That's not it at all, Roxas and Axel! He's just tired of you being mean to us and to Joey!" Rose remarked.

"Yeah! What she said!" Siren agreed.

"All right, all right. Everyone calm down. I don't want to have to separate you again, but I will," Joey warned, sitting up to deal with the troublesome children. They all looked to be four now, but in reality they were only a couple of weeks old. Their aging so quickly kept throwing him off. He knew it would only get harder as time went on, too. "Gun, what have I told you about shooting people with paper wads?"

"To do it when you're not around," Gun grumbled.

"No. I said to not do it at all. Give me your slingshot," Joey ordered as he held out his hand to take the object.

Gun held it closer to his chest. "No. It's mine. I made it myself to cause you pain. I won't let you take it." The defiant little blue-haired boy even went so far as to stick his tongue out at Joey.

"If ya don't hand it over now, I'll hafta take away all your other toys like the last time you were bad. Remember what happened to your other toys when you got mad at me and sent knives flying into my nards? You don't want me to set your new toys on fire, do you? Violet said it was appropriate then. She'll allow it again, I bet," Joey challenged.

The boy scowled and threw the slingshot at Joey's feet. "You're evil."

"He knows you are, but what is he?" Jaden taunted.

Joey shoved the slingshot into a drawer before picking Siren up and holding her on his hip. "Let's all play nice from now on, okay? I don't like being the bad guy. I'm the goofy guy who likes to have fun. This task that Violet gave me doesn't give me much chance to be that goof, especially since a lot of you are so mean to me and to your fellow Matrons. You can't be mean. It's meanness that hurts people. Ya gotta be nice, cuz it's your job to be nice. Okay? Now who wants to go to the park to play with my friends today?"

"I do!" Siren blared, deafening Joey for a few seconds.

"Me!" Rose and Jaden chorused.

"Fine," Glimmer murmured, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

Roxas and Axel shrugged in response. Only Gun seemed to not want to go, but that was how he usually was. He left Joey wondering if his father was the infamous Seto Kaiba. If dark hearts weren't fatal to Matrons, he'd have no doubt about it.

"First I gotta feed ya guys and then get you ready for the day," Joey said. "Who wants Joey's famous chocolate chip pancakes?"

"You mean Eggo's famous chocolate chip pancakes, right?" Glimmer pointed out.

Joey anime-dropped. "Aw, Glimmer! You never let me have any fun! Why can't you let me have this one victory? They're just pancakes, and it's not like Eggo cooks them for you! That's what I do! Eggo only makes them!"

"Yes, but they do cook them, too. That's why it says pre-cooked on the box," Glimmer countered with a brilliant grin.

"Don't mind her, Joey. She just likes to make you look stupid," Rose remarked, slipping her little hand into his. "Come on. I really want some of your pancakes cuz I'm hungry and you make them taste really good. The Eggo company makes them, but only you can make them yummy by putting your love into them."

Joey smiled and purposely ignored Gun, Roxas, and Axel saying suck-up under fake coughing. There was a reason he had named this little girl Rose—it was because she was so sweet and willing to stand up for her beliefs no matter what. Her sweetness accompanied by a few thorns made her special, so special that even Gun had trouble combating against her in arguments, which was probably the reason he was so aggressive and physical in his fights.

Jaden slipped his hand into Rose's to make a chain, and the next thing Joey knew Siren wanted to be on the ground so she could be a part of it, too. Roxas and Axel got along with her despite how she was always hanging on a man they weren't too fond of, so they reluctantly clasped hands with her and each other. Glimmer joined in between the twins and Siren, thinking she was more important than they were and her happiness mattered more. Gun remained stubborn and refused to join. As expected. He was such a loner all the time.

The blonde led them out of his bedroom to the kitchen where the chain dispersed as the kids climbed into their seats. Joey went right to work on those pancakes, pulling the box from the freezer as he heated a pan up on the stove. He could just pop them in the microwave, but that would take away from the illusion that he was making these pancakes. Besides, there were some things that stovetop could do that zapping in a box just couldn't. He'd learned that over these past couple of weeks along with some other life lessons that money just couldn't buy.

A couple pancakes for each kid with glass of milk to start the day. He never introduced them to syrup in fear they would get really sticky, which forced him to drop his unhealthy habit of smothering his pancakes in the substance and made him eat them plain. He kept his eye on a choice few of the kids while he ate his breakfast, as those choice few were notorious for starting food fights. Gun was grumpy from having lost his slingshot and therefore was in no mood to start anything anymore. Roxas and Axel were too busy complaining about Rose to even think about throwing their food. And Glimmer just looked at her reflection in her now-empty plate, twirling a strand of hair around her finger absentmindedly as she did so.

Today was one of those days that could be peaceful or could be chaotic.

It all depended on how the cookie crumbled.

After breakfast it was time to get dressed. He helped them since they were still too young to dress themselves. Jaden wore a red polo and dark green plaid shorts with a white and red baseball cap and a pair of white Velcro shoes. Glimmer specifically chose her outfit and left no room for argument—a yellow sundress with matching dress shoes. Not practical for playing, but she didn't care because she just wanted to be pretty. Roxas and Axel dressed almost exactly the same—they had on the same exact pair of tan khaki shorts and black Velcro shoes. The only difference was that Roxas was wearing a black shirt and Axel was wearing a white one. Rose put her red hair into braided pigtails—by herself—with sky blue ribbon and chose to wear a matching dress, though unlike Glimmer, she was practical with her shoes and chose to put on white tennis shoes. Siren wanted a pink shirt and purple shorts with her sandals, so that's what she got. Gun just went with his grumpy wear—white shirt, dark shorts and shoes, and a fedora that Tristan in all his wisdom had gotten for the kid. He hid his eyes in the shadow of his fedora so he wouldn't have to see Joey anymore. The caretaker went off to his room to change into a green muscle shirt and brown shorts with his normal sneakers and was back before any fights could start.

They formed their chain again, only this time Gun had to join or else they couldn't go. The little grumpy kid tagged on to Axel, though he didn't look up once. People stopped and stared as they made their way to the park; they always did. It wasn't that the people saw they were different—something prevented these kids from looking see-through and the people never came close enough to notice they had no pupils. It was just odd to see a teenage boy with seven four-year-olds tagging along behind him. Some rude people had asked him if he ever kept his junk in his pants, resulting in an argument, while other nicer people asked him how much he charged for his babysitting service, resulting in him having to politely turn them down. Today no one came at him, and for that he was grateful. He didn't like having so much attention on him…ever.

The park was full of other kids with their parents, but even so Joey could spot his friends mixed in among them. Tristan was swinging on the only swing that didn't have a little kid while Duke pushed him, knowing that little grumpy Gun liked to swing more than anything. Yugi and Ryou were waiting on the titter-totter for Rose and Jaden. Serenity and Jessica were all over the monkey bars and jungle gym, waiting for Siren to come join them. Carrie, Mai, and Tea were working the merry-go-round, Axel and Roxas's favorite thing about the park. Mako was at the slide, which was the only thing Glimmer would ever do when she was here.

Joey watched the chain disperse again with a smile. He'd brought them here ever since they looked to be two, knowing that keeping them indoors would just bore them and figuring they should get out before it was too late. The Matron-kids hardly socialized, far too aware of how quickly they would change and not wanting to become attached to someone that would never understand what they were. But at least they got to have fun.

"You wanna get on this before we start it up?" Carrie asked as the merry-go-round became crowded with little kids. She, Mai, and Tea each had their hand on a bar, and when this thing was ready to start they would run to get that thing spinning.

"Oh, I don't know. Roxas and Axel don't like me that much," Joey murmured.

"Come on, Joey! Don't be a baby!" the twins chorused, and the other kids joined in.

"All right, all right! I guess I have no choice," Joey said as he climbed into the only open spot left. "Everybody hold on now. These girls don't go easy on the spinning. Last time I was on here, I got so sick and dizzy I couldn't stand for a whole hour. True story."

"Very true," Mai agreed. "Here we go, everyone!"

The girls started running and the merry-go-round started spinning very fast. The children shrieked in both delight and terror as they began to slide from their places. The girls let go when they believed the thing was going at a reasonable speed and began to watch for anyone slipping off the edge. Joey felt his stomach lurch and wondered why he had agreed to this again. Roxas and Axel started slipping towards the edge and he quickly grabbed their arms to ensure they wouldn't go too far. Then he remembered he had sat with one of the bars wrapped between his legs just seconds before he surged forward. He had to bite his tongue hard to keep from yelping, and even that didn't stop him from crying.

When the ride finally came to a stop, he fell off of it and cried in pain. The kids that had shrieked in terror were much too happy to find themselves still alive and ran off to play on something much safer. Those that remained cried to go again. Roxas and Axel climbed off to check on their caretaker. He forced a smile through the pain.

"Are you okay?" Axel wanted to know, kneeling next to him.

"Not exactly…," Joey admitted.

"What happened to you?" Roxas demanded.

"When you two started slipping, I let go of my hold to make sure you…wouldn't fall off …and then I slid into the pole nards first," Joey explained through clenched teeth. "Do you remember when…Glimmer got mad at you and kicked you in the bad spot? It hurt a lot…right? Well, that's what I'm feeling right now…"

Roxas's eyes widened. "Ow! I feel your pain, Joey. I really do. I'm sorry you got hurt trying to keep us safe. How 'bout we just go on and you sit out until your bad spot stops hurting, okay?"

Joey grimaced a grin. "No problem, Roxas. I'm probably not getting up for another half hour. You and your brother go have fun."

"Will do," Axel stated as he and Roxas ran back onto the merry-go-round. "Thanks for saving us, Joey, ya loser!"

"Ugh…You're welcome…I think," Joey grumbled as Mai walked over to him. "Ya do …something nice for 'em…and they thank ya by insulting ya. Well, that's better than them throwing things at me. Or attacking me. Or attacking me by throwing things."

"Come on, tough guy. It's time to get your butt out of the dirt," Mai said, offering her hand to help him up, which he took. "A swing's opened up next to Gun. You could go over there for awhile. You know, since swinging isn't as dangerous as riding on the merry-go-round when we get our hands on it."

"Nah, Gun's not too happy with me today. I had to take away his slingshot cuz he was hitting Rose with it. He hasn't said a word since," Joey told her.

"Well, you could always join Rose and Jaden on the titter-totter," Mai suggested.

Joey patted the dirt off his shorts and smiled. "Thanks, Mai. You have fun tormenting the little ones with speed. I'm just gonna enjoy the slow life of going up and down with kids that like me and a couple of friends."

He sat near the middle of their titter-totter, causing the thing to balance out since Yugi and Ryou weighed about the same and so did Rose and Jaden. Rose giggled and pointed excitedly at her caretaker from Yugi's lap, looking a little too happy to see him. They dismounted from their side carefully and she ran to hug his legs. Joey offered to take Yugi's place for awhile, but then Ryou suggested that Yugi join him and Jaden on their side. The more the merrier, as he so put it in his delightful British accent. They were small and light enough to all fit on their end, anyway.

"I'll never understand what you kids find so fun about this thing," Joey remarked as he pushed himself off the ground.

"That's cuz you're not a kid, Joey," Rose stated matter-of-factly. "You have to be our age to get it."

"Or close to our size. Yugi is old but he still gets it, and so does Ryou," Jaden put in from his side.

"Hey, don't pick on my friends just cuz they're height-impaired," Joey teased.

"It's not that we're height-impaired…It's just that we haven't hit puberty fully just yet and therefore we've not had our growth spurt," Ryou corrected.

"What's puberty?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, what's puberty?" Jaden chimed in.

"Uh…Well, it's…" Yugi trailed off.

"That's something you should ask us when you're older. It's more of an…adult… question centering around something that happens when you become a lousy teenager like us," Joey replied quickly. "Now let's drop it and never speak of it again. Okay?"

"Fine," Rose pouted, crossing her arms. "But with all the books we read in the library, we're gonna find out sooner or later and you'll have no choice but to tell us."

"Library?" Ryou quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Violet and the other Matrons thought it best that these little guys learn as much as they can before they become adults, so she put a library on the house. It's full of books, more than any human could read in a lifetime. But Matrons read really fast and really early. Just try to guess how many these kids have each read," Joey pressed.

"Ten?" Ryou shrugged.

"Two hundred?" Yugi didn't know, either.

"Wrong. They've read about seventy each, give or take a few, and they've only been able to read for a couple of weeks. The first week was infancy, so they couldn't exactly read then. But these last two weeks I've had a hard time pulling them away from the books. Coming to the park is the only thing that stops them from reading," Joey boasted.

"Wow…Seventy books. That's more than you've read in your lifetime," Yugi teased.

"If books were any good they'd be movies by now," was Joey's comeback.

"Not really, Joey. There are a few good ones that aren't movies cuz Hollywood can't make 'em right," Rose put in. "But I'm not gonna name them cuz you wouldn't know of them at all."

"Try me," Joey challenged.

"All right. Have you heard of _Labyrinth_?" Jaden asked.

"That's so a movie with David Bowie playing the Goblin King!" Joey remarked.

"Not that _Labyrinth_, silly. The book he's talking about is of two women from different times connected by this pendant thing that has a labyrinth on it. The lady in the book's present time is named Alice whereas the lady from the past is a variation of that name. It's a good book. You should read it sometime," Rose explained.

"But it doesn't have any rocker Goblin Kings in it. I think I'll stick to movies," Joey muttered.

"Fine. If you prefer seeing an old man in tight pants hitting on a teenage girl in a make-believe world to books, then that's your problem," Rose huffed, crossing her arms.

"She has a point about Jareth," Ryou said.

"Don't be angry at me, Rose. We just don't agree on movies and books. That's called an impasse. You can't hate me for my views on entertainment," Joey stated, tickling a smile onto Rose's face. "There's that smile we all know and love."

"Joey, you annoy me sometimes," Rose declared before hugging the crap out of him. "But I love you all the same."

The blonde returned the embrace. "I love ya, too, little bud."

* * *

Hours later he had them tucked away in their beds, most of them sleeping soundly as soon as their heads hit the pillows. Even grumpy Gun accepted a tuck-in despite who was giving it to him and muttered a goodnight in response to Joey's words. He silently closed the door to their room and walked into his room. He didn't even bother changing into his pajamas—he hardly ever did anymore. Taking care of seven kids made him too tired for even that. Joey couldn't wait to pass out on his bed and dream of his two favorite things.

But it was not to be just yet.

Standing in his room was Violet, her cape encompassing her and the hood pulled over her head. Joey was surprised to see her so soon. She had just visited last week to deal with Gun's misbehavior and check up on things; she had said she wouldn't return for another three weeks. Something had made her come sooner, something that wiped any happiness from her face only to replace it with seriousness. This left Joey worried.

"Joey, there is something I must tell you," Violet began, pulling the hood away from her head. "There is danger on the horizon of your future because of the Matrons in your care. It shall affect not only you, but your friends and Seto Kaiba as well. You shall all be in grave danger."

"Why? What's happened?" Joey wanted to know.

Violet sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. "There are those in this world that would like to see the end of My kind. They despise anything with a good heart or good intentions. Therefore, when We come into this world, they want Us destroyed. Some of those have become aware of the children's presence here and somehow they've found out about Their immunity to dark hearts. They still want the death of the children, but a few want to use Them for bodies."

"Bodies?" Joey blinked, confused.

"Do you remember the Big Five, Joey?" Violet asked.

"The Big Five? Yeah. They were the businessman that worked under Kaiba in his corporation. They conspired against him with Pegasus back when Pegasus was bad and then they tried to destroy him in his own virtual world," Joey recalled. "Are you saying they're a part of this?"

"Yes. They are very much a part of this," Violet replied. "When you and yours defeated them in the final round of that virtual world, they became trapped inside the circuits. Their bodies lay uselessly in the pods they used to enter that world and there is no way for them to escape back into them. In a matter of speaking, the Big Five are dead.

"But they don't wish to be for much longer. Seto's adoptive father, Gozaburo, found a way to move them into a different computer system in a place that is more dangerous than that virtual world where you faced them before. Even Gozaburo has become a part of that place, as he has downloaded himself into the system along with another who has been dead for seven years…his biological son, Noah, who would be the same age as Seto had tragedy not taken him from this world. Gozaburo could not part with him and so he downloaded his soul into a computer world on his island.

"Of the seven people trapped in that place, only six possess dark hearts, but that is enough to prevent Me from interfering with their plans. The last one, Noah, is misguided by his father and the Big Five and wishes Seto and Mokuba dead. He and the Big Five are trapped there until they can find new bodies, and Gozaburo wants to take revenge on Seto for stealing his company from under his nose. They know that Matrons are spirit-mortals that live for a much longer time than humans. So they want the children and Their bodies so they might walk this place in the flesh once more. They'll do anything to get their hands on the children. They'll stop at nothing to do it and they'll destroy anyone that gets in their way."

"And as their caretaker, that'd be me," Joey assumed.

Violet nodded. "I never expected for such a burden to be placed on your shoulders, Joey. If I had even the slightest inkling that such a thing would happen, I would have never asked this of you. I would have found a way to raise Them in the Realm of the Duel Spirits instead, and then everyone would be safe. There are good hearts among those We live with…If it's not too late, I can take Them off your hands now."

"No, Vi. You don't hafta do that. My friends and I are more than capable of taking care of these kids. We'll do what it takes to keep them safe. You have my word," Joey vowed.

"Are…Are you certain of this?" Violet asked.

"I'm damn certain about this. I'll die before I let one of those thugs come within ten feet of these kids. Sure, Roxas and Axel don't like me all the time and Glimmer is a diva and Gun can be a pain in the ass. But they're my charges entrusted into my care by the dying race of the Matron-Watchers. I love 'em all as if they were my own flesh and blood. I can't give 'em up just cuz some baddies wanna try to take 'em from me. I gotta put my fists up, grab my deck, and show 'em what's what. They might be safer in the Realm of the Duel Spirits, but right by me is the next safest place in this world or any other. You have my solemn word, Vi. I'll protect these kids…or I'll die trying," Joey stated.

Violet blinked back tears. "Thank you, Joey. Take care of Them all…and make sure My son behaves Himself. I know He can be a bit bossy to the others…and I'd like nothing more than to take Him in My arms and whisk Him away from this world…but I know He's the safest with you." She reached over and embraced Joey. "Thank you for everything. May the gods watch over you, child."

"You'd better get back to the Duel Spirit Realm. The other Matrons will be waiting on ya," Joey remarked as she released him.

"If you get an invite to Kaiba Island, don't go," Violet advised before she disappeared into darkness. "It's their trap."

"A trap I won't be falling for," Joey declared. _Not if I can help it, anyway._

* * *

_A/N: Now does everyone see how I'm tying this into the thing with Noah? Yay and cookies for you if you do! Now, I might not update again in awhile because I need to work on that project for **The Scarlet Letter** that I told you about last chapter. I'll try to type another chapter when I can, but I can't make any promises. What did you think of this? Please tell me, and thank you for reading. Have a wonderful day!_


	59. 59 - False Invite, True Decisions

_A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. Schoolwork, summer, and general laziness kept me from this story...and I was also biding my time until Noah's Saga could play on my local cartoon station. It shall start on Saturday, July 16, 2011. And then this story shall further commence! Yay! Let's get this show on the road, shall we? Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 59

Three days after Violet's warning, Carrie walked into Kaiba's office. This was her first day back in work since she had that terrible incident. All the physical pain and evil problems had been dealt with, and now she was able to keep the emotional stuff deep inside under a rock where it wouldn't bother her. She had no reason to not be at work anymore, she reasoned, so that morning she had called in and told her boss to expect her there. It was a real pain to get dressed up again, especially since it was summer, but she had a job and couldn't put off going there any longer. Mai, Mako, and Serenity had understood that. Jessica, however, had put up a front that was very hard to get around because she didn't want her big sister to get hurt again. Carrie promised to call her every hour on the hour to calm her—that was the only way she was allowed to go.

She had been unexpected and met something unexpected when she had arrived. Her desk was no longer hers; another assistant was sitting there completing her work for the day. The nice woman told Carrie that she had been there for a couple of months now and directed her to speak to Mr. Kaiba about this predicament. Thus was why the blonde was in the office of a man that considered her his greatest rival.

He was on the phone conducting his own business, so she stood in front of his desk patiently waiting for him to finish. It felt so weird to be here again after so long when so much had happened. What would Kaiba think of her? What were her co-workers think? What would Alyssa think? What did she think about this? Carrie was unsure. She just felt completely awkward with very little explanation as to why she felt this way. Maybe it was because of what had kept her from here? Or maybe it was just because she had been away for so long? She didn't know.

Kaiba hung up on the other person and turned his icy gaze on her. "What are you doing here, Carrie?"

"I'm ready to work again," Carrie told him politely, hands fidgeting behind her back as she looked at him calmly. "There is no reason for me to be away from my job any longer, but in my prolonged absence it seems you have given my place to another."

"Someone had to do your load while you were gone," was Kaiba's response.

"Well, what am I supposed to do now?" Carrie asked.

Kaiba shrugged, helpful as usual. Carrie's brow furrowed and she almost couldn't stop herself from going off on her boss. She forced herself to take a deep breath before speaking again.

"Can you get on your computer and see if there are any empty desks in this building?" she suggested through clenched teeth.

The rich brunette turned to his computer without replying and typed in something Carrie didn't bother to see. After staring at his monitor for a few minutes and clicking, Kaiba glanced back at her without showing any signs of emotion, as was usual for him. She couldn't tell if he had found an empty desk or not. He was unreadable, like a foreign language she had no knowledge of and therefore couldn't decipher.

"…There's one on level thirty-five. The department head of that floor will show you to it," he said finally. His gaze softened a bit. "Are you sure you're ready to work again? You have been through a lot, Carrie. Even I wouldn't force this on you if you still need time to recover."

"Mr. Kaiba, I'm fine. I've had more than enough time to recover. I just want to get things back to normal so life can be as it once was," Carrie stated. She paused, and then added, "I appreciate your concern. It's not like you to be so worried about me…or any of your employees except Alyssa, for that matter. It's good to see you've changed, sir."

Kaiba rolled his eyes and turned his face away from her. "Just get to work, Carrie."

_But you haven't changed much, and that's still good, _Carrie thought with a smile as she turned to leave his office. She walked out, heels clicking on the floor, and headed towards the elevator with her head held high. She felt the stares of her co-workers on her, sympathetic looks that she didn't appreciate but ignored. She didn't want anyone's pity or sympathy. That was the last thing she needed now. All she needed was normalcy, and she was going to get it. She punched in number thirty-five in the elevator and the doors closed her away from the rest of the world. _Let's just hope today goes smoothly. I don't want anything to go wrong. Nothing can go wrong._

**Famous last words, wench. You have just jinxed yourself, **Mirage crooned from her prison inside the darkest part of Carrie's mind.

* * *

Jessica ran out to check the mail at three, ordered to do so by Mai. The antsy fifteen-year-old had been sitting by the phone ever since her sister had gone to work—six straight hours—just so she could be there when Carrie called to check in. She was still so worried that something bad was going to happen, even though nothing bad had really happened in weeks. Still, she didn't want to take any chances. Mai just thought she was being overprotective and lazy, so she made the pink-eyed girl get off her butt to get the mail. Groaning didn't help in arguments against Mai—it only got her ear pulled. So, with much reluctance, Jessica had done as she was told.

_Bill. Junk mail. Bill. Ad. Mai's paycheck. Bill. Bill, _Jessica thought, looking through the mail as she walked back towards the house. _Catalogue. Mako's paycheck. Bill. Subscription to that fish magazine. Bill. Bill. Letter from Kaiba to Carrie? What on Earth is this?_

"Was that so hard?" Mai asked as the dark-haired girl handed over all but Carrie's letter. She didn't fail to notice that she withheld something that didn't have her name on it. "Hey, I didn't tell you to steal your sister's mail. Hand it over."

"It's from Kaiba. Why would he send her something when he could just give it to her at work?" Jessica pointed out, her interest peaked. She maneuvered her way around the blonde woman and sat down in her chair beside the phone, tearing into the envelope. Inside of it was an invitation, fancy even for someone like Kaiba. "Since when does Kaiba formally invite Carrie anywhere?"

"What does it say?" Mai wanted to know, curious now.

"'Carrie West, you are cordially invited to Kaiba Island to participate in a small tournament where only the best of the best can compete. Arrive at the stadium this Saturday at six in the evening. The airship shall be waiting and shall depart no later than six ten. You may bring guests if you wish to. Signed, Seto Kaiba,'" Jessica read, suspicion on her face. She looked up at Mai, confused. "But Kaiba just held a tournament. He wouldn't hold one again so soon, would he? And he doesn't let guests come unless he's forced to let them. Are we sure this is from Kaiba?"

"It's on the company stationery and that's his signature," Mai confirmed. "But you're right. This doesn't seem like Kaiba. It's almost like someone else wrote this and is trying to pass it off as him."

"Did you get one, too?" Jessica asked.

Mai quickly looked through the rest of the mail and located an envelope just like the one addressed to Carrie. She read the invitation inside with a frown. "Yeah. Says the same thing, only it has my name instead of your sister's. I wonder how many other people got these invitations." She searched through the mail one last time. "You, Mako, and Serenity didn't get one. You and Serenity make sense considering that you don't really duel…but Mako is a good duelist. Why didn't he get one?"

Jessica shrugged. "Maybe 'Kaiba' didn't think he was good enough to be in this tournament for the 'best of the best.'"

"I'm not digging those air quotes, Jessie," Mai remarked.

"Well, I'm not digging these invites. They just can't be real," Jessica countered.

The phone rang then. There was very little doubt about who it was. The dark-haired girl grabbed the phone.

"Hello," she greeted.

"Just checking in again, Jessie," Carrie's voice said from the other end, sounding quite bored. "I'll call you again at four."

"Wait, don't hang up just yet," Jessica urged. "I know you're busy, but there's something I have to tell you. It's really, really important."

"If it's about Barney On Ice again, we can talk about it later. I have work to do and I'm trying people's patience as it is," Carrie grumbled.

"No, no. It's not about that. It's about something you got in the mail. Someone sent you an invitation to a small tournament for the best of the best, and the signature points to Kaiba, but something seems off about it. Mai got one, too," Jessica told her. "Do you know anything about this new tournament? Did Kaiba say anything about it? Is it legit or a trap? We need to know now before you end up being in a life-or-death situation over that ghost boyfriend of yours again."

"He can hear you," Carrie reminded her sister. "Kaiba hasn't said anything about a tournament that I know of. It's not like him to try again so quickly after he just lost the Battle City Tournament. I mean, he hosted that thing and lost. That's just a stinker. He wouldn't do that again for at least another year."

"Our point exactly," Jessica said.

"I'll check on it. Call the gang and see how many of them got the invite. I'll meet you guys at Joey's after I get off work. See you then." Carrie hung up then without saying goodbye or waiting for Jessica to say it. The girl wasn't hurt—she understood that her sister had to work. She just put the phone back in its cradle and picked it up again to follow her sister's orders.

"What are you doing now?" Mai wanted to know.

"Calling the gang. Carrie told me to see if any of them got the invite and then meet at Joey's," Jessica replied.

"So she's suspicious, too. There must be a new bad boy trying to take over the world again. Wonder what his story will be," Mai mused.

* * *

Carrie took the stairs up to the sixtieth floor, not because it was convenient or faster, but because she had to stop at each floor on the way up to deliver folders and papers, any way, and taking the elevator to do that would have just been tedious. She was going to check with Kaiba as she had told her sister she would, but she also had to complete her duties. Not even a suspicious invitation could get in the way of that. Between floor thirty-five and sixty was twenty-five floors and fifty flights of stairs. Great.

Today was not her day. First was the problem with the desk. Then she was swamped with paperwork that had to go to all different floors and different departments and was not sorted. She didn't get a chance to sort it because the department head of the thirty-fifth floor was an ass, and while going up and down the stairs all day the heels of her shoes had broken. Luckily, she had been prepared for that and had a pair of flats in her purse. But that forced her to halt in her work and backtrack from the first floor to the thirty-fifth and get yelled at by the ass-head again. To make up for that, she had to skip lunch and cover the ground she had lost.

_How the hell does Kaiba have so much paperwork with all these employees? _Carrie wondered bitterly as she finally made it to the sixtieth floor at four fifty-seven with what remained of the paperwork that had swamped her in her arms. _It just doesn't make sense. I think he just piles it all on me for kicks. Oh, how I hate him..._

She made her way on sore legs over to Alyssa, who was the head of this department, and deposited the folders and loose papers onto her desk. The brunette glanced up from her work at her cousin with sympathetic eyes. Carrie could only imagine what she looked like—she hadn't been able to have a bathroom break all day. Yami tried to assure her that she was fine, but she knew better.

Alyssa sorted through the papers and folders, separating what was needed for her department and what was for Kaiba. With a pitying look, she gave those things over to Carrie to bring into their boss's office. Well, at least Alyssa pitied her for what she had gone through today and not for what had happened to her on that terrible night. Carrie bid Alyssa good day before trudging towards the doors that led to Kaiba's office. Taking a deep breath, she quickly smoothed out the wrinkles in her skirt and blouse and ran her hands over her hair to lessen any frizz that might have formed during her hectic day. Then she stepped into the lion's den.

As was usual, Kaiba was on the phone again. Normally she would have just sat his paperwork on his desk and walked out, but not today. She had to see about this tournament that Jessica had told her about, the one that she and Mai had been invited to that didn't sound like it was from Kaiba. She really didn't want to stick around when she saw the bitter expression on the brunette's face…but she had no choice.

He slammed the phone into the cradle, making Carrie wince, and glanced up at her. She cautiously handed the folders and papers over to him, swallowing hard. It wasn't that she was afraid of him. She was never afraid of him. She just didn't like him when he was angry and didn't want to upset him on her first day back. He practically tore the things from her hand and slammed them down onto his desk.

"…Mr. Kaiba, are you all right?" Carrie asked in a soft voice. "What is the matter?"

"Some moron is sending out invitations to a tournament under my name, that's what's wrong!" Kaiba exclaimed, pissed. "Mokuba found one in our mail today, addressed to me from me! Does that even make sense? I've contacted all the heads of department trying to find out who could have sent those, but all I've come to is a dead end!" Kaiba groaned and slammed his fists down on his desk. "There's no telling who else got those things! What am I supposed to do?"

"Uh, well, I can tell you at least…two other people that received them, Mr. Kaiba. Mai Valentine and I were sent them and received them today. I believe that Yugi Muto might have been sent one as well," Carrie murmured. "I do not know what you should do, but if you did not send them, why not go public and tell people that they are fake so there is no more confusion?"

"I won't catch the counterfeiter that way. They could always pull a stunt like this again," Kaiba pointed out. He folded his hands under his chin and thought for a moment. "There's only one option left to us. I must follow through with what the poser wants me to do. It will lead me straight to him on Kaiba Island. He will fall there and wish he had never stolen my name and called me there to meet him."

Carrie cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure that is wise, Mr. Kaiba? He might be expecting you to come and have some sort of plan to take you out. And what of the others that were invited? What are we to do?"

"You shall come, as instructed. We must make this seem legit in order for the poser to show his face. He would probably run and hide if I came alone," Kaiba stated. "You're dismissed, Carrie. I will see you Saturday."

The blonde was confused, but left his office as she was told.

_What the hell is going on here?_

* * *

The gang gathered in the living room of Joey's home, a few holding the strange invitation supposedly from Kaiba. Yugi and Joey were the only other two people to receive them, not that Jessica really expected anyone else to get them. Tea and Tristan weren't really duelists and Duke was a dice guy. Mako and Ryou were duelists, but they weren't the best of the best…Or at least, the sender didn't think they were. It was kind of a shot to their pride but they pushed that aside because there was a more important matter at hand. They would begin discussing it when Carrie arrived.

She came in at six, but didn't get to stay still for ten minutes. Apologizing, she sprinted for the bathroom since she hadn't been able to go all day. From the bathroom she asked if there was any food to be had, and Joey went into the kitchen to reheat a few slices of pizza for the poor girl. The girl looked a mess when she finally got a chance to sit down; her first day back at work had been hectic, it seemed. But she pushed all that aside for this more important discussion about the mysterious invitations.

"Where are the kids?" she asked as she took her seat between Yugi and Mako on one of the couches.

"In the library reading. I asked them to stay in there until we finished talking about big people stuff," Joey replied. "I didn't think they should hear this."

"What's so bad about this? I mean, it's just some punk pretending to be Kaiba. What does this really have to do with us?" Duke wanted to know.

"It's not just some punk pretending to be Kaiba. It's a whole new big problem that we're gonna have to deal with right now," Joey stated, glaring at the dark-haired pretty boy.

"What do you mean, Joey?" Tristan asked.

"I mean, Violet told me this was gonna happen just last week. She came into my room after I tucked the little ones in and warned me of a coming evil that would be targeting the kids. You guys remember the Big Five, right?"

"Yeah," was the general response.

"No," Duke, Mako, Jessica, Ryou, and Serenity murmured.

"Quick summary, they were these big executives under Kaiba's control that wanted him out of the picture," Tea told those not in the know. "First they partnered with Pegasus during the Duelist Kingdom Tournament to take Kaiba down and use Mokuba to take over Kaiba Corp., and when that didn't work they trapped Kaiba in a virtual world and planned on keeping him there. Of course, we intervened both times and stopped them. They were defeated and down for the count."

"Well, not anymore. Violet told me their minds are trapped in the realm of virtual reality, and their bodies are pretty much dead. They've teamed with Gozaburo Kaiba and his dead son Noah to start doing bad again…and they're all looking for new bodies. Vi wasn't real clear on how these baddies found out about Matrons or the kids, but somehow they did and they want to take the bodies of the kids so they can live for a very long time," Joey revealed.

"Oh my," Serenity gasped.

"Well, why doesn't she go and bust their virtual minds into oblivion?" Jessica demanded.

"Because six of those seven baddies have dark hearts. For her to even try to go to Kaiba Island and stop them would be fatal. Noah is the only good one and he is misguided by his father and the Big Five to the point that he wants the Kaiba brothers dead. Vi wasn't all that clear on what happened to put him in virtual reality—all she said was that he would have been the same age as Kaiba had tragedy not taken him. But his crazy-ass dad had him downloaded into a computer seven years ago, and that would make anyone loony," Joey remarked.

"…We could always…not go," Ryou suggested with a shrug.

Carrie shook her head. "Unfortunately, that's not a possible option. Kaiba got invited himself and is so pissed he wants to go just to find out who's doing this. We could try telling him the truth, but he probably wouldn't believe us. He told me that he's following the instructions and wants me to meet him at the designated time and place. I mean, we could back out, but then Rich Boy and Mokuba will suffer for it."

"And I don't think they'll stop coming after us even if we choose not to go," Joey agreed. "Gozaburo still has a living body. He could always disconnect himself from the virtual world and move the others to a place where we'd have no choice but to face them. It's not what I'd like to do, but we're going to have to do what we've been instructed to do. For Mokuba, the kids, and Rich Boy, too, I'm getting on that airship."

"But Joey, what about our safety? They could take our bodies and leave us trapped in that Kami-forsaken virtual world…and then destroy the virtual world to kill us off," Mai pointed out. "I say it's too dangerous. We should just take our chances and stay here."

"I can't. I need to keep Mokuba safe, and to a lesser extent, his brother. Besides, Kaiba already thinks I'm going. He'd probably come to my house and have his suits drag me by the ear onto his airship. I have to go," Carrie stated, looking sad. "The rest of you can stay here if you want, but I have a duty to keep the world safe, along with those that are in it…which unfortunately includes Rich Boy."

"But you've just now gotten over the last thing that's happened to you. Can't you just stay home?" Mako asked.

Carrie crossed her arms and glared at him. "I'm fine, Mako. Or at least, as fine as I'll ever be. I'm not gonna let my pain hold me back from my duties. You would do the same if you were in my place."

"If you're going, then I'm going," Jessica declared. "And before you say it, no. You won't be protecting me by leaving me behind. I've spent too much time worrying about you and being left at home as it is. I know everything about you now and all about that mystic shit that goes on in your guys' lives. I'm not gonna just sit back while you guys save the world anymore. I'm going and that's that."

"I'm coming, too. For my brother," Serenity said. With a smile, she added, "Also, someone has to keep Jessie out of trouble."

"We're coming!" Tristan and Duke exclaimed in unison before glaring daggers at each other in response.

"My best friends are going, so I guess I should join them," Yugi piped in.

"I guess I'll go, too," Tea muttered.

"If everyone's going to fall into this trap, I suppose I should tag along to remind you what a dumb idea this was," Mai grumbled.

"You've all gone bloody daft," Ryou remarked. "And since I'll be joining you, I'm bloody mad as well."

"Oh crap. He just went British on us." Mako sighed. "I don't want to be left out of this party, so I guess I'll bite the bait. But I also have to be the damper on this little thing. Are we going to be taking the kids with us? That would just be giving the bad guys what they want."

"Well, I can't leave them here alone. I'm their caretaker, and I told Vi the safest place in this world and any other was right next to me. There are other people that would see harm to the Matron race, you know. They might not be showing their face now, but that's because I'm always with these kids. Leave them alone for a couple of days and that could be the death of them," Joey pointed out.

"So it's settled. We're all going to our deaths in two days," Tea said.

"Great," Carrie murmured sarcastically.

* * *

_A/N: End of the fifty-ninth chapter. It was kind of short for a chapter that took me so long to write, but it's the best I could do at the moment. What did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful day!_


	60. 60 - Time to Go

_A/N: Whoa! We've reached the big six-oh! Where do we go from here? Only time will tell! Please read on and enjoy the ride!_

* * *

Chapter 60

Saturday came far sooner than anyone would have liked. Joey acted like there was nothing wrong as he helped the Matron children get ready for the day, but they could sense something was amiss. He seemed more distracted than usual—this was made obvious by him mistaking Roxas for Axel and vice versa, something he really didn't do that often—and that had them all worried. He had been acting strangely for a few days now, but today he was more so than before. They had no idea what had him so antsy, nor did they ask. Gun and Glimmer wouldn't have even thought of it, and Roxas and Axel were too stubborn to ask. Siren, Jaden, and Rose were concerned, but they thought they would just be pestering Joey if they asked so they kept quiet.

As they were eating breakfast, someone knocked on the door. Joey stood to answer it and accidentally knocked his glass of milk over, coating Rose in the white liquid. He quickly apologized and righted the glass before getting a towel to clean up the mess. Rose assured him it was okay, that she could take care of the mess, but he was distracted by what she didn't know and didn't listen to her. The knock came again; Joey shouted that he'd be there in a minute. He helped Rose out of her chair and asked her to go change while he answered the door. With a concerned glance over her shoulder, Rose reluctantly went to do as she was told.

Joey opened the door to find Carrie standing there amongst other people. Grandpa Muto, Ja-Kal, Rath, Armon, Nefer-Tina, Marik, Odion, and Ishizu were all behind her, along with a dirty blonde man that he didn't know but felt that he should. He blinked in surprise at their appearance, wondering what had brought the group to his place. He hadn't asked for any of them to come. Why had they come here?

"May we come in?" Carrie asked politely, awaiting entrance.

The blonde teen moved aside to allow the group to enter, though he was suddenly self-conscious about the look of his house and himself. He hadn't gotten the chance to change out of his clothes from yesterday—dressing the Matron kids and then making them breakfast left him without time—and the place was a mess from when the kids played and made their messes. He worried they might eye his home with distaste and think he smelled.

No one made any snide comments about his smell or the condition of his home as they took their seats on the couches in the living room. The Matron children peaked out from the kitchen at the assembled group, curious just as much as their caretaker. Joey asked them to go into the library if they were finished with their breakfast, which they reluctantly did. Gun and Rose hung back but followed his directions.

"I apologize if this is a bad time, but it couldn't wait," Carrie said.

"What couldn't wait? The pity party?" Joey asked tiredly, stifling a yawn.

"We're not a pity party, Mr. Wheeler," Odion remarked. "We're here to help you while you take care of the danger that intends to harm the Matron children."

"Nyeh?" Joey blinked in confusion.

"You see, I've been thinking about them ever since we agreed to go to Kaiba Island to face Noah, Gozaburo, and the Big Five. I know you said that they were safest at your side, but I didn't want to risk them falling into the wrong hands. So I got to thinking about how to keep them from having to go," Carrie explained. "Then these guys came to mind. They won't be coming with us because none of them received an invitation from Kaiba's impersonator, and they can more than protect the children in your absence. They'll make suitable substitute caretakers in your absence."

Joey hesitated. "That's mighty kind of you guys, but I promised Violet I wouldn't let them leave my side."

"We understand your promise to the Matron. But Carrie has explained the danger to us, the danger you must face. It is not safe for the children to go, even if you keep them close and never let them go. You shall be facing a virtual world of the enemies' creation where anything is possible. You cannot risk their lives. Not only could you end up losing yours in the process, but theirs as well. Think of it, Joey. If you fall protecting them, who will keep them safe? Your friends will have their hands full saving themselves and each other from the enemies. The children will have to fend for themselves, and their inexperience warrants their loss. It would be wise to leave them here with us," Ishizu stated.

"Ishizu is correct. You shouldn't take them with you. If you do, you'll be too busy worrying about their safety to keep your mind sharp. The worst shall befall you if that is the case," Rath warned.

"Shouldn't you and your wrapped buds be going with Carrie to protect her?" Joey asked.

"We would like nothing better than to guard our mistress, but she refuses to allow us. Her orders are for us to guard the Matrons as if they were her. That is our new objective until she tells us to do otherwise," Ja-Kal grumbled, not terribly happy about his orders.

"Oh, lighten up, Ja-Kal," Nefer-Tina teased, punching him in the arm playfully. "Carrie can handle herself no matter what's thrown at her, and she has her friends to back her up. Joey and Yugi will be there with their mad duel skills. Then there's Mai, and you know how good she is with those Harpies of hers. Kaiba might even lend some support, too. And those are just the people that were invited. All of her other friends will be there to defend her in our stead, just as we will defend the Matrons in Joey's stead. It's just a change of guard until the enemy is defeated. We'll have our duty back before you know it. And then you'll be wishing to take care of little kids again."

"Well, I don't want evil people around them," Joey grunted, crossing his arms and staring directly at Marik.

"Whoa there, Wheeler! I'm not evil. I was once back during the Battle City Tournament, but I've been clean ever since Carrie and the Pharaoh defeated me in a duel and sent my darkness to the Shadow Realm. I won't do anything to harm the Guardians of the World or their offspring. You have my word as a fellow man that I shall not harm the Matrons in your care. I'll even swear it on the most important part of me…My nards," Marik vowed.

His vow resulted in everyone sweat-dropping and looking at him awkwardly.

"Anyway…I believe you can trust him. I have seen his pure heart and can assure you he is no longer evil," Armon said. He was thinking about what Marik had done for Carrie when she was dying and knew it to be the truth.

"Well, what about that guy?" Joey demanded as he pointed at the blonde man he didn't know. "He's a stranger to me, and I don't trust strangers. Why would I want to trust my kids in his hands if I don't even know him? It's a no go, Carrie. I'd sooner stay here than let some stranger stay with them."

"He's no stranger, Joey. You've met him before, only he wasn't a very good man back then," Carrie told him. "Mirage killed him and brought him back without his evil. He is a good man now. Look at him closely and I'm sure you'll remember his name."

The blonde teen glanced over at the unknown blonde man, distrustful but knowing that Carrie would never bring someone that could do harm to the Matron children. A few seconds of staring at that face and those eyes, he realized who it was. This realization made him jump from his seat and point an accusing finger at him. There was no way in hell he would ever trust this guy.

"Bandit Keith!" he shouted. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Calm down, Joey," Ishizu said softly.

"Don't tell me to calm down! This creep has done too much shit to deserve anything less than my full-blown rage!" Joey snapped. "He's been after Carrie for years, trying to get in her pants and make her his! Then he lured me into a duel on Duelist Kingdom against one of his lackeys underground, and when he lost he had us trapped in that Kami-forsaken hellhole after kidnapping Tea! Carrie went after him and he came too close to doing bad things to her! And in the castle in the finals, he cheated and almost made it impossible for me to duel, and that was after he tried to hurt Carrie again! Tristan got hurt saving her from him! And don't get me started about the warehouse incident when he was under your brother's control! He almost killed my friends and the Guardians!" He glared vehemently at Keith. "He's nothing but the scum of the earth! I'd never trust him to be within a hundred miles of my kids!"

"Joey…," Carrie murmured, but was cut off by her blonde friend.

"I don't even see why ya brought this monster here, Carrie. After all he's done to you, you shouldn't have let him come within five hundred miles of ya!" Joey remarked, turning his gaze on her.

Carrie lowered her gaze. "…He's…He's not the man we used to know. Back in Battle City, he cornered me in an alley with the bad intentions you've mentioned. Mirage came out and killed him with his own knife. Then she went and brought him back from the dead, only she removed his darkness from him. He is no longer the 'Bandit' Keith that you remember. He has become a better man by the name of Keith Howard."

Joey snorted. "I believe that just as much as I believe that the sky is green!"

The blonde girl turned away from him, eyes still lowered to the floor. "Then you're a fool for not believing me. I know he has changed, as does he and Tea. He's the reason I didn't die in that alley that night. He saw Carl leaving me and quickly came to my aid. If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead." Carrie hugged herself and bit her tongue to keep the tears back; now was not the time for crying.

"Seriously?" Joey, shocked by this revelation, didn't know what to say. "But…But this guy only wants to do things to you! If he had found you in that alley, wouldn't he have taken advantage of your weakened state?"

"Weren't you listening to her, Joey? I'm not the dark man I used to be," Keith muttered, speaking for the first time. "I would never dream of taking advantage of her now. I've caused her enough grief as it is and have stolen too much time from her life. That night I just wanted to help her stay alive. Doing what Carl had done never even crossed my mind. I'm the one that called for help and rode with her to the hospital. I even visited her every day because I promised to. You may think I'm the scum of the earth, which I once was, but I'm trying to make up for my past. I've changed, and though you don't believe it, I know it to be the truth. Tea, Carrie, and God know it, too."

He sounded sincere and Carrie would never let him within ten feet of her if he was still the bad guy he had been. His mannerisms had changed, as he didn't talk so rudely anymore, and his eyes had no evil in them. Perhaps Keith really had changed. Maybe it was wrong to judge him so quickly over the past. But Joey didn't know if he could be trusted with the Matron children. Carrie and the others might believe it, but he wasn't so sure.

"…If something happens to them, I'm holding you personally accountable," Joey muttered, crossing his arms as he sat back down on the couch.

Keith nodded. "So be it."

"So…You're going to let them take care of the kids?" Carrie asked.

Joey nodded. "They can watch over them in my absence, but I don't expect to be gone for more than a couple of days. I'm gonna get in that place, kick some virtual ass, and get the hell out so I can return to my duty. No one, dead or alive, is gonna hold me back. I made a promise to Violet that I wouldn't let anything happen to the Matrons' future generation, and I never go back on my word."

"That's good to hear," Carrie said with a small smile. "I'll see you later at the stadium. Hopefully you won't be so stinky by then."

"Hey! You try taking care of seven kids and see if you have time to shower!" Joey shouted, though he was very much aware that she was teasing. He returned her smile with one of his own. "I'll see ya on the airship, Carrie. Take care until then."

"Right back at ya."

* * *

"Joey, do you really have to go?" Rose asked as he slid his backpack onto his shoulders at five forty-five. Her temporary caretakers and the other Matron kids were seated in the living room, but she was in his bedroom. She had snuck in there when he said it was about time he left, and she really didn't want him to go.

"Yeah. There's something I've gotta do for your sake as well as that of the world," Joey replied, trying not to look at the little girl because that would make leaving that much harder. He tried to step around her, but she just grabbed his leg and wrapped herself around it. He sighed. "Rose, I know you're only a few weeks old, but for someone that ages as quickly as you, you're a bit too big to be this clingy. Let go of me please. I can't be late for this or I'll be abandoning my friends."

"Your friends can get along without you. I can't," Rose claimed, not budging.

"I'll only be gone for a little while. And you don't know if my friends will need me or not. You may have powers that are beyond human, but I know for a fact that you can't see the future. I have to be there to back them up, and you need to remain here to stay out of harm's way," Joey told her. He gently pried her from around his leg and lifted her into his arms—her legs wrapped around his waist as she faced him. "What are you so worried about, Rosie-Posie? I'll be back before you even know I'm gone."

"…But…But what if something bad happens? Something bad always happens to the heroes before they conquer the evil. Someone always dies. What if…What if you're the one that dies, Joey? I don't want you to die," Rose stated with tears falling from her crystal blue eyes. "Please…Don't go."

"Don't cry, Rosie-Posie. If you cry, then I'm gonna start, and then I'll have a really hard time stopping," Joey said though tears were already welling up in his eyes. He ruffled her red hair playfully to lighten the mood. "I promise I won't die. I'll stay strong and emerge from that place triumphant with all of my friends and Kaiba. You know I'd never let you down, and I'm not gonna start now. With the world depending on me and, more importantly, with you depending on me, I can't possibly lose." He tickled her sides to make her smile. "Now don't cry anymore, Rose. A smile suits you much better."

Rose gave him a tearful smile. "I love you, Joey."

"I love ya too, Rose."

He set her back on the ground. She slipped her little hand into his and accompanied him out of his room. The adults that would serve as the Matrons' temporary caretakers bid Joey good luck and the children ran to hug him goodbye. Only Gun held back because of his attitude, but his hug was the tightest. Despite their disagreements and head-butting, they still had such a strong bond. Rose went with him to the door before she let go. She watched the door close behind him before she closed her eyes and cried again.

_Good luck, Joey. May the gods look after you...May they look after us all, _she thought.

* * *

Jessica hesitantly stepped onto the airship with her sister and their company. This would be her first time facing evil herself, something Carrie had done a thousand times before. She wasn't sure if she would taste victory or would lose at the hands of the enemy, but that couldn't make her change her mind. She had vowed to do everything in her power to keep Carrie safe as Carrie had done for her, and now was the time to act on that vow. With her and the rest of the gang backing her up, there was no way in hell they would lose to the likes of the Big Five, Noah, or Gozaburo.

Mokuba appeared where they entered to show them to their rooms. Jessica frowned at his appearance though her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. Kaiba was a moron for bringing his little brother into a precarious situation such as the one they were heading into—did he not know what danger was?—and should have told Mokuba to stay home. She would have told him herself if she had known of Kaiba's stupidity. But it was too late for that, for at that moment the airship took to the air. Her pink eyes shifted down to the watch on her wrist. Six ten on the nose.

_Following the instructions to the letter, _Jessica thought. _What a dumbass._

"What are you doing here, Jessica?" Mokuba asked when he noticed her amongst the other people that had come.

"I came to help my sister," Jessica replied triumphantly, pumping her fist into the air. She smiled warmly at him, making him blush. "But now that I know you're here, this trip just got so much better. Your bro is a total dolt for bringing you to a potentially risky place, but I won't complain. You'll be the bright spot of this whole trip for me."

"Uhh…Thanks, Jessie," Mokuba stammered with an embarrassed look on his face.

"Jessie, you didn't tell me that you guys were dating," Serenity teased in a quiet voice as she playfully elbowed her friend in the side.

"Shove off, Serenity! You know why I never said anything," Jessica remarked, casting a warning glance at her friend. "If Carrie were to find out I was dating a Kaiba, she'd kill me. She doesn't want to have any relations with Mokuba's brother. Can't really blame her for that. He is a cold-hearted bastard that really only cares about himself."

Serenity blinked in surprise. "Wait. You guys _are_ dating? I was just kidding around. I didn't know it was true."

"Well, now you know. So be quiet," Jessica hissed.

"Let me…uh…Let me show you to your rooms," Mokuba stuttered, walking away. "Follow me, please."

He led the group to the part of the airship where they were to lodge. One by one the members of the gang were dismissed to their rooms to make themselves comfortable for the journey. Jessica's room was last, and as she noticed, right across the hall from Mokuba's. She smiled a secret smile as she stepped into the room that pretty much had the look and feel of a hospital room in the air. She dropped her backpack of crap onto the bed and collapsed next to it. Boredom was already ensuing.

_I wish Carrie had let me bring my portable DVD player...I could be getting into some Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse right now, _Jessica thought sadly, though she had seen each movie about a hundred times, if not more, and pretty much had them memorized. _This is gonna be so boring! There's nothing to do on this God-forsaken airship! Rich Boy, why do ya gotta be so dull?_ She sat up and blew the hair out of her face. _I wonder how Carrie is doing right now...Being in the air doesn't exactly agree with her. Maybe I should go check up on her, just in case she's getting sick._

Before she could even think of getting up, Mokuba appeared in her doorway. He glanced around to make sure no one was in the hall before entering, closing the door behind him.

"You have to be more careful about what you say, Jessie. You could have blown our cover and then it'd be only a matter of time until Seto found out about us," Mokuba pointed out as he came to stand in front of her.

Jessica sighed. "I know. But I couldn't resist. You're so cute, Mokuba. Seeing you even when we're heading towards a huge battle made me happy." She smiled. "Is that so terrible, Mokey?"

Mokuba smiled. "No, I guess it isn't." He moved closer and locked lips with his girlfriend, who didn't hesitate in the slightest to respond to this action. After all, they were fifteen and their hormones were running wild. His hands pulled her close while Jessica's found a place in his fluffy hair before they collapsed onto her bed. People might have thought that Mokuba was too shy to even think of making out with someone, but they would be wrong. Obviously. They broke apart moments later to catch their breaths, Jessica resting her head on Mokuba's chest as he wrapped a friendly arm around her.

"All romantic stuff aside, you shouldn't have come," Jessica murmured, her eyes meeting his violet ones with concern.

"I know," Mokuba murmured without looking away. "But I had to come to look after Seto…and to keep you safe."

"The bad guys aren't after me. They're after you and your brother. We're all here to protect you guys. It's not the other way around," Jessica remarked.

"I know, but even if I didn't want to come, Big Brother would have made me, anyway," Mokuba muttered. He gave her a small smile. "It's not so bad that we're stuck in this situation, is it? At least we can have some time together without having to sneak around so much."

Jessica sighed happily and snuggled closer to his body. "Yeah…We haven't been on a date for weeks now. We had to knock it off because the guards of your mansion were getting suspicious of you and Mai almost caught me sneaking out too many times. Now we can have some time alone and not have to worry about all of that. Unless your brother set up cameras in our rooms, there's no way we can get caught as long as we keep the door locked."

"No need to worry. Seto only put cameras where they were needed. He might like to sleep around, but he's not a peeper," Mokuba assured her. "I went over the schematics of this ship myself. There's no way he'll ever know what we're up to."

"That's a relief. I don't want him seeing me undressed ever, especially not before you." Jessica giggled when his face flustered again. "You're too innocent for your own good, Mokey! How is it that the younger brother of the world's most cold-hearted jerk has the softest heart? It just doesn't add up." She pecked him on the cheek to add to his embarrassment. "I guess that's why I like you so much." She let her thoughts turn back to her sister, the main reason other than Mokuba for her going towards danger. "Do you think Carrie's okay? She gets airsick and usually avoids being in the air if she can."

"Yeah…She got sick the last time we were on this thing for the finals of the Battle City Tournament. It's the reason she had to bow out until the end. But after her duel against Yami Marik, she hasn't had that airsickness. I saw her walking around normally in her room before I came in here. She'll be fine," Mokuba told her, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"Good. I wouldn't want her vomiting all over your brother's fancy-smancy airship again. He'd just throw a huge fit over it." Jessica shook her head. "He's so thick-headed sometimes…It makes me wonder how he managed to take his corporation from his father with all the things he overlooks. Danger, magic, traps…You know, the important stuff. All that matters to him is you, his one friend, his dueling reputation, and his business. He could get along without the rest of the world."

"He wasn't always this way. Back before Gozaburo Kaiba adopted us, he was a much nicer guy. He even used to call me Mokey just like you do," Mokuba admitted. A frown replaced his smile as he remembered the good days before his brother had changed into the man he was now. "The only reason he even targeted Gozaburo was because he wanted a better life for us. Seto managed to beat him in a game of chess—Gozaburo was the champion of chess, after all—and forced him to adopt us. Then life just became a huge game of chess to him, with every decision a game-changing move. Nothing matters other than staying ahead in life. He has to ignore anything that might set him back or take away one of his valuable pieces. That's why he hardly opens his heart to anyone. All those conquests in his office and in his room…They mean nothing to him. Neither does his porn or the alcohol…They just serve as distractions from the game so he doesn't go insane or severely slip up."

Jessica blinked. "…How do porn, sex, and alcohol keep him from slipping up?"

Mokuba shrugged. "I dunno…It just does for him. At least, that's how he described it to me when I asked. But that was all followed by a lecture about how I should keep my nose out of his personal life. Weird, huh? I'm a part of his personal life but I'm not allowed to know about his personal life."

"What a contradiction," Jessica agreed.

Mokuba's phone went off just then. With a groan, the fluffy-haired boy pulled the device from his pocket and answered it, adjusting his position so he was sitting up with Jessica.

"What is it, Seto?" he asked.

"Where are you?" Kaiba demanded, not even calling his little brother by name.

"I'm busy doing something that's a part of my personal life. What do you want, Big Brother?" Mokuba asked again.

"Meet me in the control room. I want you with me at all times, brother," Seto stated before hanging up.

The boy sighed and slid his phone back into his pocket. Jessica didn't like seeing him so sad, especially when his sadness was a result of his big brother neglecting him. She didn't know how it felt to be truly neglected by a sibling—Carrie was always there for her—so she couldn't really relate to his pain. But she wanted more than anything to make it go away and bring a smile to his face.

"Sorry, Jessie. Seto wants me to be with him," Mokuba muttered, making to stand. "I guess…I'll see you whenever he loosens the leash on me enough for me to get away."

She stood and engaged in a long gentle kiss with him, something he hadn't exactly expected. Jessica was often doing things spur-of-the-moment, and this was no exception. She would not let Mokuba leave her with such sadness on his heart, nor would she want him to be thinking of her hopelessly while wondering when they could be alone again. He had enough to deal with as it was. This was her way of trying to ease his suffering, trivial as it may seem.

"I love you, Mokey," she breathed, tickling his skin with her breath.

"I love you, Jessie," he whispered before reluctantly pulled away.

* * *

_A/N: It took me long enough to type this, but I hope it was worth the wait despite its short length. Holy cow! I wrote another chapter that didn't have any viewpoints from Carrie! Rather, only minor characters really were mentioned in this. And we got to see what Jessica and Mokuba's relationship is really like. Well, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading! Have wonderful day!_


	61. 61 - Big Five Encounter

_A/N: Darn school for taking my life away from me! . Well, here's an update. I hope you like it, my friends. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 61

Carrie paced back and forth in her room on the airship, nervous about what awaited them when this airship touched down. She was aware of whom she and the rest of the gang would be facing thanks to Violet's warning, but that didn't exactly tell her what kind of danger they'd be up against. With all these people being in a virtual world, anything could happen. That was what had her so nervous. If anything could happen, how was she to protect her sister and the Kaiba brothers from it?

"My first priority is to my family. If I am torn between them and Jessie, then I'll protect Jessie with all my strength," Carrie concluded out loud. "I may be the heroine, but I can't perform miracles and therefore can't save everyone. Sometimes I wish I could…It's just impossible. And I know Rich Boy's the reason I walked into this damn trap, but then Jessie said she was coming to protect me and put herself in danger. What a foolish girl she is! I should have made her stay with the others!"

"You know you couldn't have talked her out of coming. She's as hard-headed as you and your friends are," Yami remarked, sitting on the bed as he watched her pace.

The blonde girl sighed. "That's true. I just wish…I just wish there wasn't so much at stake here. All my friends are walking right into a trap with me when it would have made more sense for them to just stay home. I could handle the Big Five and Gozaburo and Noah all on my own…Or rather, with just you at my side. But they want to play the hero right alongside me despite whatever risk it may have for their lives. I can understand Yugi coming…He's the King of Games and can more than handle himself. His skills rival my own; he could easily take down the bad guys. It's everyone else I'm worried about. I just…don't want to watch my friends die around me. That would be worse than meeting my own end. What would be even worse…would be watching Jessie perish without any power to stop it."

"I wouldn't doubt the abilities of your friends. Many of them are very good duelists, and those that aren't have their friends' support to pull them through any obstacle that comes into their path. Your friends can handle themselves…And your sister is more than capable of surviving here. She's learned a lot from her sister," Yami commented.

"Is that supposed to be a good thing? I get into trouble constantly and now she's getting into trouble right along with me." Carrie stopped pacing for a moment and closed her eyes, clasping her hands in front of her like she was praying. "Jessica may be a good duelist and may be able to fight, but she shouldn't have to go through with this because of me. She has a full life ahead of her that has only just begun. I don't want it to come to an end just because she feels that she must protect me like I've protected her. I know she's capable of handling herself, but I…I don't want to chance that someone could get the better of her and take her away from me. I've fought too hard to keep her at my side, even turning on my uncle when he was infected with evil to keep her safe. I don't want all I've done to be for nothing now."

"Believe in her, Carrie. It won't be for nothing if you believe," Yami assured her. "She knows what danger she is facing. She chose to face it because you are facing it. Like you, she doesn't want to lose the only real family she has ever had. Jessica is strong; nothing will take her down without a serious fight. I believe she understands all that you've done to keep her safe and wants to return the favor. You shouldn't worry so about someone who has had such a great role model in her life. She'll be fine."

The blonde turned to look at him. "How can you be so sure?"

"I'm not. But I believe in her, as should you," was Yami's reply.

Carrie looked away and resumed pacing. "What about my other friends that don't duel at all really? Serenity and Tristan and Tea and Mokuba and even Duke…They've hardly ever held cards in their hands. What if our enemies force them to duel? They'll be doomed from the start and then their bodies will be stolen. Tristan is a very close friend of mine, Serenity was entrusted into my care by her mother, Tea is my chick-friend, and Duke's my annoying acquaintance. I can't risk them getting hurt because of some evil people's desire to be alive again."

"Duke can duel a little and defeated Joey a few times with his abilities. But you're correct in being worried about those five," Yami agreed. "I can't soothe all of your fears, Carrie. I cannot see the future, nor can I change it if it is unpleasant. However, I don't think you should count out any of the people on this airship. We all knew what we were getting into when we chose to walk into this trap. What we are doing is bigger than any of us. We're protecting a dying race from being taken over by darkness. The Matron-Watchers, older than the human race and spiritual mortals that guide us, are in need of us all. They needed us to be willing to put our lives on the line to ensure their safety. No matter what happens when we reach our destination, we must remember who we are fighting for and not become blind by our fears of loss."

"…Easy for you to say. You've hardly anything to lose," Carrie grumbled without thinking, too stressed by worry to do so.

In an instant, Yami was standing in front of her, making her quit pacing because his expression froze her in place. His scowl and narrowed eyes were enough to stop anyone in their tracks, but it was quite effective on the one he loved. She had never seen him so angry at her before. She immediately regretted what she had said.

"I have as much to lose here as you do, Carrie. Every single person on this damn airship is my friend and if any of them were to not make it back, I would be devastated," Yami stated bluntly. "I may be nothing but a spirit, but I still have much to lose and I don't want to lose anything. I especially don't want to lose you again as I have lost you in the past. You have a bad habit of putting yourself in the line of fire for others, you know." At this, he looked away from her, his expression softening a bit. "I know that's just how you are—you don't like for your friends to get hurt and would rather take the pain yourself. But you must realize that whenever you are hurt, I am hurt. When you are lost, I am lost. You are the most important thing in this world and the greatest thing I have to lose. I do not want to lose you, Carrie."

"Yami, I do not want to lose you, either," Carrie murmured. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologize. I have already forgiven you," Yami said, meeting her gaze with a small smile on his face. "You are just concerned about so much and were not thinking. You need to relax a little, my dear. All that stress cannot be doing you any good."

She shrugged. "I don't know any good ways to relax. I used to let my stress out by beating the shit out of people, but I can't very well do that anymore."

Yami moved his face closer to hers. "I have a better way…"

Their lips were just about to touch when someone knocked on the door to her room. Carrie groaned with a roll of the eyes and stomped over to see who was bothering her now. It was one of Kaiba's lackeys, telling her to report to the cockpit where Kaiba was waiting for her and the others. Carrie exchanged glances with Yami before following the man in black. This was strange. Kaiba didn't say anything about gathering them before, and it was too early for them to be at Kaiba Island already. Something was up and that was the only logical explanation for this sudden gathering.

The digital clock read ten twenty-three when they all stood behind Kaiba and Mokuba. Other lackeys were flying the airship—or at least, trying to—but seemed to be fighting something that was winning control of the flight pattern. This did not bode well for those onboard, and Kaiba did not look happy at all.

"What's going on, Kaiba?" Carrie asked.

"Some moron's managed to hack into the controls of this aircraft. They're directing us towards a different location in the middle of the ocean," Kaiba muttered through clenched teeth, arms crossed over his chest. "I bet that whoever has been impersonating me is responsible. They're going to pay tenfold for this!"

"We've tried taking control back, but whoever it is that hacked us locked us out completely," Mokuba remarked to emphasize how dire their situation really had become. "We have no idea why they're flying us towards a place where there's no land, but it can't be good if it's part of their trap."

"Maybe they want to make us crash and drown," Ryou suggested.

"Man, that's really dark. Can't you be positive for once?" Joey asked as he stifled a yawn. He had been woken up to come to this meeting and wasn't too far off from falling back to sleep. "Can we please go back to bed now?"

"There's no time for that. We're about to land," Kaiba told them.

"Land? In the middle of the water?" Tristan blinked, confused.

"I guess Bakura was right to be dark," Duke grumbled. "We're all gonna die."

"No we're not, you stupid boys. Look what just popped out of the water," Jessica said, pointing to the screen that let them see the outside world. Something had just emerged from beneath the surface of the water. It looked like some kind of fortress, and it was pretty big in size. Perhaps there was someone living in it that had the technology to hack into the airship's control. Well, actually, they all knew there was.

This was where the Big Five, Gozaburo, and Noah dwelled.

The airship landed on the fortress not by its own will and the fortress closed around it. Everyone felt the fortress become submerged in the water again as everything became dark. Kaiba ordered that lights be turned on, but that control was out of their hands as well due to the hacker. Everyone was left standing around in the dark, wondering what would happen now.

A few lights came on and the door opened to grant them leave of the airship. Security lights outside of the airship provided little illumination, proving them to be completely trapped. Kaiba ordered his lackeys to remain on the aircraft and try to get them out of here before he walked out, trailed by Mokuba. The gang followed, not knowing where they were going, but knowing who they would encounter once they reached their destination. Carrie's hands clenched into fists. It was almost time to fight.

The group walked along a dark corridor with Kaiba leading the way, though he knew as much about this place as they did, which was not much at all. Serenity clung onto her big brother's arm, afraid for him as well as afraid of what might happen. Duke and Tristan stayed close to her in case something bad happened. Mai and Tea walked beside each other with a prideful stride, masking their fear. Ryou glanced around curiously; he was not afraid of anything except for the darkness within himself. Yugi, Mako, and Carrie hung back with determined minds. Jessica snuck up to where Mokuba walked behind his brother and slipped her hand into his, not afraid and wanting to lend her strength to him. He smiled in response, though it went unnoticed because of the darkness.

They arrived in a very large room after about five minutes of walking and were greeted by bright lights that nearly blinded them because of their eyes being in the dark. The floor came to look like the insides of a computer as a huge projection of five men appeared before them. The only thing obscured from view was their faces. These people were obviously the Big Five, Kaiba's former board of directors that had betrayed him too many times to count and suffered the consequences for it.

Carrie hardly listened to them as they complained about how they were trapped in a virtual universe after what they had done and that they wished to live again and how they had a new boss named Noah. She had heard it all before from Joey when Violet had warned him about this. These guys would provide no new information and were therefore useless. Only Kaiba didn't know what was going on, but that was because he didn't believe anything until he saw it. The Big Five finished their complaining after awhile and moved on to explain how they would take their bodies from them through dueling. This peaked Carrie's interest, especially when they brought up a new Deck Master rule. A Duel Monster would be chosen to be their Deck Master and would grant them special abilities. But the cunning Big Five didn't say what those abilities would be, for one reason or another. They did, however, burst the gang's protective bubble by saying that everyone would have to duel.

_Damn it! I hope they can beat these losers, _Carrie thought, glancing over at the group of people that weren't duelists among them. _I don't know what I'll do if I lose them. I __**can't **__lose them._

"Welcome to our virtual world, children," one of the Big Five sneered as a hole opened up under Tea.

The brunette screamed as she fell through the floor. Carrie wasted no time in jumping in after her, and Jessica pulled herself away from Mokuba to follow them before the hole closed up again. Then a hole appeared under Serenity, pulling her in. Duke and Tristan barely made it in before the floor appeared. Then a large hole appeared beneath Joey, Mai, and Ryou, swallowing them up in the blink of an eye. Kaiba and Mokuba were the next to fall through. All that were left standing in front of the Big Five then were Mako and Yugi.

"What have you done to our friends?" Yugi demanded, glaring at the towering figures.

"Where did you send them?" Mako wanted to know.

The Big Five chuckled as they made holes open up under the other two. "You'll find out soon enough."

And then they were all trapped in Noah's virtual world.

* * *

Yugi and Mako awoke a few moments later to find themselves in some sort of meadow beside a river. Their duel disks were empty of cards, something that didn't bode well with them, but that was one of the last things on their minds. The Big Five had said they were in a virtual world, but this place seemed all too real. The clear blue water, the pure blue sky with the glowing yellow sun, the luscious plant life around them…It looked and felt so realistic. How could it just be a virtual reality?

"Don't get caught up in this, Yugi," Mako warned, looking around for reasons other than admiration. "You heard what those jerks said. They'll be dueling all of us in order to take our bodies from us so they can get to the Matron kids. We must be ready for their arrival so they cannot catch us offguard."

"Right. But shouldn't our first priority be to find the others?" Yugi asked.

"The Big Five split us up for a reason. They plan on going against us in groups, I think, to make it easier on them to take us down. One of them will come after us before we can go find our friends," Mako said. "To save us the time, we might as well stay here and wait for our opponent to show up."

"But how are we going to duel if they took our decks?" Yugi pressed.

Mako shrugged. "I guess they'll give us one or something." He wiped the sweat off his brow and huffed. "Excuse me, Yugi. It's uncomfortably warm here for me." He pulled his shirt off and tossed it into the grass, revealing his awesome set of abs and making Yugi blush a little. "Ah, much better!"

"I…I think you just wanted an excuse to go around topless," Yugi muttered. He didn't feel too terribly warm, and definitely not enough to take his shirt off.

"It's in my contract. Every five minutes of screen time, I have to be topless," Mako teased, flashing a brilliant smile Yugi's way.

"I'm going to enjoy stealing your body from you, prideful young man," the voice of one of the Big Five remarked as a creature emerged from the river. Mako and Yugi turned to look at the creature only to discover that in the Big Five's stead was Deepsea Warrior.

"You're not stealing this body from me, whoever you are. I've worked too hard to get it to look this good, and I won't have you taking credit for it," Mako stated, brandishing his fist in the direction of the Duel Monster. "And I doubt you could beat me in a duel, even with this new rule about Deck Masters. So you'll never get this body, jerk!"

"My name is Gansley, you impudent fool. You talk big, but I doubt you can back your words up in our duel. The game of Duel Monsters is just like the world of business. I shall conquer it just as I have conquered countless companies before, and your bodies shall be mine," Deepsea Warrior declared. He made a motion with his arm and a moving panel of cards appeared in front of both Mako and Yugi. "Choose your cards, pick your Deck Masters, and prepare to be trapped in this place for the rest of time."

Thus began the first duel in this virtual world.

_A/N: A short chapter not worth reading after waiting so long for me to update, I think. So this is how it's going to go. Gansley is going to duel Mako and Yugi. Crump is going to duel Tea, Jessica, and Carrie. Johnson is going to duel Joey, Mai, and Ryou. Nesbitt is going to duel Tristan, Duke, and Serenity. And of course, Lector is going to duel Kaiba. There will still be plenty of twists and turns in this. I just hope I can keep it on point. Anyways, what did you think? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._


	62. 62 - Of Loss and Penguins

_A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner. Please forgive me. Read on and enjoy._

* * *

Chapter 62

Carrie, Tea, and Jessica found themselves up someplace very high surrounded by nothing but rocks and rocky structures. The sun was beating down rudely on them, making it apparent that they should leave this place as quickly as possible. Jessica used it as an excuse to remove her jacket and show off some skin, but Carrie didn't blame her. Besides, it wasn't like there were any guys around to check her out at the moment.

"How can this be virtual? It seems so real," Tea remarked, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

"That's the point. It's called a virtual reality because it seems real but isn't," Jessica told her. "Mokuba told me all about these places, and I don't like them one bit. If I wanted to be in a hot rocky place, I'd go there myself without having to be in a computer." She put her hands on her hips and pouted. "It's just our luck that we get sent to the worst part of this virtual world. I bet everyone else is in a nice climate having a fine time while we're sweating our asses off! Noah Kaiba, you and the Big Five are a bunch of douches!"

"Should you really be insulting the guys that control this place?" Carrie asked with a sweat-drop at Jessica's comment.

"If they were real men they wouldn't be hiding! They'd face me right now!" Jessica claimed, shaking her fist.

"Jessica, have you forgotten what they said? They're not here to fight. They're going to duel all of us to try and steal our bodies in order to get close to the Matron-children. They're not going to confront us in a physical confrontation. They're going to come after everyone and wipe us out with their decks. No one is going to have a 'fine time' while we're here," Tea stated.

"They can try to take us out, but I doubt they'll succeed," Carrie muttered.

"Easy for you to say. You're the Queen of Games," Tea pointed out.

"…We've wasted enough time here. We've got to get moving if we're going to find the Big Five to get out of here," Carrie grumbled, turning around to start walking away.

Tea and Jessica moved to follow them, but then something launched a rock into the back of the black-haired girl's head. She winced and clutched the hit area, glaring vehemently over her shoulder to see who had done it. A bunch of blue one-eyed giants wielding massive clubs stood behind the females, looking pretty hungry. Just seeing them was enough to freeze Tea up. Carrie knew they should run from these Duel Monsters. Jessica, however, was mad at them for hurting her and wanted to fight.

Without warning, she sped towards the nearest Hitotsu-Me Giant despite her friends' shouts. She gracefully dodged the Monster's club and delivered an uppercut to its chin, making its head snap up, before kicking it backwards into the Giant behind it. Its club dropped to the ground in the process. Jessica picked it up with some difficulty to use as her own. She clubbed Hitotsu-Me Giant after Hitotsu-Me Giant, using her small form and clever movements to avoid being hurt herself. Debris from her enemies' failed attempts to hit her struck Carrie and Tea—one rock even grazed Tea's face, leaving a scratch—but otherwise did no good.

Then one somewhat clever Hitotsu-Me Giant managed to trip her up and slammed his club into the back of her head. Jessica swore before falling onto the ground face first. The Giants turned their attention from the fallen girl to the two left standing. Tea looked at Carrie, wondering if she would fight like her little sister. The blonde had no intention of fighting; despite her efforts, Jessica had only taken out a handful. She ran forward to collect her sister's unconscious form and was off before the Hitotsu-Me Giants could do anything about it. Tea was right on her heels. The Duel Monsters gave chase.

Carrie knew they couldn't run forever, or even outrun their pursuers for much longer, but she didn't want to be captured so early in the game. It just wouldn't be fair. Then again, evil people hardly ever played fair. Why should she play fair then? She spun on her heel to face the pursuers and allowed Mirage to take partial control for a moment. A chasm opened up between them, separating the females from the Duel Monsters and making it impossible to be followed further. The Hitotsu-Me Giants roared in anger for being thwarted; Carrie just smirked with her half-green half-black eyes not revealing the relief she felt that her idea had worked.

"How in the world did you do that?" Tea asked in awe.

"I had a little help," Carrie admitted as she forced Mirage back into her prison. "But it won't hold them for long. Noah has control of this world. He'll be repairing that in no time. We've got to get away from these guys before that happens."

The blonde made to take a step forward, but then she slipped on ice that had no right being there and fell into an unnatural chute of ice, taking her sister with her. Tea screamed her name before she made the same mistake. The females went spiraling in that ice chute with no idea where they were being taken, but knowing it was nowhere good. Carrie held onto Jessica's unconscious form, still trying to keep it safe despite the danger they were all in at the moment. The girl shivered in her arms; Jessica would regret throwing her jacket away now.

Suddenly, the chute deposited them in the center of an ice rink surrounded by thick ice walls, leaving them with no escape route or warmth whatsoever. Carrie and Tea struggled to stand on the slippery surface, a challenge made more difficult because Carrie was holding her sister in her arms. They knew it wasn't coincidence that they had come here. The Big Five and or Noah had planned this, and they would be facing one of them now. They just hoped Jessica would come to before that happened.

Jessica's eyes flashed open and she jumped to her feet, still thinking she was facing down the Hitotsu-Me Giants. "You'll pay for that, you one-eyed bastard!" She brought her fist down on Carrie's head before realizing her mistake. "Oops…Sorry, sis." Her body finally registered the difference in temperature and she folded her arms close to her. "Holy shit! It's freezing balls now! What the hell happened while I was out of it?"

"Our enemies forced us to move to a different location," Carrie grumbled, rubbing her head where Jessica had hurt her.

"They expect us to actually _duel_ on ice? Man, being stuck in a computer has seriously screwed with their minds!" Jessica exclaimed. "Yo! Douches! We might be pretty girls, but we aren't skaters! And there's no such thing as card games on ice! Get with the times and stop changing everything, you morons!"

"I don't think you should keep insulting them. They might drop us into lava next," Tea warned with a sweat-drop.

"No, no. We'd never do that. We can't destroy such pretty bodies when we need them to escape into the real world and live again," one of the Big Five stated as Nightmare Penguin climbed onto the ice rink on which they stood with a few other penguin followers.

"Well, at least that explains why we're on ice," Carrie muttered. "Which one of the douches are you?"

Nightmare Penguin crossed his flippers with a humph. "I am not a douche! Sheesh, the women of today sure have foul mouths! My name is Crump, and with my army of penguins your lovely bodies shall become mine to control!" The man laughed hysterically. "Oh, how I'll enjoy being in a woman's body until I can transfer myself into a Matron-Watcher's! The nights I'll have!"

The girls collectively sweat-dropped and shuddered.

"Pedophile!" Jessica accused, pointing a finger at the creep named Crump.

Crump shrugged. "Think what you will of me, but your thoughts won't mean a thing once I defeat you in this duel." He made a gesture with his flipper and moving panels of cards appeared in front of each of the females. "Choose your cards and Deck Masters and prepare to lose, my dears. This will be your last time having free will against me."

Tea hesitated as Carrie and Jessica easily picked their cards out. As she wasn't a duelist, she didn't know what the best cards to use were. Carrie noticed her hesitation and requested that Yami help her out. She slipped the Puzzle over the brunette's head, who gave her an odd glance, but said nothing. Yami helped Tea made a decent Spellcaster deck, whereas Carrie wielded a mostly Fairy deck and Jessica's was all Fairies.

"I choose Uria, Lord of Searing Flames, as my Deck Master," Carrie stated.

"I choose Wingweaver as my Deck Master," Jessica declared.

"I choose Dark Magician Girl as my Deck Master," Tea said.

The three Duel Monsters materialized beside their respective owners, though Uria had to be smaller in order to fit in this tiny arena. Crump let out a humph at their choices, but still had an annoying smirk on his penguin face.

"No matter how powerful of a Monster you choose, it won't be enough," he remarked as they all drew their hands. "Prepare to give your beautiful bodies up to me."

* * *

Gansley was a fool, challenging both Mako and Yugi to a duel at the same time. Their Deck Masters were top-notch, even against his tactics. Yugi had wanted to choose Dark Magician, but then Kuriboh had jumped out of his card, making him his Deck Master without proper consent. Mako had chosen Red Archery Girl to be his. Kuriboh's ability prevented Yugi from taking damage to his Life Points, once, and placed him onto the duel field where he could be destroyed. Red Archery Girl could stop an attack once per turn without putting her neck on the line. Deepsea Warrior could direct an attack right back at them by sacrificing two Monsters. That was problematic, but they managed to overcome it in time.

The businessman's Life Points drifted down to zero, proving him to be mostly talk and not enough action. He swore vengeance before disappearing into the deep once more. Red Archery Girl and her clamshell cheered and Kuriboh danced before they disappeared back into the decks. Mako and Yugi exchange a high-five over their victory, glad to have won their battle.

But their work was not done just yet. Their friends were in danger. If they were to believe that they had all been split into groups to be dueled, then some people were going to be in trouble, namely the group with Tristan, Serenity, and Duke. They didn't duel, or at least, not very often. Someone would have to be there to help them or else they'd be lost to the Big Five.

"I doubt our foes would let us find the friends we want to help. Bad guys hardly ever let the good guys do what we want," Mako pointed out. "If anything, they'll just lead us into a place where we'll have to helplessly watch our friends suffer without the power to do anything. There's nothing we can do about that, is there?"

Yugi sighed. "No. But I wish there was."

"Well, wishing isn't going to get us anywhere." Mako looked off into the distance, contemplating their next move. "Noah is the big dog here, since Gozaburo hasn't been mentioned at all since we've arrived. He has power even over the Big Five. If he wants us to find our friends, in his twisted, misguided way, he will make it happen."

"Does it have to be twisted and misguided?" Yugi asked.

A path appeared before them, leading into some sort of tunnel that looked really old. There was no indication of where it would lead or if it wasn't just some trap, but they had nowhere else to go and therefore no other choice.

"Yup. It's always twisted and misguided," Mako replied before they stepped into the tunnel without any idea of where it would take them.

* * *

The duel was not looking good. Tea and her Spellcasters were doing their best, as were Carrie's mix of Fairies with other Monsters. But Jessica felt that she had to protect everyone—Carrie because she was family and Tea because she was hopeless. Wingweaver's Deck Master Effect granted Jessica the ability to redirect an attack to her once per turn, and Jessica used that power as much as she could. Her Life Points were already down to 1000. It didn't look promising for her. It didn't help that all of Crump's Monsters with the Attribute of Water gained 200 ATK because of his Deck Master, Nightmare Penguin.

Also, when someone lost Life Points, ice climbed up their bodies, freezing them and preventing them from moving very much. All of the girls had some ice on them, or in Jessica's case, a lot. Crump had some, too, but penguins weren't very fazed by the cold.

Uria had two abilities that he had revealed to Carrie. He could switch places with another Deck Master at the cost of 1000 Life Points, and he and all Monsters on their field would gain 500 ATK and DEF points for each Trap Card in the Graveyard. Carrie couldn't use his first ability to save Jessica from getting hurt at this point, because then on her next turn Jessica would just use that power to take back her Deck Master. Carrie didn't know what Dark Magician Girl could do, and couldn't wait to find out. She'd have to act fast if she didn't want to lose her sister to that pedophile.

Crump launched an attack at Tea, intending to destroy her Fire Sorcerer, with a powerful Duel Monster that had 2600 ATK. Jessica activated Wingweaver's ability, changing the attack's target to her Shining Angel that only had 1400 ATK and was in Attack Mode. Jessica had no facedown cards that would save her. If Carrie didn't act now, her little sister would lose.

"Not so fast!" she shouted, interrupting Crump's speech about winning her sister's lovely body. "I activate my Deck Master Uria's ability! By giving up one thousand of my Life Points, I can switch my Deck Master with another! And I choose Wingweaver!" Her Life Points became 2000 as Wingweaver came to stand beside her and Uria floated by Jessica. Ice made its way up to her waist, but she ignored it.

"Carrie, don't you do it!" Jessica yelled, glaring at her big sister.

The blonde gave her and Tea a grim smile before making her next move. "I activate Wingweaver's ability, redirecting your attack to me! And since I have no Monsters on my side of the field, your attack comes to me directly!"

"No!" Tea, Yami, and Jessica all cried as the water attack from Crump's Monster struck Carrie full-on.

"…Kick his ass for me…Will ya…?" Carrie said just before her whole body became encased in the ice.

Crump laughed. "That's one hot body down, two more to go."

"Carrie! You shouldn't have done that!" Jessica exclaimed, wanting to run over to her sister but unable to since she was encased in ice up to her chest. She held her head in her hands. "Why was I so stupid? I misused Wingweaver's power just to protect you…and now I've lost you! Damn it!"

"**Now is not the time for tears, dear Jessica. Avenge Carrie by taking this dark-hearted mortal down." **Uria's urging was full of venom directed at Crump. He had lost Carrie before and wasn't happy to lose her again, especially not to some lame mortal in a virtual world.

"Come on, Jessie. Let's make this loser pay for hurting Carrie," Tea agreed.

Jessica wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and set her hard pink glare on Crump. "You're dead."

* * *

Mako and Yugi encountered some obstacles in the tunnel. Someone didn't want them getting very far and had Duel Monsters come at them from carvings in the wall. They were easily dispatched at first…until Spell and Trap Cards came into play and caught the duo offguard. They just used Heavy Storm to wipe away the threats before continuing on their way.

Their path came to an abrupt halt when a thick piece of ice appeared at the end of the tunnel. On the other side of the ice was a frozen arena where their friends were facing off against a Big Five member posing as Nightmare Penguin. It seemed that whenever someone lost Life Points, they would be encased in ice. Someone had already lost all of theirs, as there appeared to be a block of ice where there shouldn't have been. A bit of squinting revealed that person to be…

"Carrie!" Mako and Yugi screamed, pounding on the ice to try to break it, but to no avail.

Tea and Jessica saw them there, but what good was that? Tea was encased in ice up to her waist and Jessica only had a short ways to go before she joined her sister as an ice block. How could the Queen of Games have lost so quickly? Was this Big Five member a better duelist than Gansley? No, it couldn't be. Then how did Carrie lose, and how would the remaining duelists win?

Jessica drew a card, as it was now her turn. "I sacrifice my Shining Angel and Hoshiningen to summon Splendid Venus!" The two Fairy Monsters disappeared in a bright light to be replaced by a powerful female in an orange dress with huge wings. She packed a punch of 2800 ATK and 2400 DEF. "And since I have five Trap Cards in my Graveyard, Uria gives her an extra boost of 2500 attack and defense points, bringing her up to 5300 ATK and 4900 DEF! But that's not all, you pedophile! All non-Fairy Monsters on the field lose 500 ATK and DEF, including your Monsters!" His Monster that had been the end of Carrie's ATK dropped down to 2100. "Now I play the Continuous Trap, Tyrant's Temper! By discarding one card from my hand, I can prevent you from activating any Spells or Traps as long as this card remains on the field! Now, Splendid Venus, attack Crump's Monster and make him pay for taking Carrie away! Venus Spiral Blast!"

Crump's Life Points became zero and his body was encased completely in ice. But then his little penguin form disappeared, along with Carrie's body. Only his chuckling remained.

"You may have defeated me, but I still have my victory! The Queen of Games' body is now mine to do with as I please!" Crump declared, laughing as his presence faded away from the ice arena.

The ice holding Mako and Yugi back melted away, allowing them to join their friends on the other side. Jessica and Tea were no longer encased in ice, either, having won their duel against Crump. Though they were victorious, neither person was very happy as they had lost Carrie in the conflict. Jessica burst into tears again and collapsed on the ice, oblivious to how cold it was on her skin.

"It's all my fault! If I hadn't been trying to protect you guys so much…If I had just believed in your abilities…She'd still be with us!" Jessica cried, tears falling from her face onto the cold surface below her only to freeze there. "Now that sick pedophile Crump is going to do inappropriate things with her body and then escape to the real world to slip into one of the Matron-children's bodies! I'm a failure!"

Her friends kneeled beside her and each put a comforting arm around her.

"Don't worry, Jessica. We'll get her back, I promise," Mako told her.

"Crump won't get away with this," Yugi vowed.

"He'll get what's coming to him," Tea concurred.

"How can you be so sure?" Jessica demanded, shoving them all away. "This isn't our world, you know! We can't stop anything from happening! Crump could be getting away in Carrie's body right now! And what about Mokey and Serenity? They could be gone now too and there's nothing I can do to change it!" She pulled her knees to her chest and shuddered. "How…How does Carrie go through with this every time the world's in danger? It's so hard…and painful."

"She always had people there to help her along, and Carrie is a very strong person. She won't let anything hold her back. Even fear of losing those that she loves won't stop her. That's why she used Uria's ability to take Wingweaver from you, because she didn't want to lose you and knew you could bring her back," Tea stated as she removed the Puzzle from her neck and slipped it onto Jessica. "Now stop being so gloomy. We have to find the others, and then we've got to kick Crump's ass out of Carrie's body before he gets any alone time with her."

Jessica managed a small smile. "Okay."

She wobbly moved to stand, and together the group left the frozen arena the way two of them had come in.

* * *

"The Big Five are proving to be very incompetent," a green-haired blue-eyed boy in white clothes remarked from his chair, watching the screens that projected different images from all over his virtual world. "If they don't step up their game soon, I might have to step in."

"Crump wasn't completely useless. He brought down Carrie," a woman with wavy red hair and gold eyes dressed in a showy but elegant pink dress pointed out.

"Yes, but he only did so because she didn't want that Jessica girl to lose to him," the boy reminded her. He groaned and rested his forehead on his hand. "Crump is a total pervert. These bodies we take over are only supposed to be temporary until we can get to the Matron-children. I don't want him misusing them thus. AI (pronounced as just Ai), pay our pedophile friend a visit to make sure he doesn't do anything disturbing, will you? I don't want there to be anything of the sort happening in my virtual world."

"As you wish, Master Noah," AI murmured before disappearing to do as he bid.

With her gone, Noah turned his attention to the screen showing him Mokuba and Kaiba being tormented by memories of their past. _Soon we shall escape into the real world, and then Father will see I'm not so useless after all. And you who stole my place and disgraced the Kaiba name...will be dead!_

* * *

_A/N: Another short chapter, but a lot happened here, so I suppose that makes up for it? I don't know. Sorry for not going into more detail on the duels, but I really suck at them. Carrie's gone because she protected Jessica. Noah's made his appearance. And who the heck is AI? All will be discovered in the future! What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading! Have a nice day!_


	63. 63 - Of Love and Robots

_A/N: Another chapter, another day. I hope you like it. Please read on, my friends._

* * *

Chapter 63

"Crump," AI said, materializing behind the creep that was now walking around in the form of Carrie. He had been unbuttoning Carrie's shirt when she appeared, but she had startled him and caused the creep to fall on his ass.

"What the heck is this about?" Crump demanded as he got back up, glaring at the woman who had never been alive.

"Master Noah does not approve of your actions. If you want to keep that body of yours so you can escape to the real world to become a Matron, then you must treat that body with dignity," AI stated without emotion.

"I-I was going to treat it with dignity!" Crump exclaimed.

AI's eyes flickered in irritation. "Lies get you nowhere, Crump. Master Noah can see all that happens in this world of his, and he knows what you were planning to do with the girl's body. Master Noah is not pleased. If you do not wish to be erased from all of existence, you had best keep your hands clean and your eyes averted. Master does not want his world to become a disturbing shelter for sex predators like you and only be remembered as such."

The man in a teenage girl's body let out a humph and crossed his arms. "Fine. I'll leave this body alone for Noah's dignity and my own safety. Though if you ask me, it shouldn't matter at all. Carrie's going to be trapped here for the rest of her life. It's not like she has any use for this shell anymore."

"No one was asking you," AI told him bluntly. "Just follow Master's orders if you want to live and do not cause anymore trouble, Crump. I do not want to have to tell you again. If Master Noah sends me to confront you again, it shall be the last time you ever take breath." Her gold eyes darkened. "And I shall enjoy ridding the world of your foul existence."

Crump gulped. "Okay, okay! There's no need to make these threats! I'm a loyal man!"

"You are only loyal to those that pay you the most. You are swine," AI muttered.

"Right! Right! I'm swine! But don't kill me!" Crump pleaded.

The beautiful woman disappeared in a flash. "Just follow Master Noah's commands and you shall have no trouble, you pathetic worm."

* * *

Johnson, in the guise of his Deck Master Judge Man, faced off against Joey, Mai, and Ryou in a courtroom within a building far away from their friends. Joey's Deck Master was Flame Swordsman, Mai's was Harpie's Pet Dragon, and Ryou's was Ruin, Queen of Oblivion. It was tough work taking down this loser, especially since he liked to cheat, but they managed to take him out. What made it easier was that Noah stepped in to stop Johnson's cheating. Then Mai fused her Harpie Lady Sisters with Joey's Red-Eyes and Ryou's Dark Necrofear to create Dark Harpie Dragon Sisters (made up!). They were powerful enough to take out all of Johnson's Life Points and grant them freedom just as their friends found them.

Then the gang was forced into another location to watch the end of Serenity and Duke's duel against Nesbitt in the guise of Robotic Knight. Tristan had been in that duel as well, but he had given up himself to protect Serenity from being destroyed instead. His body had dropped down into lava when his Deck Master had been attacked by Nesbitt's Monster. Serenity had managed to Fusion Summon St. Joan with the help of her Deck Master, The Goddess of the Third Eye. Now Nesbitt was defeated, but as with Crump he still had a body at his disposal. He disappeared, laughing as he did so.

"Where's Carrie?" Duke asked as he helped a saddened Serenity over to her brother.

"She lost her duel protecting me," Jessica replied without meeting his gaze. "Let's…just leave it at that and not go into details."

"Tristan made a similar sacrifice here," Serenity sobbed, glancing at Jessica from Joey's arms with tears in her brown eyes. "I didn't know a thing about dueling…I kept making so many mistakes that he and Duke tried to correct…Nesbitt targeted my Forgiving Maiden that I accidentally put in Attack Mode when I meant to put her in Defense Mode. Then Tristan made his Deck Master move to take the attack for me." She whimpered and buried her face in Joey's shirt. "And now he's gone! It's all my fault!"

Jessica put a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, just like it's not completely my fault that Carrie's gone. It's the Big Five and Gozaburo and Noah's fault. They made you duel when you have never done so before. They also placed me in a position where I felt that I had to protect Carrie and Tea. Carrie is my sister, and Tea isn't a duelist. It's our enemies' fault, not ours."

"She's right, sis. And don't ya worry. We'll find Tristan and Carrie, and then we'll get them their bodies back. I promise," Joey told his sister.

"Just one question. How are we supposed to find them?" Tea wanted to know.

"Well, we could try the mystical tunnels and doorways that keep popping up whenever the bad guys want us to go somewhere," Mako suggested. "That always works."

"Shouldn't we check up on Kaiba and Mokuba first? I haven't heard anything about them since we were brought into this virtual hellhole," Mai reminded them.

"Yeah! There's still one member of the Big Five out there that hasn't dueled as far as we know! He could be facing them right now," Tea agreed. "But…We shouldn't be all that worried, should we? Kaiba's one of the best duelists, and even if Mokuba's forced to duel, Kaiba won't let him lose. They should be fine…Shouldn't they?"

"It's better to be safe than sorry," Yugi said. "Let's go."

* * *

_Where the hell am I? And why does everything look so big? _

Carrie had reawakened somewhere she didn't recognize. It looked like some old abandoned warehouse, but the lack of lighting made hard to be sure. She walked awkwardly for a reason she wasn't sure of and everything seemed to be so much bigger than she remembered. Well, she had lost her duel to Crump to save Jessica. Maybe her soul was a lot shorter than her body…?

She heard something moving ahead of her and stopped, getting into a defensive position in case it proved to be something dark. "Who goes there? Show yourself!"

The only response she got were noises usually made by a chimp. Curious, Carrie took another step forward only to see a glow that looked like a face.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Carrie asked as she continued to move toward the thing and the thing moved closer to her while continuing to make noises like it was talking. The thing turned out to be some sort of robotic monkey with a hairstyle that reminded her of Tristan. "Can you understand me? Cuz if you can, I can't understand a single word you're trying to tell me." She found a switch on the robot's head and pushed it. "Here, let's see if this helps any."

"What do you mean you can't understand what I'm saying? I'm speaking pure English here! If you'd like, doll, I could speak my native Japanese," the robot monkey stated, sounding exactly like her friend Tristan.

"What's going on? Is this some kind of trick? You…You sound just like Tristan," Carrie remarked in confusion. "And who are you calling a doll? I'm far from it, you stupid little chimpanzee!"

"Who are you calling a stupid chimpanzee! I happen to be a very intelligent man, thank you very much! And I am Tristan!" the robot monkey shouted, shaking its fist at her. "Now how do you know my name, doll? I never met someone that looks like you!"

"You idiot! It's me, Carrie!" the girl retorted, hitting the monkey upside the head.

"Carrie? What the hell, girl? You look…different," Tristan commented.

"And you look like a robotized chimp," Carrie retorted.

They glanced over at a reflective surface beside them to receive the shocks of their lives. Tristan had been telling the truth about Carrie. She had the appearance of a Victorian age doll, with the fancy golden locks and a fancy red velvet dress that had been out of style for a couple of centuries now. She even had matching shoes…and fishnet leggings under her slip. She curled up her little fist and punched a wall in frustration.

"I hate you, Noah! It's bad enough that your henchman stole my body from me, but to make me a doll and put me in a dress? That is unforgivable!" She stopped her tiny foot on the floor. "Why couldn't you have just made me a robot like Tristan? At least then I wouldn't look this ridiculous!"

"Hey, being a robot monkey isn't all it's cracked up to be. I keep craving bugs and bananas and making weird noises," Tristan testified. "How did you lose your body, anyway? You're one of the best duelists in the world. Surely these morons couldn't have gotten the better of you."

"Trust me, they didn't. It's because Jessica was being stupid and trying to protect us all from Crump's attacks. Wingweaver could redirect attacks at Jessica once per turn, which she did…practically every turn. She was down to a thousand Life Points and about to be destroyed, so I had no choice but to step in and save her ass. I don't blame her, but she has to be more careful next time. She's the only family I have. Plus I didn't want her body to be misused by that pedophile Crump. She does not deserve to have her body molested by a creepy old man who never could get any from women his age." Carrie shuddered at the thought of what Crump might be doing to her body.

"It's…disturbing…that you and Jessica and Tea had to face that kinda guy," Tristan agreed, sharing in her shudder. "I just got here protecting Serenity because our opponent, Nesbitt, was completely taking advantage of the fact that she's never dueled before. I couldn't just stand by and let my best friend's sister lose. So I did the only thing I could and gave up myself to keep her safe. I just hope my sacrifice wasn't for nothing and she and Duke pulled through. Otherwise, I'm so going to kick that pretty boy's ass for not keeping her safe!"

"I think they're okay. If they weren't, we would have seen them by now," Carrie said.

"What are we supposed to do now? We're stuck in these weaker forms with no idea where we are and we don't know how to get in contact with our friends. Two members of the Big Five are out there prancing about in our bodies without a freaking care in the world, thinking they are on their way to near-immortality," Tristan remarked.

"I'm not about to stand back just because I'm some stupid toy now. Those creeps are not escaping this place in my body or the bodies of my friends. We're going to find the Big Five and destroy them and get our bodies back. Then we're getting the hell out of here as quickly as we possibly can. But first thing's first…We have to get out of this dump."

"And do you have any idea how to do that?" Tristan asked.

Carrie shrugged. "Not really. But hey, there's got to be an exit somewhere. Let's walk around, or in your case roll, until we find a way out."

Tristan clapped sarcastically. "Great plan, Carrie. One of your best yet."

The girl responded by hitting the robot monkey in the head. "Don't mock me! I might be a toy but I can still kick your ass if I want to! Don't try me!"

"…Becoming a doll has made her more ill-tempered than ever," Tristan murmured as he watched his friend stomp off with a sweat-drop. "And to think…I'm stuck with her until we can find a way back into our real bodies…Oy vey…"

* * *

The gang found themselves in a place full of old warehouses and storage units in a city that looked long abandoned. Noah or whoever controlled this world had brought them here for one reason or another. They called out for Kaiba and Mokuba, a little worried about their safety since their enemies wanted those two dead. The Kaiba brothers were in the most danger because of their past relations with the Big Five and Gozaburo, their adoptive father. Anything could happen to them.

But hardly anything had. The tall brunette in a fancy silver duster appeared as if from out of nowhere with his little brother standing beside him. There was no telling what those two had been through before, but they didn't seem to have dueled anyone. Mokuba didn't even have a duel disk on his wrist. He saw Jessica and lost his restraints; he had been worried about her ever since they had been separated even when Noah was tormenting him about his and Kaiba's past. He ran past his brother to encompass his secret girlfriend in his arms.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" he stated with a broad grin.

Jessica gave him a small smile and a weak squeeze. "I'm glad you're safe, too, Mokey."

"Where's Carrie?" Kaiba demanded, eyeing the group unpleasantly with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Long story short, she lost to Crump protecting her sister. Tristan did the same thing for Serenity," Tea replied.

"That's what happens when simpletons that know nothing about Duel Monsters come where they shouldn't," Kaiba remarked without sympathy.

"Oh yeah? Well, we've defeated four of the Big Five! How many have _you_ beaten, Rich Boy?" Joey demanded.

"We haven't faced any of them, but that was because Noah took it upon himself to attack us," Mokuba told them when Kaiba didn't say anything. He pulled away from Jessica and faced the masses. "He didn't meet us face-to-face or anything like that. Noah just tried to turn us against each other by reminding us of things that happened in our past…when we were still in the orphanage and times like that."

"Oh…I'm so, so sorry he put you through that again," Jessica whispered, hugging him again, only this time a lot tighter. "It's bad enough to see it once, but to see it again is a thousand times worse. But you…You don't have to face the pain alone. I'm here for you if you ever need me, Mokey. You know that. I'll always be here for you even when no one else is."

"I know, Jessie. That's why I like you so much," Mokuba murmured, a small smile on his face as he spoke.

"Get your hands off of my brother," Kaiba ordered, grabbing Mokuba's shoulder and roughly pulling him away from Jessica.

"What the hell is that about?" Mai demanded.

"I don't want my brother anywhere near the sister of my rival," was Kaiba's reply.

"That's pathetic! They're friends and you can't stop that!" Tea exclaimed. "Just because you're jealous of their closeness doesn't give you any right to tell Mokuba who he can and can't be friends with! Maybe if you were a better brother to him, he wouldn't run from you to Jessica the first moment he gets!"

"Shut your mouth!" Kaiba snapped.

"Can't handle the truth?" Ryou put in tauntingly.

"No, I don't think he can," Yugi said.

"You know nothing!" Kaiba growled.

"They speak the truth and you know it. All you care about is your stupid business and a silly card game. My brother might not be rich or all that famous or even a better duelist than you, but he's still a thousand times the brother you'll ever be," Serenity declared, making her brother beam with pride.

Kaiba's anger was rising. His hands were clenched in anger, and any more pressing might make him snap. Jessica didn't care. This man had his head stuck so far up his ass that he couldn't see what was right in front of him. Mokuba had other people in his life that mattered more than Kaiba because the rich businessman never paid him any attention. Everything in his life revolved around managing his business and dueling, with some drinking and sex and porn on the side. Mokuba fit in none of that. In fact, if Mokuba wasn't a tax deduction, Kaiba probably wouldn't even have the boy live with him.

"You want to know something, Seto Kaiba?" Jessica challenged, bringing his gaze to her. "I hate you. I hate you just as much as Carrie does, but for completely different reasons than her. Ever since you became the adopted son of Gozaburo Kaiba, you've treated Mokuba like pure shit. You hardly ever pay him any attention just because he's not involved in your business or in Duel Monsters. Even when you have free time, you'd rather drink and sleep around with random women and watch girl-on-girl than spend time with him. Let's face it. You've never done anything for him. Everything you've ever done in your life…has been for your own benefit. You could give less than a damn about what happens to Mokuba, but you don't want him leaving you. A total freaking contradiction if I've ever seen one. But you can't stop my friendship with him. It's already sparked into something so great that even your icy heart can't douse its flames. I love Mokuba Kaiba more than you ever could, and he loves me. You have no power over us, Seto Kaiba. So damn you and your selfish ways. Just let my Mokey be."

Kaiba was slightly taken aback by her words, but believed most of it to be made up, especially that last part about his brother being in love with his rival's sister. He looked down at Mokuba to demand an explanation.

"It's true, Seto. Jessica and I are more than friends. We have been for a couple of months now," Mokuba admitted, pulling away from the taller man. "And nothing you can say will stop it. Perhaps if you actually took my friends' advice, I wouldn't have needed to sneak out at night to see someone who actually respects me and calls me by my name instead of just calling me 'brother.' Maybe Noah was right to show me our past. It opened my eyes to the kind of man you really are." His expression softened for a moment as he looked down at the ground. "I still love you, Seto. You're my brother. But…But I know you don't love me, and that is what drove me away from you." He turned his back on Kaiba and started towards Jessica. "That's why I'm choosing Jessica over you. And you can't stop me."

He took a step towards his girlfriend, but then the lights of some motorized vehicle came on and blinded the group, stopping everyone in their tracks. A motorcycle with two riders drove out of one of the warehouses at a slow pace so everyone could see who they were. It looked to be Tristan and Carrie. Something, however, wasn't right about them. Hadn't they had their bodies stolen by Nesbitt and Crump? How could they be here? And since when had Carrie changed into a whorish schoolgirl uniform?

Jessica did not like the sight of these two and immediately moved in between them and Mokuba. As his best friend, it was her duty to keep him safe just as Carrie had done in the past. Kaiba could fend for himself. He was a big boy. Mokuba stood behind her in confusion, not understanding what was going on.

"Is that how you greet your friends when they return?" a voice that wasn't Tristan's asked from Tristan's face.

"They have no respect for us, it seems," a male voice that definitely wasn't Carrie's claimed from Carrie's face with a creepy smile.

Tea made a face. "Oh Kami…That's Crump. And look what he's done to Carrie's body already. Making her wear such a thing…I don't even want to think about what he's done to her in that outfit."

"Keep your skirt on, dear. Noah has expressly forbidden me from 'misusing' this body for my own pleasure. But just because I can't do anything with it doesn't mean I can't look at it," Crump commented. He laughed at the gang's expression. "Hey, you can't expect all guys in business to be good. Some of us are rather corrupt. I like teenage girls and young women. That's just how I am! There's no changing that."

"Eww…," the females muttered, most of them hiding behind guys to keep him from looking at them.

"That's disgusting," the males agreed, many of them wanting to hurt Crump.

Crump shrugged. "That's your opinion."

"Stop talking, you perverted moron! We're wasting time here," Nesbitt snapped as he glared at his partner. "Now hold on unless you want to be left behind with these people!"

"Fine," Crump grumbled, wrapping his arms tightly around Nesbitt.

Just before they could do anything, a robot monkey attacked Nesbitt, mauling his face an in attempt to really hurt the guy. A fancy Victorian age doll appeared in front of Crump, forcing him away from Nesbitt, and punched him in the face. Then she kicked him in the boobs, causing the man in a girl's body to double over in pain. Nesbitt knocked the monkey to the ground, and then he threw the doll by the head into a wall to rid them of the pests. Crump, holding his face in one hand, held onto his business associate once more, grumbling about how unfair life could be.

Nesbitt revved up the motorcycle and sped towards Mokuba. Jessica got in the way, not wanting her boyfriend to be taken away like her sister had been. Nesbitt shoved her aside to nab the fluffy-haired boy. She hit the asphalt but didn't let that stop her. She grabbed onto Mokuba's legs and refused to let go. Rather than drag her along, Nesbitt had Crump hold onto her as well. They sped off with the fifteen-year-olds before their friends could stop them.

Without any moment's hesitation, Kaiba found another motorcycle and started after the kidnappers. He wasn't in it for Jessica, of course. He just wanted to get his little brother back so he could prove to Mokuba that he did indeed love the little kid. He was gone before the gang could stop him as well.

"Damn it! Not only have we lost Carrie and Tristan to these punks, but now they've captured Jessica and Mokuba! This bites big time," Duke stated, kicking a wall.

"We have to go after them," Tea said.

"…Am I the only one who's still shocked that those two were dating?" Joey asked, referring to Jessica and Mokuba.

"No, that caught us all by surprise. Siblings of enemies being together? That's almost unheard of," Ryou replied. "But we don't find that tidbit of information to be all that important at the moment. Those wankers just made off with our friends after forcing themselves into the bodies of two of our other friends, you know. We have bloody more important things to think about than Jessica dating Mokuba at the bloody moment."

"Okay, okay! Sheesh! No need to go all British on me!" Joey shouted, hands up in surrender. He spotted an old green pickup truck in one of the storage areas and pondered for a moment. "Do you think we could go after them in that?"

"Anything's possible in this virtual hellhole," Mai commented.

"What were those things that attacked Nesbitt and Crump? They were there for a second, but then Nesbitt knocked them away before everything else went down," Duke recalled as Serenity walked towards the place where the doll had been thrown. "Whatever they were, they obviously weren't friends of the Big Five. One of them even kicked Crump in Carrie's boobs. They could help us get out of here."

"Do we really have time to waste wondering about that?" Mako asked, exasperated.

"Look! It's a little robot chimp and a doll!" Serenity called, holding the said things in her arms as she straightened. The doll was fixing her head from when it had made contact with the wall. The robot chimp had gone over there to check on her, and that's when Serenity had found them.

"Hey! Don't call me a doll!" the doll snapped, not looking happy at all. "I just hurt myself trying to save you and get that creep out of my body! You should know who I am after all that crap, Serenity!"

The robot monkey made noises in either agreement or contradiction to what the doll said. Being knocked down by Nesbitt had flipped his switch back to non-human speech, so no one could really understand him anymore.

"How does it know your name?" Tea wanted to know.

"Maybe it's a trick designed by Noah to make us think we have an upper hand," Yugi suggested.

"Great idea. Only that's not true! I don't work for Noah, Yugi. I am your best friend Carrie stuck in this pathetic excuse for a substitution of a body! And worst of all, those douches put me in a dress! You know how much I hate dresses!" the doll complained. "Now enough of this! We have to go save my sister! She's in danger, and as Bakura mentioned, we have bloody more important things to worry about! After them!"

"Wait. If you're Carrie, then does that mean…?"

"Yes, Duke. The chimp is Tristan. Just flip the switch on the back of his head and you'll be able to understand him," Carrie groaned. "Now come on! Let's go kick some ass before Jessica and Mokuba become temporary bodies for creeps like Crump!"

The gang piled into the pickup truck and took off in the direction that Nesbitt, Crump, and Kaiba had gone in, hoping they wouldn't be too late.

* * *

_A/N: More of a summary chapter than anything. I haven't seen Johnson versus Joey or Nesbitt versus Serenity and Duke and Tristan in a long time since my cartoon channel skipped those duels, so I did my best. Well, a lot happened near the end. Jessica and Mokuba's relationship is revealed just before they're both captured by Nesbitt and Crump. Carrie and Tristan meet up with the gang in their new forms. And we still don't know who AI is! What do you think of all of this? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. Have wonderful day._


	64. 64 - Relating to the Enemy

_A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. Here is the next chapter. Please read on and enjoy, my friends!_

* * *

Chapter 64

Noah and AI appeared in front of the motorcycle, forcing Nesbitt to stop lest he harm his boss. The kid with bluish-green hair did not look happy; AI displayed no emotion as was usual for her. Crump and Nesbitt wondered what they had done wrong now. They didn't even think about the unconscious teens in their grasp being the reason for it. What fools.

"You do not care about what becomes of you, do you?" AI muttered, her gold eyes carrying a frightening gleam that made the Big Five members in front of her gulp. "Master Noah never gave you permission to kidnap Mokuba, and he especially did not say you could take the sister of Carrie. You are supposed to be playing by Master Noah's rules, not those that you create and carry out without his consent. You have made what may be your last mistake."

"We just wanted our revenge on Seto Kaiba and his brother for what they did to us. Is that too much to ask?" Nesbitt demanded, sounding bitter despite being afraid of what AI was capable of.

Anger flashed in her eyes. "You are not innocent yourselves. Who are you to try and deliver revenge unto the corrupt if you are corrupt? The only person here deserving of revenge is Master Noah, and you fools are making that difficult for him to accomplish with your failures and mistakes. You have displeased my master, as well as those who are close to the people you have taken. For this, you shall pay dearly."

Nesbitt and Crump gulped in fear once again.

"Now, now, AI. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We could still make their mistakes work to our advantage," Noah said with a small smile. "Seto is coming for his little brother, wanting more than anything to have him back. Little Mokuba, as much as I hate him for existing, is the perfect bait to make Seto do whatever I want. And of course, not all of the Big Five have failed me yet. Lector has yet to duel. We'll give him a shot at Seto before we step in to finish the job. If he fails, then you may do as you please to those that do not have a body."

"As you wish, Master Noah." AI's eyes flitted in the direction of the Big Five members that did have claims to a body. "And what of the curs that do have bodies?"

"I haven't decided what will happen to them. We'll just have to wait and see how I feel after Lector's duel is done," was Noah's reply. "Now, hand over Mokuba and Jessica. You have no need of them. Then leave this place and stay out of my way."

The troublesome men-in-teenage-bodies hastened to do as their boss told them. AI placed the unconscious bodies of Mokuba and Jessica over her shoulders, not burdened at all by their weight. The Puzzle, which was hanging from around the dark-haired girl's neck, went completely unnoticed by everyone. It glistened in the light, foretelling what a mistake this would be for her captors later.

"Don't screw up anything else, or you shall truly be lost to this world forever," Noah snapped before he and AI disappeared once more.

* * *

So many things had happened in such a short amount of time. The poor spirit trapped within the Millennium Puzzle was having a hard time keeping a grip on reality. It had all started with their arrival into the virtual world. The scorching heat, the Hitotsu-Me Giants, then the ice place…What a confusing world this was! The confusion had been knocked aside by Carrie's sacrifice to protect Jessica, bringing a feeling of loss back into Yami's heart that had been missing since Battle City. He didn't let Jessica feel his sadness then; she already felt bad enough as it was without his misery being added to the mix. But even his sadness was not allowed to grip him for long. Those fools that took the bodies of his girlfriend and Tristan had now decided to kidnap Mokuba and Jessica. He could let feelings get in the way of protecting Carrie's sister.

The spirit with spiky, tri-colored hair had not acted right away. He wanted to wait for the right moment when he could confront Noah and put an end to this whole ordeal. At first he was doubtful that Nesbitt and Crump would take their catches to their boss; they seemed set on revenge. But then Noah appeared with some woman to scold the men and take the teens from them. Yami was on his way to getting alone with Noah to make him pay for everything he had done, including but not limited to bringing them all to this virtual hellhole in the first place.

_You're a lot of help, you know that, Dark? _Jessica shouted from her mind, her thoughts echoing within the walls of the Millennium Puzzle. _Why didn't you stop those bastards from getting me and Mokuba? Did you want us to be captured?_

_**No. But this is the perfect time to act now that you have been. Do not worry, Jessica. I have a plan, **_Yami assured her.

_Great. The dead guy's got a plan. The world's saved. Woo-hoo._

_**Your sarcasm will not make this situation any better.**_

_Yeah, but it can't possibly make it worse, either._

Noah, the strange woman, Mokuba, and Jessica were now in some sort of parlor in this virtual world. The woman dropped the bodies of the unconscious onto the couch carelessly; she didn't even have any sort of expression on her face. Noah smiled at her. She smiled back, but hers didn't seem to have anything behind it. In other words, it looked fake.

"We have the perfect bait, AI. Mokuba will draw Seto out to do whatever we want. Perhaps those fools aren't so useless after all," Noah said proudly. "Now if only Lector can do his job correctly. If he destroys that man, it'll make my work much simpler. I'll only have to kill one father-stealer before leaving this place forever."

"Yes, of course, Master Noah. But if he should fail, would you prefer for me to take Seto out in your place?" AI asked, voice sounding almost robotic.

Noah waved off her suggestion. "No, that won't be necessary. I appreciate your loyalty, but I believe I can handle him alone. A cold-hearted bastard that disgraces the Kaiba name should be no match for a true Kaiba. You can, however, take care of the rest of the fools in this virtual world of mine if the Big Five prove to be incompetent once again." He scowled. "I tell you, AI, those idiots are just one step away from being erased from existence. They claim to be the best in the world, but look how easily they are defeated. My father should have destroyed them long ago."

"They are incompetent, and your father is a failure. You would have been better off seeking your revenge alone," AI stated.

"That's not completely true, my dear. I could not seek my revenge alone," Noah remarked, turning to his servant with fancy, wavy red hair. "Without you at my side, none of this would be possible. You have been the one good thing in my life ever since I ended up in this terrible place. I am glad I created you, AI."

"I am glad that I was made to serve you, Master Noah," AI responded.

His lips met hers, if only for a brief moment, surprising Yami who was viewing the whole scene from the Puzzle. She hardly reacted at all, but it was enough to please Noah. He bid her goodbye, saying he would return when the captives were awake. She murmured her farewells before she became motionless. It was pretty creepy, especially since she was still standing. She became like a statue, eyes fixated in the direction that Noah had left in.

Seeing as he was never going to get a chance to get Noah alone while AI was around, Yami saw this as his best opportunity. He took control of Jessica's body, making her eyes flash open crimson instead of their normal pink. He sat up, moving cautiously to avoid causing harm to Mokuba's unconscious form that had been discarded practically on top of Jessica's body. AI didn't seem to notice him; he wondered if she was still active without Noah around. He stood and turned to go in the direction that Noah had just gone.

Before he could take more than a step forward in Jessica's high-heeled boots, a pallid hand grabbed him roughly by the shoulder. He glanced back to find a furious AI standing there. Her other hand was poised to strike him in the back. He was surprised by her sudden motion after becoming so stationary only moments ago.

"No one follows Master Noah into his viewing room without permission," AI hissed. "You shall be no different, Jessica West. Now return to your seat like a good prisoner or I will return you to your unconscious state."

"…Who are you?" Yami demanded.

"I am AI. That is all you need to know," AI growled. "Now return to your seat."

Instead of following her commands, Yami put Jessica's body to work. He kicked backwards, making contact with AI's knee which in turn made the woman fall to her knees and loosen her grip on him. Then he made a break for it towards Noah's so-called viewing room. But high heels were not the best things to run in, and AI was not as human as she appeared. She recovered quickly and was standing his way before he could do anything to change it.

Her hand slammed into his chest, knocking the breath right out of him, but also doing something else. He felt her moving into his soul, trying to subdue it so he would pass into unconsciousness. Because of this, his spirit was stripped and left bare for her to see. She pulled away in shock, golden eyes now fixated on his face.

"You are not Jessica West. How can this be?" AI wondered out loud.

"You're right. I am not the person that belongs in control of this body. Her spirit is still weak from being knocked out by Nesbitt and Crump. I do not recall my true name, but those that know of me call me Yami," he stated.

"How did you come to be in that body? Are you like Master, and lost your body due to unpleasant circumstances?" AI asked.

"…Yes and no. I do not have body of my own, but I am not willing to take the bodies of others permanently in order to change that. Mostly, I don't even dwell within one. My spirit resides in the Millennium Puzzle around this girl's neck," Yami explained. He was only telling AI this because she seemed so fascinated, and also she was his only hope of getting to Noah.

"Fascinating," AI murmured. She seemed very interested in him, and he was now somewhat interested in her. "Would you please return to your seat? I would like to know more about you."

"I would like to know more about you as well, AI," Yami admitted as he took his seat next to the still-unconscious Mokuba.

"Me?" AI seemed confused as she stood in front of him. "No one ever wants to know anything about me. There is not much to me at all. I am simply AI, created solely to serve Master. Humans, though strange and corrupt, are much more interesting than one such as myself will ever be. Why would you want to know about me?"

"Because I know nothing of you, and contrary to what you believe, you are intriguing. Are you even human?" Yami asked.

AI shook her head. "No. Unlike the others trapped in this world, I never had life in the flesh. I am merely a computerized being with artificial intelligence created to serve Master Noah and keep him company in his prison. My name itself, AI, is just an acronym for what I am. Artificial Intelligence. That is all I am and all I shall be."

"So Noah has no plans for taking you with him if he manages to escape to the real world?" Yami wanted to know.

"That is something I have no knowledge of. But it is unlikely that I will be left behind. The Big Five have proven to be inept, therefore lessening their chances of being allowed to leave this virtual world in one of your friends' bodies, let alone be granted the chance to become a Matron-Watcher. I have stood loyally by Master's side for six years now, doing whatever he commands me to do without failure. I doubt he would cast me aside, but if he does it is his choice and I will not speak against it," AI replied with no feeling.

"…What is your position with Noah?" Yami inquired.

"Position? Do you perhaps mean relationship?" Yami nodded once in response. "I am an artificial being, Yami. I have no real feelings. Those you have seen me display thus far were all synthetic. What I feel for him is what I was programmed to feel. As for Master Noah …His heart gave him attachment to me in a way that is hard to understand. I do not know if it would be what humans call love. It seems to be more of a clinginess and lust derived from his loneliness. That lust has led him to do some things to me…See, he has not aged in physical appearance, but because his brain has been digitalized and has all the intelligence of the world, his mind has continued to mature. I believe you know where I am going with this."

The spirit sweat-dropped. "…Yes. I see…And you still have not a single attachment to him?"

"My only programming is to be loyal to Master Noah and obey his every command. That is how I must be," AI stated. She cocked her head to the side. "What about you? What are you, he who goes by the Japanese word for darkness?"

"I am the spirit of a Nameless Pharaoh sealed within the confines of the Millennium Puzzle. Five thousand years ago, it was made un-whole, but Carrie West managed to solve it a little more than a year ago when the pieces came into her possession. She gave me my name and introduced me to this modern world. We are very close…," Yami explained, seeing it only fair that he tell this computerized woman about himself since she had divulged so much to him. "…I protect her as best I can from the dangers the real world presents, and she in turn protects me from those that would see my existence put to an end."

"So, are you merely protectors of one another, or perhaps do you have the same feelings for each other that Master has for me?" AI asked.

"Lust and clinginess? No. Carrie and I…We actually possess great affection for one another. In other, simpler words, we are in love."

"Fascinating. To love someone after so long when you are so different from her…This is truly remarkable." AI's gold eyes lost a bit of light. "My programming must be malfunctioning. I feel…envy…I feel like I want to experience what you and Carrie have for one another…What Jessica and Mokuba have for one another…But I am unable to. I am not human."

"Just because you aren't human doesn't mean you can't feel or hope to feel. Perhaps it is not too late for you and Noah."

"Yami, how can you speak so about Master and myself when he seeks to destroy you, your friends, and the girl you love? As his servant, if he orders me to take you out, I shall not hesitate to do so. You know where I stand in this conflict. Why would you hold such beliefs about one who is your enemy?"

"Noah is not evil. He is merely misguided by the words of his father and the influence of the Big Five. They have taken advantage of him and his loneliness, turning his heart towards darkness. With the right stimulation, he could change for the better."

"I am not so sure. Gozaburo is a power man. He lurks in the shadows of this world to command Master as to the best course of action. Master Noah listens to him with eagerness that only a son could have for his father. I am forbidden to speak negatively about Master's father. It is in my programming. But still, I am well aware of what kind of man Gozaburo is."

Mokuba stirred next to Yami; soon he would be awake once more. When he came to, Noah would return to mess with Mokuba to try and turn him against Kaiba. Yami was no longer safe talking to AI, nor was she safe talking to him. She understood their time was over and created distance between them by returning to where she had been standing before Yami took over Jessica's body.

Just as she did so, the green-haired boy in white walked back into the room. He noticed Mokuba's stirring and 'Jessica' sitting up, smirking in content. Whatever he had up his sleeve now would not be good for the Kaiba brothers. That much was certain.

"AI, I want to speak with Mokuba alone. Take his loyal little girlfriend away. I don't care where you take her. Just get her away from this place so she can't interfere with my plans," Noah commanded.

The red-haired woman bowed. "As you wish, Master."

_**The hell with this! I'm not letting her take me away from my Mokey when he needs me! **_Jessica exclaimed, trying to get past Yami to regain control of her body. _**It's hammer time, bitches! Let me out!**_

_No, Jessica. This is not the time or the place to be getting violent. AI could defeat you easily. You witnessed what she did to me when I tried to get away from her, didn't you?_

_**Yeah, but you're not me! You don't have one kickass bone in your spiritual body! I can kick ass and take names easily! Give me a chance and I'll put this Noah brat in his place so we can all go home! And I do mean all of us!**_

Yami sighed mentally. _You're being irrational. Calm down before you get us both into a lot of trouble._

AI stepped close to him again and rested a firm hand on his shoulder. "Come on, then, Jessica. I must take you from here at once. You will be reunited with your other friends shortly, but you must leave Mokuba with Master. Make this easy on yourself and come quietly please. I do not need to hurt you."

_**Don't you do it!**_

With hesitation that was necessary to fill the role of a lover torn, Yami stood to follow AI. He partially feigned anger in his glare directed at Noah as he was escorted from the parlor by Noah's most loyal servant. The green-haired boy was unfazed. His blue gaze was focused on the rousing Mokuba. He paused for a moment beside the couch despite the danger this pause might present for Jessica's body.

"…I'll be back for you, Mokuba," he whispered, a thing that Jessica would have vowed if she was in his place and not so pissed off.

_**I hate you.**_ Jessica was fuming mad, wanting to take her anger out on Yami as he walked away. _**You're leaving my Mokey in the hands of someone that wants him and Rich Boy dead without showing any sympathy. You didn't even attempt to fight for his safety. It's bad enough I lost my sister. I…I don't want to lose him, too.**_

_I'm sorry, Jessica. It was the only way._

_**You don't know that! You don't know anything!**_

_Forgive me, but my first duty is not to him. In Carrie's absence, I must think of your safety and what course of action is best for you. Carrie's family comes first._

_**Yeah, well…With her lost and Mokuba in that bastard's hands, I wish I was dead!**_

Before he could respond to that, Jessica's spirit retreated into the darkest depths of the Millennium Puzzle. It was dangerous for her to be in there since she knew nothing about the traps that were in place. She could fall into one and be lost forever if she wasn't careful. But Yami was incapable of helping her at the moment; someone had to keep this body in motion. So he let her sulk within the confines of his prison, hoping she would cope with the pain and remain safe while he was unable to protect her.

* * *

Lector fell at Kaiba's deck, as the brunette proved to be more than a match for his former assistant, the man that had helped him become the person he was today. Unfortunately, Lector did not divulge where Mokuba had been taken. He just disappeared, laughing that Kaiba would never find his little brother before Noah finished with him. He was gone before anyone could punch him in the face.

The gap in the road that separated the gang from Kaiba mystically closed, allowing them to cross over at last. Carrie the doll forced herself out of Serenity's arms, collapsing in a heap on the pavement before managing to stand, and started running down the road in her haste to find her sister and the Millennium Puzzle…and Mokuba, too. She couldn't go very fast with her stubby little doll legs, but that didn't stop her. What stopped her was Yugi grabbing her by the arm and lifting her off the ground. She turned around to glare at her best friend.

"Put me down, Yugi! I have to go find Jessie before something terrible happens to her!" she snapped, lashing out with her tiny limbs in poor attempts to make him let her go.

"You don't have to do this alone. We're your friends, and you know we'll do whatever it takes to get Jessica and Mokuba back. We're in this together, Carrie. You don't have to be alone in this," Yugi reminded her. "You might be her big sister, but she's also our friend. We don't let things happen to our friends. You can depend on us."

"Why the hell are you talking to a doll?" Kaiba demanded, irate.

Carrie's head spun around backwards as she fixated her angry gaze on a new target. "Who are you calling a doll, bastard? I may be trapped in this form because of your dead brother, but that doesn't mean I'm still not your greatest rival! I can still kick your ass physically and in a children's card game! Just try me, Rich Boy!"

The rich man blinked in mild surprise. "…Carrie is stuck in a doll's body? How amusing. I suppose that's what you get for losing to a simpleton like Crump for that succubus sister of yours."

"Hey man, don't talk about her sister like that," Duke chided.

"Yeah! You're just upset that the sister of your rival is dating your brother. That does not make Jessica a succubus. Sometimes siblings fall in love with those that we don't like. It happens. Get over it already," Joey grumbled.

"Wait. What? Jessica and Mokuba are dating?" Carrie exclaimed; she had failed to hear that earlier because she and Tristan hadn't arrived until just before their body-snatchers attempted to ride off. "How long has this been going on? And why the hell wasn't I informed until now? When I see that little girl again, she's gonna get a big lecture from me!"

"Don't tell me you're against their relationship, too," Mai said sorta condescendingly.

Carrie shook her head. "That's not it at all. I like Mokuba and would never condemn him for being the brother of someone I hate." She pointedly glanced over at Kaiba as she said that part before looking back at Mai. "I would just like to know what's going on in my little sister's life. I want her to know I accept her relationship so she doesn't have to sneak around or keep it a secret from me. Unlike Kaiba here, I don't care who my sibling falls in love with, as long as he's not some pompous asshole or an abusive mo-fo." She turned back to Yugi after this. "Now…Could you please stop holding me in the air by my arm? It's starting to hurt a lot."

"Oh. Sorry, Carrie," Yugi apologized, moving Carrie so she was now being held in his arms rather than by her tiny doll arm.

"What did you mean before? About being trapped here by my dead brother?" Kaiba demanded of the Victorian doll. "The only brother I have is Mokuba. Last time I checked, he isn't dead nor is he in control of this world. Explain yourself, Carrie."

"She meant exactly what she said, Kaiba. Your dead brother is the one responsible for all of this. Noah's full name is Noah Kaiba, and he is the biological son of Gozaburo…Your adoptive father. You never met him in your life because circumstances rendered him unable to be among the living anymore," Ryou explained for his friend.

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "Bullshit!"

"It's not bullshit. Look at the facts. He has a grudge against you and Mokuba. The Big Five are working for him just as they worked for Gozaburo, Pegasus, and even you for a short time. Noah even knows of your past, knowledge he couldn't have gotten alone. Noah is your brother by name, a brother you've never met until now," Ryou stated.

"How do you know all of this?" Kaiba wanted to know.

"If we told you, you wouldn't believe us," Joey replied.

"You never believe a thing we tell you even if it is the truth," Serenity agreed.

"You think it's all a magic trick despite having the evidence right in front of your face," Tristan piped in from Serenity's arms.

"That's because everything you say is a bunch of fabricated lies! Fairytales!" Kaiba claimed. "This is no different! Noah is not my brother!"

* * *

A pair of blue eyes watched the scene unfold with a smirk plastered to his face. Even when the truth was presented to him, that man denied it all without hesitation. He who disgraced the Kaiba name didn't even know of the kid that was the real Kaiba here. What an idiot. And he wouldn't believe those that told him the truth because he saw everything they said as a fairytale. Again, what an idiot.

"How you could be related to such a thick-headed, cold-hearted bastard is beyond me, Mokuba," Noah said as he ran a hand through the kid's fluffy hair. "Perhaps we should enlighten him to reality?"

The boy did not reply; Noah had him under some sort of spell. It made Mokuba unable to think for himself, and now he was completely at Noah's mercy. Anything Noah wanted him to do would be done. He was powerless to stop it.

"Master Noah, Crump and I are ready to leave this place," Nesbitt remarked, his stolen face appearing on the monitor along with Crump's stolen identity.

"That's not fair! They didn't even win their duels!" Lector complained as he also appeared on the monitors.

"We defeated the idiot and the girl fair and square! That's all that matters!" Crump claimed.

"That doesn't matter! The rule was you had to win your duel entirely in order to claim a body! Crump, you lost to Jessica and Tea! Nesbitt, you lost to Serenity and Duke! You took those bodies unlawfully! They don't belong to you, and therefore you should have to forfeit them!" Johnson declared. He also appeared on one of the monitors.

"No way!" the body-snatchers shouted.

"You broke the rules," Gansley muttered as he came into the picture.

Noah became irritated as his incompetent lackeys argued about the rightful ownership of Carrie and Tristan's bodies. They had all failed him by being defeated so easily by those he had trapped in this world of his. They weren't worth all the trouble he had gone through for this one chance at being alive again. He had every right and reason to erase them from existence.

But there was still a chance they could redeem themselves.

"Silence, you fools!" Noah commanded, shutting the Big Five up immediately. "I shall decide what will happen in this situation, if you don't mind. Those bodies do not rightfully belong to either of you for two reasons. One, you were not born into them. Two, you lost the duels in which you claimed those bodies. It's true that Tristan and Carrie's Life Points were diminished to zero, but to have won you had to defeat all of your opponents. To settle this, and to possibly have you all escape from this world in one piece, I shall give you one last chance to prove yourselves worthy of being in my servitude."

"And how will that be accomplished?" Lector wanted to know.

"The five of you will share control of those bodies and face their friends once again. Defeat them and all of their bodies shall be yours to escape in to become a Matron-Watcher. Lose to them and that will be your last failure," Noah replied without one shred of sympathy or pity. "But you shall not have the chance to face Seto Kaiba. He is mine to finish off now. As you have failed me at everything else, you do not deserve to exact your revenge on him. Do you understand me?"

The Big Five muttered that they understood before their faces disappeared from the screens. Noah smirked and stood, beckoning for Mokuba to follow suit. The brainwashed boy had no choice but to do so.

"Let us go pay your dear brother a visit, Mokuba," Noah sneered as they vanished from the parlor.

* * *

"…Uh…Has anyone else noticed that the scenery's changed all of a sudden?" Tea asked, referring to the fact that what was once a street in a city had become like a desert with rocky outcroppings jutting out of the earth in random places.

"What do those idiots have planned for us now?" Carrie wondered out loud. "And what have they done to Jessie and Mokuba?"

"Nothing has happened to your sister, Carrie," a feminine voice commented as a red-haired woman mystically appeared before them with 'Jessica' standing beside her. "Master Noah has commanded me to return her to you, as she is of no use to him at the moment."

Crimson eyes that did not belong to Jessica looked at the doll Carrie from the dark-haired girl's face, surprised to hear the servant of Noah address the toy by his girlfriend's name. Obviously he had not known about what happened to the spirits of those that lost their duels due to his time spent in captivity. But since he was okay, it meant that Jessica was still okay, too. But what about Mokuba?

"Who are you? What have you done with my brother?" Kaiba demanded, roughly grabbing the computerized woman by the front of her fancy dress.

The woman's expression became aggressive. "I am AI, servant of Master Noah, and therefore your greatest enemy. Master has ordered me not to harm you for he wants the pleasure of doing that himself. But if you do not remove your hand from me this instant, I shall have to disobey Master Noah."

"I don't care! Answer me! Where's Mokuba?" Kaiba snapped.

"In Master's hands is where your brother lies. But do not worry, Seto. You shall see him again soon," AI growled. She shoved the palm of her hand into Kaiba's chest, causing pain to his soul and therefore forcing him to unhand her. She landed on her feet with unnatural ease. Her pallid hands simply smoothed out her dress and adjusted her hair, but otherwise she was unfazed by anything. Not Kaiba's glare, not the other people's stares, and especially not the uncomfortable environment she had just come into.

"I want to see Mokuba now," Carrie murmured, thinking of her duty to protect him now that her sister was safe, and also thinking of poor Jessica's feelings.

"You are not permitted to leave here. None of you are save Seto, for I am to take him to face Master now," AI stated bluntly.

"Then what are you waiting for? Take me to him now!" Kaiba commanded.

AI's golden eyes narrowed at him. "I take no orders from you. You are no Kaiba. You disgrace the name with everything you do. Noah is the only man worthy of that name to ever exist. He shall destroy you."

"If you believe that, then you would not waste time telling me what scum I am. Take me to Noah so we can end this," Kaiba grumbled.

Jessica's eyes flashed back to their normal pink as she finally forced her way past Yami's control. She pulled the Millennium Puzzle from around her neck and let it drop to the ground without a care. She didn't need the spirit anymore. Carrie was around to take care of him now. Besides, he was only getting in her way of saving Mokuba. The dark-haired girl sprinted away from where she had been standing in order to make contact with AI just before she disappeared with Kaiba. All three of them faded away from this location, moving to the place where Noah was waiting to face the rich brunette.

"No! Jessica!" Carrie cried, but it was too late.

"We have bigger problems to worry about at the moment," Joey pointed out as he drew the gang's attention to the two figures standing above them on a rocky outcropping.

Who were those people?

The bodies of Carrie and Tristan…

And the Big Five possessing them.

"Damn," Tristan muttered.

* * *

_A/N: Kinda long, kinda short, but at least it's something. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day._


	65. 65 - AI Begins to Change

_A/N: School is out for two weeks, so I finally have a chance to update my stories. Here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. Please read on and enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 65

"What do you idiots want?" Carrie demanded, glaring at the body-snatchers with anger stronger than usual, intensified only by the actions of her sister.

Crump sneered from her face. "We want to take all of your friends out so we can live again. The same wish as before, only we're not seeking revenge on the Kaiba brothers anymore because that's Noah's job now. Soon you and your idiot friend won't be the only toys walking around here. You'll all be trapped here with no way out in bodies not your own."

"That's what you think," Yugi said as he grabbed the Millennium Puzzle off the ground and slid it around his throat. His eyes closed for a moment before flashing open in a different color. "But you've been wrong before, haven't you?"

"Don't waste your breath on them, Yugi. They're not worth it," Duke commented.

"Before was different. We took you kids on separately, a big mistake on our part. That mistake won't be made again, as now the Big Five shall take you on together as a unit rather than alone," Nesbitt stated, grinning from Tristan's face. "And when we defeat you, your bodies shall be ours and we will live again to become Matron-Watchers! You cannot stop us!"

"Oh really? Let's see ya get past me in a duel!" Joey shouted as he activated his duel disk. "If Johnson couldn't beat me alone, I doubt the combined brains of all five of ya goons will stand a chance! It's go time, boys!"

"Yeah, let's kick some ass!" Carrie exclaimed.

"Sorry, Carrie, but I think you should sit this one out," Yami advised, placing the doll in his arms on the ground before he also activated his duel disk.

"What? But…But I want my body back! And I can duel just fine, thank you very much!" Carrie crossed her arms and pouted. "It's because I got put into a doll body, isn't it? You don't think I'm strong enough to take these guys anymore, do you? That's not right, you know! You're supposed to support me no matter what! Some friend you are, Spiky!"

Yami gave her a wan smile. "I just don't want you getting hurt anymore. That's all. It has nothing to do with your dueling skills or your strength or your size. It has to do with your safety. We've already lost you enough times as it is. Let's not risk losing you again."

"If you boys think you're entering this battle alone, then you're sadly mistaken. I'm coming into this, too," Mai declared as she came to stand beside Joey and Yami, her duel disk activated and ready to rumble. She gave Joey a look before he could protest. "Don't even try talking me out of this, Wheeler. You didn't beat Johnson alone; no one but Kaiba beat any of these jerks by themselves. The odds stand better with three against five than they would if it was two against five. Just accept the help and be done with it. I may not be the top duelist in the world, but I do know how to kick ass and take names."

Joey sighed. "All right. I guess I have no choice but to let you duel with us."

A nerve throbbed in Mai's forehead. "Let me? I didn't ask for your permission, you jerk! I was going to do this no matter what! I don't need anyone's approval, least of all yours!"

"It'll take more than two blondes and a midget to defeat us, and if you keep turning on each other like this, you really don't stand a chance in hell," Crump remarked.

Carrie huffed and pointed her tiny middle fingers at him. "You don't know anything, you creepy pedophile! These people will kick your ass so badly none of you will be able to sit for a week! You're just lucky that I'm not allowed in this, or else the pain inflicted upon you would be significantly greater!"

"Tea, do me a favor and watch over Carrie for me. She's going to be a bit of a handful, and I don't want her getting in the way. No offense," Yami quickly added when he saw the way his girlfriend was looking at him.

"Oh, I see how it is. Guess who's gonna be getting the cold shoulder when we get out of this virtual hellhole," Carrie muttered as she was picked up by Tea. "Here's a huge hint. His hair makes up half his height but is only a quarter of his ego."

"Enough talk. Let's get this over with," Nesbitt grumbled as he and Crump jumped down from their perch to be on equal ground with their competition.

Those not involved in the duel stepped back to give the combatants room to fight. Decks were made and Deck Masters were chosen: the Big Five kept their original ones, Yami chose Dark Magician, Joey chose Flame Swordsman, and Mai chose Harpie Queen. The stage was set for this duel to end all duels against the Big Five in this virtual reality. But before they could begin, Nesbitt held up a finger.

"Since there is one more body on your side than there is on ours, it's only fair that we get more Life Points. As yours will total twelve thousand, ours will do the same, meaning Carrie's body and Tristan's body will each have six thousand Life Points. Fair enough?" he asked, though this really wasn't optional.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. We're still gonna kick your butts," Joey stated as the Life Points appeared on everyone's duel disks.

Crump sneered. "That's what you think."

* * *

Jessica fell flat on her face when they appeared at the place where Noah would duel Kaiba. AI and Kaiba glared down at her, both unhappy that she had tagged along for different reasons. The rich businessman didn't like her because of her behavior and relations, and the computerized woman had only been told to bring Kaiba here. No one else was supposed to tag along. Jessica had forced her to disobey Noah. That did not bode well with her or her programming at all.

"Ow…That hurt," Jessica mumbled, holding her hand against her aching head as she picked herself up off the hard ground. "How can a virtual world feel so real? It's really quite aggravating."

"I'll tell you what's aggravating. Having a little pesky brat come where she doesn't belong," Kaiba muttered rudely.

Jessica glared at him. "I do belong here! Mokuba is my boyfriend and my best friend! It's my duty to protect him and save him whenever he gets into danger just as much as it is yours due to you being his brother! I have just as much right to be here as you do, if not more! So stop demeaning me and just get over the fact that someone else means something to your little brother already!"

Kaiba glared at her. "Don't tell me what to do. And don't talk to me like that. You know nothing about Mokuba and me. You don't belong here."

"I know more than you think, Rich Boy. I know a hell of a lot more than you will ever know or believe. And I can talk to you any way I want," Jessica growled, jabbing him in the chest with her finger to help get her point across.

"Let me know when you two are finished arguing so we can get on with this," Noah grumbled impatiently from where he stood on a slightly raised rocky surface similar to the one that the arguing teens were standing on.

"Noah!" Jessica and Kaiba shouted in unison, turning their anger on the boy behind all of their recent misery.

The green-haired boy in white sneered. "It's nice to see you both again. I would have preferred just facing Seto alone and ending him that way, but I guess it will be more fun with an audience watching him crash and burn. I didn't expect you to return to me so soon, Jessica. My servant AI must have not done a good job in taking you away from here. Oh well. Can't really change it now."

AI bowed to Noah. "Forgive me, Master. She touched me just as I was disappearing with Seto to come here. I was unable to stop her from joining us. I shall take her away again if that is your wish."

"Let her stay. It will be more fun to destroy the poser Kaiba brothers with her standing on the sidelines." A sinister smirk appeared on Noah's face. "I can't wait to see her expression when I kill Mokuba right in front of her. What joy that agony will bring me."

"What have you done with Mokuba?" Kaiba and Jessica demanded.

"I haven't done anything to him yet. If I had, then he wouldn't have made very good bait in drawing you out, now would he? No, your brother is perfectly fine. See for yourself." Noah stepped aside—Mokuba had been standing motionlessly behind him this whole time. He looked to be the same as he had been before Nesbitt and Crump had kidnapped him, but something wasn't quite right. His eyes were clouded, and he looked too stiff to be the same boy that Kaiba knew to be his brother and Jessica knew to be her boyfriend. "Excuse him if he's not the same kid you remember. He has been a bit different ever since he woke up in my parlor."

"Mokuba! Are you okay? Speak to me! Please!" Jessica called, desperately hoping that she was mistaken.

"Mokuba! Wake up! Get away from Noah!" Kaiba shouted, also hoping he was wrong.

Noah laughed. "Here them, Mokuba? They don't seem to understand. Why don't you make things clear to them? Tell them who you are now. Tell them who they are to you."

The fluffy-haired boy's clouded eyes narrowed at the two people closest to him. "You two mean nothing to me! The only person that matters is my brother, Noah! I am friends with only him! Now leave us alone!"

Jessica fell to her knees, biting her lip to try to keep the tears back, but she failed. She slammed her fists against the ground without caring about the pain that such an action caused her to feel. She couldn't believe it—she didn't want to believe it. Noah had brainwashed Mokuba, turning the poor innocent boy she loved against her. He didn't recognize her as the girl that held his heart in her hands, or the girl that had let him hold her heart in his hands. Noah had erased that from his mind and more. Mokuba didn't even care about his brother, the cold-hearted jerk that Jessica knew he worshipped and loved so very much. Noah had turned him against them both.

_What a shitty trick! Noah is going to pay for this! _Jessica vowed.

"What the hell have you done to my brother?" Kaiba demanded, barely noticing Jessica on the ground.

"Noah has done nothing to me! He just opened my eyes to the kind of man you really are! You used me and never cared about me at all! I worshipped you…And you despised me! Now I'm returning the favor because I found my real brother! I don't need you and I have never needed you! Noah made me realize that!" Mokuba exclaimed.

"…And what about me?" Jessica whimpered, unable to raise her eyes to meet his.

"Why would I need a weak little girl on my arms? All you'd ever be good for is one night of fooling around, and I doubt you'd even be good at that! You're a horrible friend that only thinks about herself and her dumb broken sister and you're an even worse girlfriend! I need you even less than I need Seto!" Mokuba claimed.

Jessica lost all her restraints then. She burst into tears, unable to hold them back even though she didn't want Kaiba making fun of her and she didn't want to give Noah the pleasure of seeing her cry. Despite knowing that Mokuba was brainwashed by the enemy and that enemy was just trying to hurt her, it hurt her more than words could say to hear Mokuba talk about her like that. Her heart fell to pieces inside…She just wanted to die now after hearing him demean her so.

"…Don't listen to him, Jessica. He's only saying those things because Noah is making him. You and I both know that my real little brother…would never, ever say such things about you," Kaiba said as he rested a hand on the dark-haired girl's shoulder. She glanced up at him in surprise with those tears still in her pink eyes—why was it hurting him to see the sister of his rival cry? He looked away to glare at the sneering Noah. "Remember what Mokuba said to me before he was kidnapped. Compare that to what he just said to us both. Such contradictions are not in Mokuba's character. He loves us both and would never want to hurt us. He especially would never want to hurt you. So stand up, Jessica, and don't give this bastard the satisfaction of seeing your tears."

The dark-haired girl quickly wiped the rest of her tears away on the backs of her hands and made to stand on wobbly legs. Kaiba's kindness was out-of-character, but it was better than having him demean her like she thought he would. Her emotions made it difficult for her to keep her balance, but the strange Kaiba that stood beside her now was kind enough to wrap a supportive arm around her waist for the time being.

_Maybe he's not such a cold-hearted bastard after all, _Jessica thought.

"Speak insults through Mokuba all you want. You'll never break me," Kaiba stated.

"I suppose you're right. That leaves me no other choice. I must defeat you at your own game now to put an end to you, and then put an end to your brother. Then my vengeance will at last be complete," Noah said. "Come, AI. It is not safe for you to stand over there anymore. As this duel continues, Seto and Jessica might be tempted to hurt you in order to get to me. I wouldn't want you to be hurt because of me."

"As you wish, Master," AI murmured, disappearing from her spot in front of Kaiba and Jessica only to reappear at Noah's side.

"Let's duel, Seto, and winner takes all," Noah declared as he activated his duel disk.

"Then you'd better be prepared to free my brother, because there's no way I'm gonna lose to the likes of you," Kaiba countered.

* * *

Despite the odds, despite being beat down to their last Life Points, and despite having to go up against Five-Headed Dragon, the good guys won. Mai, Yami, and Joey defeated the Big Five once again. It wasn't easy, but what really helped matters was when the men started arguing and turning on each other. With their loss, it meant that they could no longer claim Tristan and Carrie's bodies as their own. It meant those two could finally get out of their doll and robot-monkey forms and be their normal selves again.

But the Big Five didn't like playing fairly.

They shot out of Carrie and Tristan's bodies in the guise of their Deck Masters, intent on stealing the bodies of those before them. The gang quickly turned to run as they did not want to have those creeps inside of them at any point in time. The Big Five pursued them, but the efforts of the body-less men were quickly put to an end when AI reappeared on the scene. The red-haired woman materialized in front of them, forcing them to stop in their tracks. In turn, the gang turned to watch how this played out.

"You have failed once again, and yet you continue to make mistakes. Master did not say you could ever force yourselves upon these bodies. For even trying, you shall never be granted the life you desire so greatly. Your time is up," AI declared.

Before any of the Big Five could protest or beg for mercy, AI's gold eyes glowed with a blinding light. This light engulfed the Big Five, causing them to scream in agony as they were erased from existence. The scene was a bit too much for some members of the gang—Serenity turned away and buried her face in her brother's shirt like that and he in turn held her tightly to make this a bit easier for her. Tristan was crushed between the siblings, but didn't complain because this wasn't the time.

AI's eyes returned to normal once no trace of the Big Five remained and she landed on the ground in front of the gang. She turned to look at them without any emotion on her face. It was then that Carrie noticed that her body and Tristan's had disappeared right along with the Big Five. Her eyes narrowed at this.

"Hey! I thought that when we defeated them we'd get our bodies back! What's the big idea? You'd better explain yourself right now!" Carrie shouted, pointing a finger in anger at the powerful computerized woman.

"Have you not realized it yet? There are no real bodies in this world. You are all computer programs that have been downloaded from your bodies into this virtual world of Master's. No one really stole your bodies. They just took the form of them and had claims to them by defeating you in duels. That is all," AI explained. "You are still connected to your bodies, but that connection can also still be severed. Just not by those incompetent fools that called themselves the Big Five."

"Well…That explains why everything felt so real, at least," Duke muttered.

"What have you done with Kaiba and Jessica?" Ryou asked.

"I did nothing other than deliver them to Master Noah and Mokuba. What happens to them from there is his decision. Mostly assuredly, Seto will be defeated and his life shall come to an end, and then the same fate shall befall Mokuba. Jessica will remain physically unharmed. I cannot promise she will be unharmed in any other sense. Watching the boy she loves die cannot be a pleasant thing, even for the most sadistic of people." A sad look managed to appear on AI's face, and for once, this expression did not look fake.

"AI, can you take us to where Noah and Kaiba are dueling? We need to be there for Jessica's sake," Yami told her.

The red-haired woman shook her head. "Master forbid me to take you there. You would interfere with his duel. He wants to crush Seto alone, with Jessica as the only witness. Master wants to crush her…I believe he is jealous of the feelings she shares with Mokuba that I cannot share with him." AI seemed deeply saddened by this realization. "My programming is malfunctioning. I am feeling…shame and sorrow…about this."

"You're feeling those things because you want to please your master better so he doesn't feel jealous of Jessica and Mokuba. We can help you. Just take us to where he is," Mai urged, not really understanding all that AI was talking about but wanting to do whatever was necessary to get out of this place.

"I…I cannot take you there. At least, not in the same manner that I took Jessica and Seto. Master Noah would be so angry at me that he might destroy me. You would have to take the long way, and I could not be with you when you do arrive for the same reason that I cannot teleport you. All I can do is show you the way to go. It is the only way we can all escape this in one piece," AI stated. "Follow me if you are truly intent on helping Jessica…and Seto…and me."

"Can we trust her?" Duke asked as the woman began to walk away.

"I'm not sure. She is Noah's most loyal and most powerful servant. Just look what she did to the Big Five. There's no doubt she could erase us just as easily," Tea put in.

"She seems to have a bond with you, Yami," Carrie noted, looking intently at her boyfriend in her best friend's body. "What in the world did you two talk about when you were in control of Jessica?"

"Nothing, really. We just…exchanged information about one another. We are a lot alike, and that must be why she feels connected to me," Yami replied.

"…Do you think we can trust her?" Joey wanted to know.

"…Yes," was Yami's vague response.

With that matter settled, the gang had no other choice but to follow AI. She led them to a tunnel underground with a mine cart and tracks with no clear destination. The cart, she said, would lead them through the virtual world to the place where Kaiba and Noah were dueling for their lives. They would have to be quick if they hoped to help anyone, or else they would end up being too late. Muttering something about how her programming was acting up again, she wished them luck and said she'd meet them on the other side.

Then she disappeared once more, and they were on their way to meeting her again.

* * *

"I see. So you knocked us out when it looked like the floor was opening up beneath us and put us in pods to download our minds into this virtual world of yours. Clever," Kaiba complimented after Noah explained how he had come into this world and there were no real bodies here. They were about at the midpoint of their duel and Kaiba was unfortunately not doing too hot. It didn't help any that Noah liked to monologue and change the scenery so often; that just drug things out more than necessary. But Jessica still had faith in Kaiba's abilities, for his sake as well as Mokuba's. If anyone could make him see the truth, it would be Kaiba.

"Well, at least that means that pedophile Crump wasn't actually in Carrie's body. She already has enough people getting into her pants as is. She doesn't need another freak," Jessica commented, more to herself than anyone. _You really dodged a bullet this time, my dear sister. If this was all real, I think you'd be scarred for life even further than you already are._

"You need not worry about that fool anymore. AI has erased him and his fellows from existence for their incompetence. They're bother you no further," Noah assured her. "But then, you still have me to contend with, and if I fall then AI shall set her sights on you in my absence. You'll stand no chance against her."

"What's so great about this AI person, anyway? What can she really do?" Kaiba wanted to know.

"The better question would be…What can't she do? I created her to be unstoppable and my most loyal servant. AI is more useful than any human could ever be. Even her single weakness is a great strength. As a computerized program that has never lived, she cannot feel any emotions. That makes her heartless and willing to do anything I command." A smirk suddenly appeared on Noah's face. "Which means, if I tell her to destroy your minds, she'll do it without any hesitation. There would be no Jessica West or Seto Kaiba or Yugi Muto or Carrie West. You would all be erased from existence in the blink of an eye without any power to stop it from happening."

"If you have such a powerful weapon at hand, why bother toying with us? Why even bring the Big Five into this?" Kaiba demanded.

"They fooled me into thinking they were worth my time just to have a shot at you and those that made them lose their bodies when last you met in a virtual reality. It was a mistake to keep them around. If you had faced AI instead of those fools…Well, we wouldn't be talking here. She would have defeated you and you would cease to exist. Every last one of you would be gone. All that would remain would be me and her," Noah stated proudly.

"Then why not make her duel Kaiba instead? You're wasting time thinking that you can beat him! Behind my sister and Yugi, he's the best duelist in the world!" Jessica claimed.

"I am behind no one in duel skills. Those two just got lucky," Kaiba muttered.

Noah sneered. "Perhaps in the real world, you are one of the best. But this world is not your world, and therefore you are not one of the best. Behind AI…I am the best duelist here. You stand little chance against me and even less against her. To answer your question, Jessica, I am dueling him to exact my revenge with my own hand. It's true that it'd be easier just to let AI take care of him. But then, there'd be no fun in that. I want to have some fun while I take my vengeance. That isn't asking much, is it?"

"It's asking too much if you ask me," Jessica countered, pulling away from Kaiba as she was now strong enough to stand on her own. "What did Seto and Mokuba ever do to you? They weren't there when your accident happened. They're not responsible for what you've become. Your father downloaded you into this place, not Seto. Gozaburo is behind your state of misery. All Seto did was take over Gozaburo's business and make it better. And Mokuba's just his little brother and hasn't done anything. What do you really have against them?"

The green-haired boy scowled. "They took my father from me! He used to care about me so much; that's why he couldn't let me go and downloaded my brain into this virtual world! But then he let those two orphans into his family and forgot all about me! He instead focused all of his attention into molding Seto into what I should have been! He left me behind for them, and look at what they did to him! Seto took advantage of what kindness there was in my father and crushed it! What they did may have brought my father back to me…But they must pay for separating us and breaking a great man!"

Kaiba snorted. "You really think Gozaburo was a great man? You have been stuck in this virtual world for far too long, kid. If you knew even half the things that guy did, you'd regret ever even thinking of harming Mokuba and me. He was far from great, and he got what was coming to him from me. I only pity you for having been his birth-son. To have that monster's blood in your veins is true torture."

"Don't you talk about my father that way! You don't know anything about him!" Noah growled. He drew a card from his hand and looked at it, and a small smile replaced his scowl when he saw what he held. "Enough talk! Time to finish you off once and for all!"

The duel continued, but it did not end. AI made her reappearance at Noah's side without a word and without being noticed. She did nothing to help or hurt the duelists locked in combat; it was every man for himself. Kaiba put up a front that Noah couldn't beat down and vice versa. Then Kaiba began to get the upper hand at last. He summoned a powerful Duel Monster to the field and was about to order it to attack…This could end things right now and free them all from this torment.

But then Mokuba stepped forward and took his place in front of Noah. If that attack were to be launched, it would hurt the little Kaiba first. Both Kaiba and Jessica's eyes widened in shock at the actions of one they held dear. They had almost forgotten about him being brainwashed in all this. He had been so quiet for so long. But now they had to notice him or else he would get hurt. They didn't want him to get hurt.

"What? Can you not go through with your attack because your brother is guarding me? How pathetic," Noah taunted. "I suppose that means it is my turn now."

"It is not pathetic! What's pathetic is you pulling such a dirty trick in order to win!" Jessica snapped. "Are you really that afraid of losing to Kaiba that you have to cheat to keep your advantage? I thought Kaiba was the coward up until now…Always hiding his heart away behind his business and the women and the booze and porn. He was afraid to feel, a cowardly act in itself. But you've shown me what a real coward is! A coward is someone that's afraid to face defeat or anything against them, like a kid! So much like a child you still are! I destroy cowardly brats like you! You're lucky your bodyguard is here, or else you'd be flat on your back bleeding and unconscious right now!"

"I'm not afraid of anyone!" Noah shouted.

"If that were true, you wouldn't be hiding behind my brother and a computer program," Kaiba rebuked.

"That's enough!" Noah boomed as he managed to summon an even stronger Duel Monster onto the field and ordered it to attack. "You're going to die! How cowardly do you think I am now?"

Kaiba's Monster was destroyed, and the difference was subtracted from his Life Points. Noah had another, weaker Duel Monster on the field as well, and he ordered it to attack his foe directly. Kaiba knew this was going to hurt and braced himself for the impact.

But it never came.

Jessica had jumped in front of him and took the hit herself, the force of the Monster's attack knocking her back a good fifteen feet. Her body hit the ground hard, almost as hard as the attack had hit her. Such a blow should have knocked her unconscious if she was lucky, but she wasn't a normal person. The dark-haired girl rolled over onto all fours and stopped to cough up some blood before attempting to stand on shaking legs. As she had taken the blow for him, Kaiba thought it was only fair for him to give her a hand. Her body was covered with cuts and bruises and blood was trickling down from the corners of her mouth from the impact, but she still managed to smile up at him.

"…Why would you do something like that? You don't like me, just like your sister," Kaiba pointed out, not understanding this girl at all.

"I am not the same as Carrie. I've hardly had to deal with you…over the years. The only real reason…I ever hated you was…the way you made Mokuba feel. But…But you're fighting so hard to…to get him back. I can't hate you for that. And…And if Noah has help, the least I can do…is help you out, too. He's using Mokey as a shield to keep you from attacking…So why not have a shield of your own to block the unnecessary pain? With all that you're already going through…You don't need this, too," Jessica stammered through the pain.

"It won't stop Noah from attacking. If anything, it'll just get Carrie mad at me," Kaiba grumbled. He didn't want to deal with Carrie's wrath, especially when it came to her sister or her friends. She was bad enough when he did something to hurt her, but she was a thousand times worse when he did something to her friends or family.

"…I won't let her get mad at you. It's my idea and you can't stop me from going through with it," Jessica remarked, moving to stand in front of him on shaky legs. She took a deep breath to regain herself and grinned an annoying grin in Noah's direction. "Is that the best you can do? For someone who claimed he was going to kill us, you sure are going easy on us. That blow barely did anything. Are you trying to make me laugh myself to death?"

"Don't play cool! Anyone can see that attack almost ended you!" Noah growled. "Too many more of those and your soul will be dead!" He sneered. "Well, at least that way you won't have to watch me kill your lover's brother and then your lover. Maybe that's why you're putting your life on the line. You can't bear to watch me destroy them. Heh! I guess we know who the real coward is around here!"

"She's no coward. She's standing against you when a coward would run for cover. As much as it bothers me to admit it, this girl is the bravest person standing here. And there's only one coward standing in this place, and that's you," Kaiba admonished.

"I'll show you just how cowardly I really am! I'll crush the West girl first, and then you're dead, Seto! If I can't have my father's approval or feel love, then neither shall you!" Noah yelled.

"Master…," AI murmured, looking at the boy with true pity in her eyes.

"It's your move, now go!" Noah exclaimed. "Not that it'll do you much good, considering that to get to me you'll have to go through your brother! But go ahead and try to beat me! It'll be amusing!"

"We're going to have to…free Mokuba from Noah's control before we can…defeat Noah," Jessica gasped.

"Yes, but how?" Kaiba asked as he drew his card.

"…I'll go to him…and then I'll-"

"You'll do nothing!" Noah shouted as he changed the scenery around them. Between their rocky standpoints lay miles and miles of lava several yards down. To even try to walk would result in a large fall down to death. He had quickly put an end to that plan.

"Scratch that. I'll change things from here," Jessica murmured. She drew a card from her deck, which hadn't disappeared since her last duel. "Wingweaver! I summon you!"

"You're planning on using a Duel Monster to save Mokuba?" Kaiba demanded as the purple-haired seraph Fairy appeared in the sky above them.

Jessica painfully shook her head. "No…She's just here to retrieve him from over there. I'm going to use my own strength to set him free. Don't ask how…Just know that I will and you won't…have to worry about hurting him. Make your moves…and leave this to me for now."

Kaiba wasn't sure she could in her current state, but he found that for some odd reason he could trust her. He returned his full attention to the duel and forming a strategy that could take down his brother-by-name. Jessica took another deep breath and closed her eyes to focus. She delved deep within herself to find a reserve of magic left over from her life as Ramla, the first life she had ever had. That magic had remained within her spirit, untouched since Ramla's passing, and would now be put to use breaking Noah's spell over her boyfriend. Her pink eyes flashed open as Kaiba managed to make a game-changing move, glowing completely one color, as the magic flowed through her.

The others could just stare in wonder at her, including the group of people that just appeared in a mine cart on a third rocky standpoint behind hers. The mine cart went flying out of control into the lava, the only sound to behold in the area as everyone stared in silence at Jessica.

She thrust both of her palms in Mokuba's direction, and pink magic flowed from her straight to the fluffy-haired boy too fast for anyone to stop. The two separate strands spiraled together just before shooting their way into Mokuba's head. Mokuba cried out, but it wasn't completely from pain—rather, it was more from surprise—as Noah's presence was wiped from his mind. When the clouds were gone from his eyes, Jessica's magic ceased to flow and she returned to normal. She fell to her knees, exhausted from what she had just done, but happy that it had succeeded.

Mokuba blinked in confusion. "…What…Where am I? And what just happened?" He saw that he was standing in front of Noah and frowned. "Why am I over here? You're the enemy. Shouldn't I be over there…?" Then he noticed Jessica and Kaiba standing so close together and was confused again. "What in the world has been going on? I feel so lost right now."

"You think it's that easy to remove my control over him? Fool! I'll just place him under my control again!" Noah shouted, making to reach for the boy.

"Oh no you don't!" Jessica retorted as Wingweaver flew into action. A six-winged Duel Monster could move much faster than any digitized human. She scooped up Mokuba just before Noah could place a hand on him and was gone before he could do anything about it. This left the green-haired boy swearing in anger long enough for Wingweaver to bring him over to where Jessica and Kaiba were waiting.

"Mokuba, are you all right?" Kaiba and Jessica asked as Wingweaver put him on the ground.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mokuba assured them. "I should be the one asking if you're all right. I mean, you look all shook up, Seto, and Jessie, you look like you've been through a war."

Jessica laughed as Kaiba helped her to stand again. "Well, I guess you could say…I have been through a war. It's between Noah and his Spirit Monsters and Kaiba with his deck. Noah has been a real pain in the ass…He even used you to hurt us by brainwashing you." Tears welled up in her pink eyes then from the memory of what Noah had made him say and also from the happiness she felt from having saved him. "But…But it's all worth it. You're free now. We're safe. All that remains is for Kaiba to defeat Noah."

"…Is that possible? You only have four hundred Life Points left," Mokuba pointed out.

"I'll pull through," Kaiba assured him.

Suddenly, Wingweaver cried in pain above them, drawing their attention to the purple-haired Fairy. Noah, in his rage at having lost Mokuba as a weapon, had ordered AI to destroy Jessica's Duel Monster. The red-haired woman had no choice but to obey. She floated in air, golden eyes glowing just as they had been when she erased the Big Five from existence. Wingweaver screamed and writhed in agony, a horrible sight to see, until nothing remained of her. AI dropped back to the ground just as their surrounding changed again, reflecting the world where Domino City was real, with Kaiba Corp. appearing over the horizon with its sixty stories of business making it one of the tallest buildings in the city.

"I thought you might want to see the love of your life one last time before I destroy you," Noah said through clenched teeth.

"You didn't have to do that to Wingweaver! She had nothing to do with this!" Jessica snapped, glaring vehemently at him.

"No, but you have too much to do with this! Let's silence that wicked mouth of yours, you lovesick swine, before you really give me a reason to erase you forever!" Noah pointed his finger at her, and suddenly a bolt of lightning shot down from the sky and struck her. Jessica screamed in pain as the lightning caused her body to turn to stone. She stood there, frozen in pain, unable to do anything anymore. Noah smirked as people cried out her name. "That's much better. That little girl is now a living statue, so close to the one she loves and the one that loves her, but unable to do anything about it. How truly painful it must be for her. But she deserved it!"

"You coward!" Kaiba growled. "Mokuba, come here! I don't want the same thing happening to you! Since I'm dueling him, he can't turn me to stone! Let me protect you, and after I beat him we'll force him to free Jessica!"

"You promise?" Mokuba asked, tears in his eyes from seeing his girlfriend get hurt.

Kaiba nodded. "I do."

"…All right then," Mokuba murmured. He ran towards the waiting arms of his brother, towards the so-called protection it would bring to stand with Noah's competition.

But then, something happened that changed it all.

Lightning hit both of the Kaiba brothers just before they could touch. Kaiba's deck fell out of his duel disk, causing cards to scatter all around them. They were so close, and yet so far…Living statues caught in misery just like Jessica.

Noah laughed hysterically. "What fools you are! I have defeated you; there's no way you could win with a measly four hundred Life Points left! Now you and your brother and that dumb girl shall rot forever in your misery of not being able to get any closer! You shall know true suffering!"

AI closed her eyes as a single golden tear slid down her face. "Master…"

_When did you become such a twisted creature?_

* * *

_A/N: End of chapter. What did you think of all this? Please tell me. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day! Oh, and Happy Holidays!_


	66. 66 - Humanization

_A/N: Here is yet another chapter for you to enjoy with the coming year. I hope you like it! Please read on and enjoy._

* * *

Chapter 66

_I have been Noah Kaiba's most loyal servant for six of his seven years in this virtual world. He had grown lonely here in this place where Gozaburo had put his mind, as the man had been unable to let go of his only son, and thus made me. He wanted someone to take care of him and listen to him and be his friend, but also someone that would do whatever he wanted and would not abandon him like his father had. That part was easy, but he did not know how to make the perfect friend. He just guessed when he made my program. In that sense, I was kind of a mistake. He would have preferred a male that would have been like a big brother, but I appeared instead. It was luck alone that kept me from being destroyed then. Master Noah was tired of being alone and tired from trying to make a friend that he did not waste his energy on getting rid of me and starting over. He said I was lucky and that I should do everything I could to repay him for his kindness. Thus I did._

_Master Noah and I played every game he wanted to play. My programming, created by him, made me a tough opponent but I was supposed to let him win in the end. At first, it wasn't possible. He would get mad and throw a tantrum and threaten to destroy me for not following his rules, just like a child. It was only through my other programming to beg for forgiveness and the kindness that still remained in Master's heart that I was spared. His mind eventually developed to the point that he was a match for me in our games, and then my programming to let him win became obsolete. He lost his anger towards me there and began treating me in the way that I assume friends treat each other in the real world._

_I took care of him in the manner that a mother or an older sister might have done for him in reality. Though it is true that we were computer programs and need nothing to sustain us, I cooked his meals for him and made him dessert and tucked him into bed like food and sleep were necessary for him to live. We celebrated his birthday with a big party even if Gozaburo did not show up. I showed him any emotion he wanted me to show him, though both of us knew they would never be real emotions because computer programs cannot feel anything real. Emotion, fake or no, was enough for Master Noah. He was happy to have me, perhaps even happier than he had been in the real world. Master Noah had been so kind back then._

_But then Gozaburo attached himself to a pod connected to this world of ours, and he brought the Big Five's minds with him. That only happened a few months ago, putting an end to our happiness and replacing it with the need to exact vengeance._

_Master Noah was glad to have his father back even with the extra baggage of the Big Five. He praised that man more than I praised him, and he was eager to prove himself to his father. Gozaburo told him of the wrongs that were inflicted upon him by Seto and Mokuba, orphan brothers he had been forced to adopt just before the accident that took my master from the real world, and said he wanted them destroyed. Master Noah grew to hate Seto and Mokuba with every fiber of his being, and under the guidance of his father and the Big Five, he devised the perfect plan to eliminate the so-called Kaiba brothers. Then they learned from Noah's intelligent mind about the existence of Matron-Watchers, spiritual mortals that live much longer lives than humans, and they wanted that as well. Gozaburo was the one that found out about the seven children staying with Joseph Wheeler—how he found it is something no one will ever really know—and their plan changed to encompass them._

_I was not to be a part of this; I wasn't even supposed to obtain a body to escape to the real world with Master Noah. Gozaburo told his son that a man should not be so attached to a computer program, even one as powerful as me. Master Noah protested the way his father spoke of me at first, but in time he agreed that once they could escape from this place, I would be unnecessary. Behind closed doors, Master promised me that I would not be destroyed after so many years of serving him so loyally, but did not say what would happen to me if I would not be destroyed. Would I then be forgotten as he had when Gozaburo turned away from him to train Seto? I never asked; I was program not to question Master's words or actions._

_Even with the evil influence of his father and the Big Five changing him, I thought the kindness in Master was still there under the surface. He would still be the same person I met when I was first created when this whole thing came to an end. But now...Now I am not so sure. Perhaps it is my malfunctioning programming...But...It pains me to see Master inflicting such hurt on people just because he was forgotten by Gozaburo and I cannot love him like these people love one another._

_This is partly his father's doing. I have little doubt about that. Everything was fine before he showed up with his worthless followers. But I cannot shake the feeling...that I am also partly to blame for this man he has become. I should have protected him from the influence of darkness better, made him happier so he would not feel the need to fulfill his father's wishes thusly. I should have done more to stop this from happening. If only I was not a computer program. If only I was human and could truly feel...If only...I was not Artificial Intelligence, but just Ai, and could love like my name means I should._

_Master Noah...I have failed you, and now look what you have become._

For the first time in her six years, AI's gold eyes brimmed over with tears as she watched her master continue to torment the innocent. Yami took Kaiba's place to finish this duel with a combination of his and Kaiba's deck, and now he was suffering just as Kaiba had suffered. All of his friends, including his beloved Carrie, were encased in stone just like the Kaiba brothers and Jessica. Only he in Yugi's body, AI, and Noah were still able to move. Noah laughed hysterically at Yami's misery, believing victory was his and he could soon escape this place with his father to become as close to immortal as he could be. That evil in his eye was not like him—it didn't belong. What happened to the master that held her in his arms so gently, saying he was happy to have made her the other half of his heart? What happened to the master that used to laugh so warmly with her? What happened to the master that had such a kind heart that never wanted revenge, only companionship?

"Master…," AI sobbed with real emotion, but her words went unheard by Noah.

"Say goodbye to the rest of your Life Points and your life!" Noah exclaimed as his strong Spirit Monster prepared to attack Yami for the final time.

"No! Master!" AI cried, running to him as the Duel Monster went to attack. She wrapped her arms around him from behind as her tears ran down her face onto him. He stiffened in surprise to hear her yelling and also to feel her crying. She had never cried before. Her eyes closed against the flood of tears as she pulled him closer. "Stop this, Master Noah! Stop hurting people! I…I am so sorry…I am the one that has failed you all this time! Turn your anger on me and leave these innocent people alone! Please! Just…Just stop it …I cannot bear it…"

Noah, torn and yet still bitter, reluctantly went to call off his Duel Monster's attack. Fortunately for Yami, he had activated a Trap Card that saved his hide for now. The green-haired kid ended his turn with a scowl before shrugging AI off of him and turning to face her.

"What has gotten into you? You have never spoken against me, and you certainly have never shown any emotion like this. Is your programming malfunctioning? Perhaps when we uploaded their minds into our world a virus managed to worm its way into you," Noah said, actually sounding concerned about her.

AI shook her head. "It is no virus, Master. You designed me so any virus that dared to enter this place would die if it came close to me. I thought my programming was malfunctioning earlier…But now I do not believe so. Master…" She looked into his blue eyes that were so filled with hatred with her teary golden ones. "…I am changing. I do not understand it much, but I feel as though…I am becoming human. And I feel regret for not protecting you or better serving you in our six years together. I wish…I wish I could have loved you like you loved me and wanted me to love you. I wish I could have made you happier than you were so you would not have needed to seek approval from your father when he came here. I wish many things now, Master…I have failed you. The man you face now…and those you have turned to living statue…They have done nothing to hurt you. I am the one that has failed you. Turn your anger on me, Master…Destroy me instead."

"…De…Destroy you?" Noah stammered, eyes widened in shock. "D-Don't be ridiculous, AI! You have done nothing wrong. Just because you're starting to feel human emotions and regret things does not change anything! You are still the most important person in my life…"

"Behind your father," AI put in, still crying in sadness. "If I was truly the most important person in your life… You would not have needed to prove yourself to him. You would have gone on with your life…Happy like you used to be. Ever since he came, you have been nothing but miserable in your desire for revenge on people that did no wrong to you. They did not mean to take Gozaburo from you—they did not even like the man because he was cruel to them. And yet…You want them dead, along with these people that have no connection to you at all. You are doing this all for him, to prove to him what a great son you are, because he is the most important person in your life. For him, you would leave me…in a heartbeat."

"AI, don't you say such things! After all that you've done for me since I made you, I would never toss you aside even if my father told me to! You may be just a computer program, but I love you! Can't you see that?" Noah demanded, grabbing her roughly by the shoulders and shaking her.

The red-haired woman turned her eyes away from her master and closed them. "…All I see…is the twisted, jealous, lonely creature that my master has become under the misguidance of his father. I only wish…my master would return. He is the one I love…If only I could show him that."

"AI…," Noah murmured in shock at her words.

"You have a duel to fight, Noah. Do not lose your focus because of me," AI whimpered as she pulled away and turned her back on him.

Yami finished him off quickly, with Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon and then the three separate Blue Eyes White Dragons afterwards. Noah's ten thousand Life Points became zero in the blink of an eye, and he was powerless to stop it. AI cried as she heard him scream over his loss, and with the wave of her hand the living statues became moving people again. Mokuba and Kaiba got their hug, and Jessica was pulled into it by the Kaiba brothers that were grateful to see her moving again. The people that had been brought here unnecessarily were all happy to not be made of rock anymore, but their happiness was quickly replaced by anger directed at Noah.

Noah became the scared little kid he really was and ran to AI, seeking protection. Seeing him so afraid made AI want to take him in her arms and protect him, but she knew there was still so much hatred inside him. This green-haired boy was not the same person she called Master, nor had he been for some time now. She could not protect him from his crimes anymore, not even if he ordered her to do so. As the innocent people with lives outside of this world worried what she would do, she pushed Noah away from her and went to walk away from Noah with her heart breaking in two.

"AI! Please don't leave me!" Noah pleaded, falling to the ground at her feet.

"I do not want to leave you, but…," AI trailed off, unable to say more.

"You failed me, Noah!" a commanding male voice that had remained in the shadows until now stated, drawing attention away from them. "I knew I shouldn't have left such delicate matters to a little brat like you! You're a failure, and that's all you'll ever be! I see that now!"

"Father, no! Give me a second chance!" Noah begged as a cluster of shadows appeared in front of those assembled and the face of Gozaburo emerged from them.

"You've had your chance! There is no second chance here!" Gozaburo snapped. "You were doing so well until you lost control of that program of yours! AI betrayed you by leading those brats here, and you did nothing to stop her! I told you before she wasn't necessary and your attachment to her wasn't fitting! I gave you plenty of chances to get rid of her on your own! But now that she's gone completely bad, I'm going to take care of her myself!"

Before anyone could question what he meant by that, AI began screaming in agonizing pain as a light similar to the one she used to erase the Big Five and Wingweaver suddenly attacked her. It became painstakingly clear what Gozaburo planned on doing to her now—he was going to erase her from the virtual world. Noah cried out and ran to her writhing body, not even close to being ready to let her go. He tried to touch her only to receive a taste of the pain she was experiencing, and that sent him to his knees. He couldn't save her from his father's wrath. Tears fell from his eyes for the first time since he had created AI, derived from the sadness of losing his only friend.

Yami acted before AI could be destroyed, running over to her as the light kept harassing her in its attempts to erase her from existence. Without fear of being erased and having Yugi erased with him, he penetrated the light that caused unworldly pain. He moved against the pain as he cried out from it, wrapping his arms around her form. The power of the Millennium Puzzle reacted to the threat of its owner to destroy the destructive light, setting them both free. AI lay unconscious and damaged in his arms, but she was not gone from this world or the real world yet. Gozaburo scowled at having his plans foiled, but he did not try to destroy her again.

"So, you're finally deciding to show your face. I figured it was you pulling the strings from the shadows. No matter how cowardly Noah appears to be, you're a thousand times more cowardly than him. Honestly, sending your son and the Big Five to do your dirty work? That's probably the lowest I have ever seen you sink," Kaiba remarked.

"Do not talk about me like that! You have no right!" Gozaburo growled. "I was not hiding in fear of any of you! There was just no point in me showing my face when the Big Five and Noah were doing well enough against you! It was only with their help, bad as it turned out to be, that I could draw you here and exact my own revenge on you, Seto! They were just pawns to be cast aside when I could finally get you where I want you! And Noah couldn't even do that!"

"Father…So you didn't come here to see me and get my help?" Noah sobbed as Yami laid the unconscious AI beside him. "…You…You were just using me and my world… for yourself?"

"If you were smart, you would have seen that from the start! I used you for what you were good for, which unfortunately wasn't very much! I could have asked for a better son, and it was a mistake to keep you in the world!" Gozaburo bluntly said, hurting Noah more than words could say. "But you have given me enough time to put another plan into action, one that will ensure that you won't be alone in your misery any longer! While I become a Matron-Watcher and escape this place, you shall be in the company of the whole world!"

"Yeah? And how the hell are you planning to pull that off?" Carrie demanded.

Gozaburo sneered. "With satellites, of course! I can control whatever I want from this world! And with the satellites, I will download the souls of all the people in the world into this world, thus trapping them here forever! There will be no one to stop me as I take over the real world and the realm where Matrons exist! I shall become King!"

"Some king. To turn the whole world into computer programs and rule over vacant lands while degrading your only birth-son…That isn't very kingly at all. It just makes you a coward like Kaiba said," Mai muttered.

"Yeah, and do you think the Matrons are gonna let ya waltz into Their world and take over? The Watchers may be weakened by dark hearts like yours, but there are other races of Matrons that could kick your ass in five seconds flat! Hell, I bet even Vi could kick your ass that quickly even though she's a Matron-Watcher! So go ahead and try to go through with your plan! The humans may not be able to stop you, and the Matrons will tear you apart!" Joey exclaimed.

Gozaburo laughed. "Do you honestly believe they would tear me apart if I was in the body of one of the children? The Matron-Watchers are a dying race! They wouldn't destroy one even if it meant getting rid of a huge nuisance, especially since these children have immunity to Their greatest weakness! I will be safe and nearly immortal in the body of a Matron-Watcher! No one can stop me!"

"I wouldn't be so sure. Even we put down a creature of an endangered species if it becomes a threat to others. If a Matron began threatening the lives of other Matrons, I believe They would take it out to save as many lives as possible and maintain Their lifestyle. Your logic is flawed, Gozaburo," Ryou put in.

"I suppose we'll just have to find out later, won't we?" Gozaburo challenged, and then his face disappeared with the sound of his sinister laughter echoing throughout the virtual world.

"That's it! I'm tired of all the psychopaths in this damn place! I wanna go home right now!" Carrie shouted, throwing a fit in Tea's arms where she had remained this whole time because the brunette had forgotten to put her down.

"I agree. This place is getting too weird for me," Tea concurred.

"Only one problem. We don't know how to get out of here," Duke pointed out. "And even if we did know how to escape, we'd just end up back in this hellhole when Gozaburo uses the satellites to digitize the whole world populace. We have to do something about that, or escaping now would just be pointless."

"Leave Gozaburo to me. You dweebs just find the way out of here before this place becomes overcrowded," Kaiba grumbled as he started walking away from the group.

"Seto!" Mokuba called after his big brother.

"Kaiba!" Jessica called at the same time.

The rich businessman stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the younger teens. "You stay here and watch over one another. We'll see each other again on the other side of the looking glass. I promise."

Jessica and Mokuba nodded to show they understood, and then Kaiba proceeded to leave. Carrie watched this transpire curiously, wondering when her little sister and Rich Boy had become so close to one another. She had a feeling she had missed something huge during their struggles against Noah and couldn't help but be a little jealous of how easily her little sister could make friends with cold-hearted people. Then Mirage started complaining about being trapped in the head of a doll again and all Carrie could think about was the headache that dark spirit kept giving her.

Noah cradled AI's motionless body in his arms as he continued to cry over almost losing her, exposing his inner child. Yami stayed next to these two for two reasons. The first was Noah was the only one that could show them how to get out of here. The second was AI—he was concerned about her. They were a lot alike in some strange ways, and they had connected when they first met. That was why he had jumped in and stopped her destruction…That and he didn't think Noah deserved to lose his only friend just because Gozaburo didn't approve of her. The other guys crowded around the trio, leaving Noah no escape route. Not that the kid exactly cared at the moment.

AI's golden eyes flickered open several minutes later, but only halfway. Almost being erased had messed with her programming and resulted in her seeming fatigued, something she had never been before. Even so, Noah was happy to see her eyes. She managed a small smile, her first true smile, and saw her master there instead of the twisted boy he had become. Noah squeezed her tightly and kissed her lips, to which she responded genuinely for the first time. This was a beautiful spectacle, but one that needed to be broken up.

"…I, uh, hate to be the one to ruin a moment, but…You have to show us the way out," Tristan the robot chimp remarked, making a lot of chimp noises when he spoke. The ape was starting to take over, which wasn't a good thing at all. If he remained in this form much longer, his mind might remain ape permanently. No wonder he wanted out so badly.

Noah pulled away from AI upon hearing him speak, though he was reluctant, and stood. He kept his back to the majority of the people there as he helped AI to stand, leaving his face out of sight to all. AI was not as secretive with her emotions now that she could express them. Her face, tired as it appeared, showed that she was happy to still be with Noah but also worried about his next move. She took his face in both of her hands and made him look at her.

"…Master, you need to help these people. They have nothing to do with you or your father. Let them go where we cannot. Let them return to where they belong. Then we can have our world back to the way it was, and we can be happy again. Please Noah…No more tricks. Let us return things to the way they were before Gozaburo came and ruined everything," AI practically pleaded.

The green-haired boy sighed and took her hands in his away from his face. "…All right, AI. For you, I will help these people." He glanced past her at Yami. "Before I do, I have a couple of questions for you. Why did you save AI? How did you save her?"

"She didn't deserve to die, and she is the only one that can reach you. Your father was wrong about her from the start. AI never betrayed you; she merely wanted to help you return to who you were before Gozaburo showed up and love you as you love her. I saved her because she means more than life to you. As to how I saved her…Let's just say I've powers beyond your understanding that allow me to do things other people cannot," Yami replied.

A spark of the twisted Noah came into his eye. "Oh really? Well, perhaps I'll enjoy those powers when I take them for myself."

"Master! No!" AI cried out as the green-haired boy lunged towards Yami, intent on slipping his soul into that of the powerful man. But it was futile; the Millennium Puzzle would not allow it. The Puzzle forced him backwards and made him fall on his backside. Ai knelt beside him and shook her head in exhaustion. "Please…Leave Yami alone. He and I are similar, and he has no body. To even try to take his place was a mistake. After he risked his existence and that of Yugi to save me…How could you even think of stealing his abilities? I thought you were going to leave these people be and help them to return to the real world. Or…Were you lying to me?"

"I wasn't lying. I just…I'm sorry, AI. This time, it appears that I'm the one failing you. Can you forgive me?" Noah asked.

AI gave him a sad, tired smile. "Perhaps…when these people are freed from this place and you do not have the opportunity to harm them any further."

Noah sighed as AI helped him to stand this time. "All right. If you want to get out of here, then follow me. My father may have control of this world as of now, but he doesn't know all of its secrets. I, on the other hand, do, and if you believe you can trust me, come on and let's get out of here already." He began to walk towards the false Domino City with AI, not even bothering to look over his shoulder to see if the others were coming.

"I don't trust him. Not after that fast one he tried to pull on Yami," Carrie grumbled, leaping from Tea's arms into those of her boyfriend borrowed from her best friend.

"I agree with Carrie. He'll just lead us into another trap," Mako agreed.

"What other choice do we have? He's the creator of this world and therefore the only one that knows how to get out of it. If we can't trust him to show us the way, then we're just going to end up stuck here forever," Duke pointed out.

"Duke has a point," Joey muttered with a sigh. "I guess we'll have to go after him and hope he's not lying to us and AI. If it turns out to be just another trap, I'm gonna inflict a world of hurt on that spoiled brat! That'll teach him to pull the wool over our eyes!"

Further discussion would be pointless, so they decided to follow Noah. He led them to a canyon with a big wooden door standing in their way. He claimed that door would take them back to the real world so they could escape. AI was too tired-looking to deny or confirm this, and she had never been told the exits, anyway. The gang trusted him despite the alarms going off in their minds that this was just another trap, and they opened the door and walked into the bright light.

Were they finally free?

* * *

_A/N: This chapter was kinda on the short side, but oh well. It's the content, not the length, that really counts in the end. So, what did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day and New Year!_


	67. 67 - Divided

_A/N: Well, school's back to sap my life away from me, so I'll have trouble updating again. Sorry. Here's another chapter. Hope you like it. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 67

Carrie opened her eyes and found herself back home in her bed, far away from the virtual world created by Noah. She blinked in confusion, wondering how she had gotten here and if that whole thing had just been a dream. Something felt weird about this. The blonde mentally asked Yami what he thought of it, but he didn't reply; she couldn't even feel his presence. Her hand instinctively reached for the Millennium Puzzle hanging from her throat, but it was met with only air. Panic set in. She jumped out of her bed like a ninja and quickly searched her room for any trace of that artifact. Finding none, she was gone from her room and down the stairs in seconds.

"Mai, have you seen the Millennium Puzzle? It's missing, and it's weird cuz I never remove that thing except when I'm in the bathroom," Carrie said as she walked into the kitchen, not even attempting to mask her worry. Then she froze in her tracks when she saw all the people seated at the dinner table. There was one more person there in the flesh than there usually was, and that guy had the Millennium Puzzle around his throat.

"Have you forgotten already, Carrie? You and Yami split bodies awhile back when you discovered the magic to do so within the Puzzle. He wears it now," Mai reminded her, serving breakfast to those seated as she said so.

"Maybe she's still too sleepy to recall that," Serenity commented.

"Or maybe she's just too blonde to remember anything like that," Jessica put in.

Carrie stuck her tongue out at her sister in response, but her mind was spinning. How could this be? She and Yami were separated? It didn't make sense. The last place they had been was in Noah's virtual world, and he had been in control of Yugi's body while she had been trapped in the body of a doll. No…Technically, they hadn't been in bodies since it was their minds that were in the virtual world. But still…That didn't explain any of this. How could this be reality? How could any of this have happened?

"Well, are you gonna stand there all day or are you gonna sit down and eat something?" Jessica demanded. "You don't have time to waste trying to think, you blonde. We still have school to go to, all four of us, and by the time you start thinking it'll be nighttime."

"Four of us?" Carrie asked, taking her seat between Yami and Mako.

"You really are out of it today. You, Jessica, Serenity, and Yami are going to school. He enrolled shortly after getting his own body to remain close to you. I don't know how you could have forgotten that," Mako remarked.

"Yeah, and after school you and he have to work at Kaiba Corp. together. Before you ask about that in your forgetful state, he got a job there to be with you, too," Mai reminded Carrie as she slid a plate of food in front of her.

"Really? That was…sweet of him," Carrie murmured. Then she shook her head, trying to get a grip. "No, no…Nothing's making any sense! What happened to Noah and the virtual world? That's where we were last I can remember! I don't remember any of this stuff you're talking about, and I certainly don't remember Yami getting his own body! This just doesn't seem real!"

Everyone but Yami exchanged glances, and then Serenity spoke.

"Carrie, what happened with Noah ended at least seven months ago. We got out of there and put an end to Gozaburo and Noah's plots. Have you really forgotten that much? Are you okay? There seems to be something wrong with you. Maybe you hit your head or something and it's given you amnesia. Maybe you should go see a doctor," the brunette girl suggested.

"I'm sure she's fine. She's probably just tired after that long shift we pulled at work last night," Yami said, resting a hand on Carrie's shoulder as he stood. "She had trouble sleeping last night, so I let her sleep in to compensate. That lack of sleep is perhaps the motive behind her lax memory. Just give her some time to wake up and I'm certain she shall return to the way she usually is. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to prepare for school."

"I'll never get used to the way he talks," Mako grumbled as Yami left the kitchen to go upstairs and change into his school uniform.

Jessica and Serenity followed him shortly after his departure, and Carrie ate her breakfast quickly to get away from the questioning stares of her adult friends. She walked in on Yami changing in her room, but he was only topless and about to put his shirt on. She didn't question this; questions only got her strange looks here. All she wanted was an explanation for all of this—she wanted things to start making sense again. With a lowered gaze, the blonde walked over to her closet to pull out her uniform. Half of it was made up of her clothes and the other half was made up of Yami's, something else she couldn't remember happening. She sighed, frustrated, as her fingers grabbed onto some strands of her hair.

"What's wrong, Carrie?" Yami asked, glancing over his shoulder at her.

"…Nothing makes sense, but no one seems to understand," Carrie murmured, leaning against the door of her closet and holding her uniform to her chest without looking up at her boyfriend.

"That's where you're wrong, Carrie. I understand…Nothing makes sense for me, either," Yami admitted. "What you were talking about downstairs…About not remembering us splitting and everything…I don't remember that, either. The last thing I remember is being in control of Yugi's body as Noah showed us the way out of the virtual world. Next thing I know, I wake up next to you in the bed in my own body."

Carrie's eyes turned to his face, wide in surprise. "Really? But…But the others didn't look at you like they looked at me. How did you pull that off?"

"I didn't ask questions. Knowing you, I figured you would ask them all when you woke up and found me missing," Yami replied with a smile. "That is…If you really were Carrie, you would. And you proved yourself to be the real Carrie, just as I am the real Yami. But the other people in this place…They're not the real ones, and this house itself isn't real."

"You're saying…This is all just an illusion," Carrie assumed.

Yami nodded once. "Noah tricked us, and now everyone is in their own illusion thinking they're back home and away from his virtual world."

"If everyone has a separate illusion, how did you and I end up with the same one?" Carrie asked, slightly puzzled.

"Because you are wearing the Millennium Puzzle and our minds were downloaded together. You may have given the Puzzle over to others in this virtual world, but that wasn't in reality. Thus our minds were pulled into the same illusion," Yami explained.

"All right. I think I understand," Carrie said. "How do we get out of here?"

"That is something I do not know," Yami divulged reluctantly.

**Of course you don't know. You're too dumb, my beloved Pharaoh, **Mirage stated from her place inside Carrie's mind. **Allow me to shatter all illusions so you can get us the hell out of this pathetic doll body!**

"All right, all right! You don't have to give me a damn headache!" Carrie snapped as her head started throbbing again. "She's gonna come out to play for awhile, Spiky, to destroy the illusions and set us free in the virtual world again. Thought I'd give you a warning before she takes control and you get worried."

Then her hair and eyes turned black as her uniform fell to the floor. Mirage smirked at Yami in greeting, who just rolled his eyes at her, before getting down to business. Dark lightning shot out of her hands in every direction besides where Yami stood. Wherever it hit, the illusions disappeared to reveal the real virtual world. Within seconds, she wiped away all the illusions from their minds, freeing Carrie and Yami from Noah's trap. They found themselves outside the fake Domino City, just where they had been before Noah tricked them into believing he was showing them the way out.

Yami was just a spirit now, but only because Yugi's mind was still trapped in the illusions of deception. Mirage used her powerful magic to erase the illusions trapping the others, but still had time to complain about controlling the doll body she was still inside. As she did so, they reappeared around her, and none were too happy about being tricked. Carrie took control of her mind again and did a head count. Two people other than Kaiba were missing—they had a bad habit of going missing ever since they came to this world.

_Where are Jessica and Mokuba now? _Carrie wondered bitterly.

* * *

Just before Jessica and Mokuba could walk into the light like the others, AI saw through Noah's deceit and grabbed them to prevent them from falling for the same trick. They fought her at first, but they knew she was an honest computerized woman that wanted only to help them. She pushed them away from the door and closed it to send the light away, and as she did so the whole thing disappeared. She turned her half-closed golden eyes on Noah, not looking happy. Despite being tired from almost being destroyed, anger could still be expressed on her face.

"Noah…You tricked them. This was just another trap designed to get them out of the way," AI presumed, but the way she said it left no room for argument. Noah looked a bit ashamed to be caught like this by AI and hung his head. "What have you done to them? Why did you betray them and me?"

"I…I locked them away in a separate part of the virtual world, where they are stuck within individual illusions of life back home. It gives the impression that they are free from this place when they're really just as captive as before," Noah murmured without meeting her gaze. "As to why I did it…I have my reasons that I don't want to say and that you wouldn't accept."

"Noah…," AI chided.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Set my sister and my friends free right now!" Jessica demanded.

"I can't. I don't have the power to do that. Only they can set themselves free by seeing through my illusions or with a power outside this world's intervention," Noah stated a bit regretfully but still not sounding all that sincere. "Their fate is out of my hands. That's how I designed that trick in case anyone dared cross my path in the wrong way…It was meant to keep them busy and out of my hair until AI could erase them. I never had to use it until now."

"You had no reason to use it. We mean no harm. We just wanna go home," Mokuba said.

"If you think I am going to erase those people from existence now, then you are mistaken, Noah. Those people are innocent and have things to live for in the real world. They were just unfortunate enough to be drawn into this world because of a feud between your father and his eldest adopted son. I shall not allow you to meddle in their lives any further, sir. If you will not show them the way out, then I shall do so myself," AI declared, though her words weren't as effective as they might have been before her programming was damaged by Gozaburo, considering that she appeared weak and very tired because of it.

"How are you going to do that? I never told you the location of the exit," Noah pointed out to his beloved.

"You do not have to tell me. I can find out for myself," AI replied, and without warning she grabbed Noah by the collar of his shirt. Tears rolled down her face from half-closed eyes, glistened on her cheeks for not the first time that day. "Forgive me…But you leave me no other choice." Then she thrust the palm of her other hand against his chest and forced herself upon his soul to obtain the information she needed.

Noah cried out from the pain inflicted upon his soul with AI's forced entrance, but it was hopeless to fight someone as strong as her when he was in her grasp. She closed her eyes completely to the scene as her tears continued to fall, wishing she did not have to do this to the man in a boy's shoes that she had been made for just to set things right. She searched his mind for the location of the exit to aid Jessica and Mokuba in leaving, and also do the same for the others later when they could escape from Noah's trap. Noah cowered against her powerful, and eager to escape the pain of her presence in his soul, quickly gave up the information. She pulled away from him and regretfully let him fall to the ground. Then she slowly turned to Jessica and Mokuba, who had watched the whole thing with wide, surprised eyes in silence.

"The exit is hidden within the arcade of the false Domino City. Let us go now and free the two of you, and then I shall help your fellows to follow your path home," AI remarked, and she began walking towards the place without even a second glance over her shoulder at Noah. Mokuba and Jessica, believing her to be a credible source, quickly followed after her.

"AI! Don't go! Please! Don't leave me here all alone! AI!" Noah cried, still in too much pain to move from where she had left him.

The red-haired woman that had never been human closed her eyes as Noah continued to scream out her name, weeping silent endless rivers of heartache at her former master's misery. _I am so sorry, Noah. You made me to serve you in your loneliness...But now I must disobey you. Until I right your wrongs and set these people free from this virtual world we call home, I cannot help you anymore. Forgive me. I shall atone for this when everything returns to how it once was...And how it should have always been._

_Noah..._

"AI!"

His voice echoed, but he was far behind her. She would not turn back now.

* * *

AI quickly led Mokuba and Jessica right to the arcade in the duplicate Domino City, not daring to lead them astray because she was not that kind of creature, artificial or no. Her former master had given away everything, as pain made him the cowardly child he had been when he died. She guided them back to a game system much like Dance Dance Revolution. Of course, here it wasn't just a form of entertainment. One with a body on the outside could stand on it and be returned to their body. That would be their way back to reality and away from this terrible place.

"Jessica, I have a favor to ask of you," AI told the girl before either young teen could step on the platform to freedom. "Your friends…I am not sure if they are free of Noah's trap or if they can escape it on their own. He said only a power outside of this world could free them. If I could leave this world for a few minutes and hack into the system, I could perhaps help them so they could leave this world as well. But in order to do that…"

"You need a body," Jessica finished. "And you want to borrow mine."

The red-haired woman nodded once. "I promise I will not double-cross you. I may have been created by Noah, but I was not made to betray. You will have it back very quickly, for as soon as I am finished with my work I shall download myself into my home and your body will be yours once again. However, a pressing question still stands between us. Do you trust me enough to give me that chance?"

The dark-haired girl gave her a long, hard look. This question wasn't easily answered. It was true that AI served Noah, a boy that had caused her and her kind a lot of grief recently, and that AI had destroyed Wingweaver and had separated her from Mokuba long enough for Noah to turn Mokuba against everyone. However, AI had also helped them by leading the others to Noah, turning on Noah, and then promising her and Mokuba a way back to reality. The good and the bad of AI pretty much evened out, and the scales tipped to one side when Jessica considered that as a computer program created by Noah, AI hadn't had control of her actions until recently. Everything she had done before had been because she was ordered to do so. Still, could she really be trusted?

Jessica groaned in frustration. She hated having to make tough decisions like this. But when she considered their situation and all other options, she found there was little else that could be done. Her friends and Carrie were trapped in Noah's illusions, and she and Mokuba couldn't free them. Only AI knew how to do that. She would have to go through into reality in order to do that…

"All right. I'll trust you. But you have exactly ten minutes to do what you need to do and get back in here before I do something to make you rethink tricking me," Jessica stated, surprising Mokuba by her choice.

"Jessie, are you sure you can trust her?" Mokuba asked anxiously.

She shook her head. "No. But we don't have much other choice at the moment, do we?"

"Step up on the platform with me. When your mind is about to return to your body, I shall take over it and be in control instead. Then I shall do what needs to be done in order to free your friends and return here while leaving your body in your control. You have my word…Not that that would mean much to you," AI said.

"On the contrary, it means more than you think," Jessica remarked. "Mokuba, stay here until we go through. If AI doesn't come back in ten minutes, then this is a trap and you should run before Noah gets you. Seto wanted us to protect one another while he takes care of Gozaburo. Consider this my way of protecting you."

"You shouldn't do this alone. What if it's just another trap like the one the others walked into?" Mokuba wanted to know.

"…We don't have a choice. One of us has to take a chance to see if this really is the way out," Jessica replied.

Without another word, Jessica stepped onto the game platform with AI right beside her. The red-haired woman put her hand on the teen's back, and suddenly her being slipped into Jessica's just before they disappeared from the virtual world. Mokuba found himself to be all alone in this place, hoping that AI proved to be reliable. He found a place to sit down as he awaited AI's return in ten minutes' time. These would have ended up being the longest minutes of his life…

Or they would have been if something hadn't forced him into darkness first.

* * *

The pod in which the robots in Noah's fortress had placed Jessica opened as AI made her reawaken. The other pods remained closed because their minds were still trapped within the virtual world where she had been created; they lined the walls in two rows, their mechanical buzzing giving off the only sounds in this desolate place. AI stood and moved out of Jessica's pod, knowing she needed to get to the main computer quickly. The robots would know she was awake and be upon her soon. She wondered if her abilities might still work in this world, but doubted it and knew they wouldn't be effective against soulless robots in any case. At least Jessica knew how to fight, which meant her body would be useful that way if it came down to a battle.

She had barely made it to the door before the robots were upon her. AI acted quickly to dodge their metallic limbs and put Jessica's body to use. She destroyed them all rather quickly, leaving in their absence the scrap metal of which they had been made. The woman cleared it aside to not hinder the humans when they left this place before continuing on her way to the control room. Other robots occasionally appeared, but were dispatched easily due to Jessica's strength. It didn't take long for all the robots in the fortress to be destroyed.

AI reached the control room several minutes later and sat down in the chair in front of the main computer. Her fingers went flying on the keyboard as she tried to locate those that had fallen into Noah's trap in order to free them from the illusions. As she found each one, their minds suddenly became free without her help. Either they had been strong enough to break through them on their own, or one of them had been powerful enough to shatter the whole trap. Regardless, they were fine. She could return to the virtual world and help them to escape to this world. Then she and Noah could live their happy lives as they had been doing before Gozaburo showed up.

To keep her word to Jessica, AI would have to be back in that pod in three minutes. Without the robots to hinder her progress, she managed to return to the pod room in less than one. She would have jumped back in Jessica's pod and downloaded herself back into the virtual world right then, but something caught her eye. One of the other pods was open and empty. A quick head count proved that pod to be Mokuba's. AI wondered at this. Jessica had told Mokuba to stay put until AI returned. He didn't seem to be one to act against his friends, his brother, and especially not his girlfriend. Why would he be here? Unless…

The red-haired woman turned on her heel and sprinted back in the direction that she had just come from. She was not surprised when she found the fluffy-haired kid sitting at the main computer, typing fast on the keyboard with images of something targeting the fortress on the screen. A timer was also on the screen, frozen at fifteen minutes only because it hadn't been told to start the countdown yet. The boy stopped typing when he sensed he was no longer alone and turned to look at her with an evil look in his eyes, a look that didn't belong to Mokuba.

"Noah!" AI exclaimed.

He sneered. "Surprised to see me again so soon, my beloved AI? You didn't hurt me as badly as you thought. That attack might render most others incapacitated for some time, but as I am the one that created you, it cannot do that much damage to me. You see, when I made you, I programmed a safety feature into you in case something ever happened that turned you against me. Once you left with the mind of Jessica, I merely had to knock Mokuba out and sneak into his soul to take control of his body in the real world. It's so much easier than having to earn someone's trust."

"…What are you planning to do to this place and the virtual world?" AI demanded.

Noah laughed. "What do you think I'm going to do? I'm going to destroy them! Everyone in this place is going to die while I escape to reality! Then I can take over Kaiba Corp. in the guise of Mokuba and after I make some arrangements, I can rule my father's company as a Matron-Watcher! No one can stop me!"

"But Noah, why must you do this? Can we not just go back to the way things were when you were happy? Must you do this irreversible crime of ending the lives of so many? Is it worth it in the end?" AI asked, holding back tears.

"Happiness is for little kids with nothing going for them. Besides…My happiness died when you betrayed me," Noah muttered.

"I will not let you do this. I will find a way to stop you and send you back into our world, Noah. You cannot be allowed to take so many lives like this just because you are hurt. We do not belong here as a human or as a Matron-Watcher. We belong in the world where you created me, and I shall do whatever is necessary to bring us back there without death being brought into this," AI declared.

Her lover in the body of Mokuba sneered as he pressed one last key, starting the timer. "I'm not going back to that hellhole. I'm going to escape this place once and for all. Just try to stop me, AI."

AI and Noah engaged in a physical battle with their borrowed bodies. Jessica's body was obviously the stronger of the two, what with her being such a fighter since she was just a child, but Noah had learned much from having his mind hooked up to a computer for seven years. He made Mokuba's body perform impressive attacks and execute excellent dodges that the boy wouldn't have been able to do if he was in control of himself. They threw each other into things, unknowingly destroying the controls so what Noah had done could not be undone. That was lost in the fight, with AI determined to stop Noah from willingly dousing his hands in the blood of the innocent and Noah eager to beat down the woman that betrayed him so he could leave this place at last.

In the end, the greater of the two powers won out. AI was tossed to the ground for the last time, unable to get Jessica's body to rise anymore. She was beaten and bruised and could no longer do anything to stop Noah. She had done a number on Mokuba's body as well, but not enough to severely hinder him. Her former master stood victoriously over her, sneering in triumph in a way that definitely didn't fit her Noah or Jessica's Mokuba. He left her on the floor as the clock on the screen flashed seven minutes til death.

_Noah...Don't do this to us, _AI thought weakly. _Jessica...Mokuba...Yami...Forgive me for my failure. I was unable to help you, and now we are all going to die. I am a failure. Now Noah is going to become just like his father._

_What can we do now...?_

* * *

The fortress reemerged from the waters of the oceans by orders of its master, Noah. He had made that command before he began the sequence for the destruction of this place that had been his home for seven lowly years. He pressed a button on the wall just before walking out on the top of the fortress. A panel on the top of the fortress pulled away, and from that hole an old KC helicopter rose. It had been the way that his father had come to this place months ago, and now it would be Noah's means of escape. He climbed into the white aircraft with little hesitation, ready to start his life anew.

He started it up, causing the blades on top to turn at a speed great enough for the helicopter to take off. But he found that he could not leave as the automated voice declared that only six and a half minutes remained until the fortress's destruction. He wondered at it for a moment, then came to realize why. A flash of the damaged AI lying on the floor came into his mind, along with the faces of all those he had hurt for no real reason other than his father had told him to do it.

Noah remembered he had been happy with AI's company for six years. Six years of happiness was a hard thing to forget. AI hadn't been very human-like back then, but she still made him feel better than anyone else had ever done before. She was his friend, his lover, and his most loyal servant. She had seen the evil taking over his heart when his father had come to this world, and she saw it grab hold of him during his battle with the spiky-haired kid after he had turned the Kaiba brothers and Jessica to stone. It had caused her to turn human and retaliate against the darkness within him. She had only turned on him because he had turned on himself, just like his father. His eagerness to live up to his father's standards at all costs…It had created a different Noah, one that he found now that he didn't like at all…

He had left AI lying defeated on the ground…How could he have done that to his only friend, and the only person in the world that truly mattered to him?

"What have I done?" Noah asked sadly of no one as tears welled up in his eyes.

He shut down the chopper and ran back into the fortress as the countdown reached six minutes even. He didn't have much time, but he was going to fix this…

Even if it cost him his life.

* * *

_A/N: Noah's made his turn from the darkness to the light, but is it too late? Probably not, but if I told you that, then there'd be no suspense. Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day._


	68. 68 - Salvation

_A/N: Not much to say, other than thank you all for your support throughout this story. I'm glad to have caught your eye and kept it for this long. Here's another chapter. Please read on and enjoy, my friends!_

* * *

Chapter 68

Noah frantically ran back into the control room as the countdown reached five minutes and fifteen seconds. Jessica's body was still strewn across the floor, free from AI's control as well as Jessica's because he had caused her to slip into unconsciousness. He regretted doing that to the woman he loved, and once he saw what their fight had done to the main controls he regretted it even more. He could not stop the destruction of the fortress anymore. Everyone here was going to die if he didn't act fast.

He moved to one of the other computers in the room and his fingers flew across the keyboard. He couldn't stop the countdown, but he could do everything in his power to get the people inside his virtual world to safety before it was too late. Noah grabbed a pair of headphones and slid them into place; he would need to communicate with those he had betrayed in order to help them. They wouldn't trust him due to his constant betrayal, but he had to try. It was the only way to set things right.

With a regretful glance over his shoulder at the unconscious AI in Jessica's body, Noah spoke into the speaker.

* * *

"How are we supposed to find anyone in this place?" Duke asked with his hands in his pockets as the group walked through the false Domino City. They were short two people and needed to locate one or two others in order to get out of here, but there were no clues as to where they should go. This place was as desolate as a desert, not at all like the real city in the real world.

Joey shrugged. "Who knows and who cares? All that matters is that we're gonna find that double-crossing little punk and make him pay for tricking us! And then we're gonna force him to show us the real exit and find Mokuba and Jessica! No one puts us in the dark and kidnaps two of our own twice and gets away with it!"

"Yeah! And when I see that little jerk, I'm gonna make him wish he'd never invited us out to this hellhole!" Carrie concurred, pumping her fists in the air in anger from Yami's arms. "Once I'm through punishing him, not even his own mother will be able to recognize him! That'll teach him!"

"Just make sure to save some of him for me!" Tristan piped in, making more chimp noises than before.

"…Uh…Hello down there," a nervous yet familiar male voice said from nowhere they could see. "Planning my…punishment, are we?"

"Noah! Where are you? Show yourself right now, you coward!" Mako ordered.

"Sorry…But I can't exactly do that. I'm in your world right now…and for reasons that I can't really tell you…This place is about to be blown out of existence within the next five minutes. I can't stop it from being destroyed for reasons I can't tell you, but I can help you to get out before it's too late," Noah told them anxiously.

"Say what?" Tea exclaimed.

"Why should we trust you? You've done nothing but hurt us since we were brought to this hellhole of yours! For all we know, this is just another trap! We barely managed to escape your last one! We're not about to walk right into another!" Mai snapped.

"This isn't a trap! And I don't have time to argue with you! As we're speaking, another thirty crucial seconds have gone by! You have to trust me and get out of here!" Noah declared, and the panic was so clear in his voice that those that distrusted him were slightly taken aback. "I know I've done some crazy things since you've come to know me, but AI…She helped me to overcome the darkness brought into my heart by the return of my father into my life. You've got to trust me! You have no reason to, but you must!"

"…I don't know…," Ryou murmured, still concerned.

"I think we can trust him. If we keep believing this is a trap and it turns out not to be, we'll regret it. Noah sounds sincere enough for me. We should listen to him this once before it costs us everything we have," Serenity stated.

Though reluctant, the others seemed to agree. They looked to the sky, the place where Noah's voice came from, and awaited his word. Those that had tough hearts that reacted badly to being tricked made their silent vows to exact revenge on the green-haired kid if he proved untrustworthy again, but did not voice these in case this really was the case. Others with more forgiving hearts hoped that Noah was truly sincere this time, though they were frightened to be possibly facing the last few minutes of their lives. The fear of the possibility of their destruction made everyone's hearts accelerate a little.

"The way out is on the dancing game platform inside the arcade. Hurry to it to get back in your bodies and get out of here before it's too late," Noah instructed.

No one needed to be told twice. However, someone else was intervening in their escape plans, as several Duel Monsters suddenly appeared around the group to prevent their leave. Noah swore upon their arrival, glancing at the clock of countdown as it reached the four-minute mark. Other foul words escaped the mouths of those stuck in the virtual world as they found themselves surrounded on all sides with no way out.

"Mai, you and the other girls get outta here. We'll cover you, and once these uglies are taken care of, we'll be right behind ya," Joey told her, pulling the top card from his deck along with Yami and Mako. "You go with them too, Bakura and Duke."

"Take Carrie with you. I don't want anything to happen to her," Yami said as he went to hand over the possessed doll to Mai.

"I'm not gonna leave without you! And you must be crazy if you think I'm gonna retreat from a fight!" Carrie shouted, resisting.

"Don't fight me, Carrie. We don't have time for this. Our very existence is in danger. We have to get out of here now. I don't want anything to happen to you…if I have the power to stop it from happening." Yami pecked the doll form of his girlfriend on the cheek despite being surrounded by people who could ridicule him for it later. She blushed and lost her anger. "Now go with the others. Yugi and I will be right behind you."

"…Fine. But if you don't come out of here, I'm going to kill you," Carrie feebly threatened as she allowed herself to be given over to Mai.

Joey, Yami, and Mako summoned their strongest Duel Monsters to dispatch the crowd surrounding them. The battle created an opening for the women folk and Ryou and Duke to escape through, and they bolted towards the arcade faster than they ever had before. Carrie wasn't in the best place, being held in Mai's arms against her bosom, and Tristan was in a better place, being held in Serenity's arms against her bosom, but there was no time for words. All that mattered was escaping this hellhole before there was no longer the option of escape.

Their Duel Monsters covered them as the trio of boys made to follow the others. Yami relinquished his control, allowing Yugi to take over again since his mind and Carrie's were intertwined and once she was back in reality, he would be as well. Other Duel Monsters came to stop them from leaving, forcing the boys to summon more in order to protect themselves. Even Mai had to stop for a moment to cover their retreat. Gozaburo really didn't want them to get away alive. If he was going down, he was taking as many people as he could with him.

The first group made it to the arcade in less than a minute and rushed to the back where the dancing game system was located. Only two people could go at a time except in the case of those that were trapped in the forms of little creatures. Tea, Serenity, and Tristan were the first to go through. Then Mai, Carrie, and Ryou followed. Duke waited for the others to arrive before he thought of going through to reality. Someone had to make sure everyone made it to the other side.

Gozaburo's Monsters surrounded the arcade as the last three men rushed into it. Duke stepped onto the platform with Mako, bringing them to safety. Joey was about to follow them to escape the Duel Monsters when he realized that Yugi was still standing on the floor. He demanded an explanation…and Yugi reminded him that Kaiba was still here and needed help to get out. Joey offered to stay behind and help, but Yugi refused him, reminding him that he needed to get out of here for Serenity's sake as well as the Matron-Watcher children's. With that, Joey wished Yugi luck and stepped onto the platform, going back to reality.

Noah opened up a portal to move Yugi to where Kaiba was facing his adoptive father as he closed all the exits in this place to keep Gozaburo from escaping. Yugi stepped into it just before the Monsters could get him…

The countdown to their destruction was now at two minutes.

* * *

AI came to at that moment to the sound of people retreating from the pod room. She wondered how anyone could be out of their pods with Noah's betrayal, and then realized that he might have had something to do with it. She forced her borrowed damaged body to sit up and was surprised to find Noah manning one of the side computers in helping the others to escape. She blinked in confusion—hadn't Noah been leaving when she lost consciousness? Why was he still here? He should have been long gone, on his way to his new dark life without her. Why was he here and not in a helicopter on his way to the mainland of this world?

"Hurry, Seto and Yugi! Jump into that light below before Gozaburo gets inside of you!" Noah commanded, on his feet as AI struggled to get to hers. She watched as the two said figures jumped from the top of the fake Kaiba Corp. building to avoid being attacked by a red monster that must have been Gozaburo transformed. A rainbow of light appeared below them, granting them a way out, but it was gone before Gozaburo could follow.

"…Noah…," AI murmured with a small smile, glad to see that he had changed for the better after all.

The boy with green hair borrowing Mokuba's body ripped the headphones from his head and spun around the face her. They didn't say a word to one another; no words were necessary. AI could see just by looking at him how much he had changed and how sorry he was for causing all of this. Noah could see in her eyes that she had forgiven him for his wrongdoings because he had done everything in his power to make it right. They exchanged so much in just one shared glance…More than words could say, and in only one second's span.

But in order to make everything right once again, there was still one last thing that needed to be done.

Noah carried AI in his arms towards the pods. He laid her down in the one that had been Jessica's and closed it so she could return control of the body to Jessica. Then he in turn climbed into Mokuba's and closed it to give it back to the fluffy-haired kid. His mind was downloaded just as Kaiba and Yugi's pods opened to grant them leave.

_All will be made right again. I promise it will be so, AI, _he thought as he made his way back to his home for the last time.

* * *

_Jessica's pink eyes flashed open and she found herself standing in a white place with no distinguishing features other than its emptiness. She knew this wasn't where she was supposed to be, as the real world was not empty and white. AI should have returned control of her body to her by now, and yet that computerized woman hadn't done so. What was the deal? Had AI betrayed her after all? Her hands clenched into fists at the very thought. Anger rose in her like liquid fire as she thought of what might have happened to Mokuba because of this._

_But then she discovered that Mokuba was suddenly standing beside her in this empty world. She was overcome with happiness to find that he was safe, so much so that she couldn't stop herself from pulling him into a hug followed by a romantic kiss that had been held back for so long. Mokuba was just as happy to see her again; she could feel it in the way his body reacted to hers. He had been just as afraid for her as she had been for him. Their fears were put to rest at last._

"_I hate to ruin this moment, but you haven't much time left until this place is gone forever," Noah said suddenly, and the young teens turned to see him and AI standing in front of them. Both were smiling and neither seemed to carry any malice anymore. Something had happened to change them both. AI seemed to be revived to her former self before Gozaburo had tried to destroy her, which was also surprising._

"_What do you mean? What happened while you were in control of my body?" Jessica asked of AI._

"_Bad things at the hands of Noah in the body of Mokuba...before he turned to the light. Now the fortress on which we exist is less than two minutes away from its destruction and there is no way to stop it," AI replied morosely. "You and Mokuba must go back to the real world now to get away before it is too late. You have no time to waste."_

"_Wait. What about you? What will you do when this place is blown to bits?" Mokuba wanted to know. He was concerned about their safety since one was his brother-by-name and the other had helped them so much in the end._

_Noah and AI exchanged looks and smiles. The answer was pretty obvious, but not even Jessica wanted to accept it. These people might have caused her and her friends a lot of problems recently, but that was only because they had been misguided by the influence of a heartless man and his followers. Noah was just a kid that had never grown up and wanted the approval and love of a human, and AI was just a computer program created by that lonely boy to keep him company and be his most loyal servant. They may have done some wrongs lately, but they were still good people. They couldn't just be erased like that...There had to be another way._

"_Come through with us," she urged, surprising all that were gathered. "It's possible for two souls to exist in one body. Hell, my sister has three and she gets along well enough. AI could share a body with me and you could share one with Mokuba, Noah. Some people may not like it, but it's not up to them. I cant just stand by and let you throw your lives away after all you've done to help us and all you've been through. Come with us."_

"_Yeah. Come with us," Mokuba concurred._

_Noah's smile broadened as he shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not an option. There's something we have to do to ensure something like this never happens again. It involves our dear father, Gozaburo Kaiba, and putting an end to his disease of an existence. That means we cannot go where you must."_

"_Do not worry or be sad over this. After all the pain we have caused, it is fitting for us to depart this world this way. But none of this would have been possible without you two. If Jessica had not fought so hard to protect you and your brother during Seto's duel against Noah, I may never have changed. Your love for Mokuba showed me what it truly meant to be human and turned me from an emotionless program into a mortal soul. For that, we owe you everything," AI stated._

"_Is this...Is this really the end?" Jessica asked, too shocked by the sudden events to be sad or to cry._

"_Only time will tell. But to find out for sure, you must leave now," Noah told her, and suddenly the young teens found that their minds were being thrust away. "Thank you... for everything..."_

"_Goodbye," both AI and Noah said just before they disappeared from view._

* * *

"Mokuba! Jessica! Wake up! We have to get out of here now!" Kaiba shouted as the countdown reached the forty-five second mark. Besides him and Yugi, everyone else was onboard the airship and it was more than ready to leave. But the rich businessman wasn't about to leave without his brother or his brother's girlfriend, and the airship wouldn't leave without him. All their lives depended on the young teens' waking up.

The pods popped open along with the eyes of the dark-haired teens. Mokuba jumped out of his pod easily, but since Jessica's body had taken a beating during AI and Noah's fight, she could not do so as easily. Kaiba stepped in to help her—he owed her for everything she had done during his duel against Noah and didn't like having debts—by lifting her out of the pod and placing her on his back. She was strong enough to hold on while he ran with the others to escape this place.

They reached the top of the fortress at the twenty-second mark. Uninjured and unburdened, Yugi managed to run onto the airship before it started taking off. Mokuba, Kaiba, and Jessica were not so lucky. The others stood by on the ramp of the airship, ready to lend a hand to help them up. Mokuba started falling behind due to the injuries inflicted on his own body, but Kaiba caught him by the back of his vest and tossed him into the air towards the others. The fluffy-haired kid was caught awkwardly by Duke, who was knocked over by the unexpected weight. Jessica held on tighter to Kaiba as he made a heroic jump up towards the airship, where he managed to just grab onto the edge of the ramp. The gang was quick to pull him and Jessica to safety…

But they were still within range of the explosion at the ten-second mark.

The airship was made to go at its top speed after being closed up completely to do its best to keep everyone from being killed. But its top speed wasn't fast enough. The fortress exploded and its explosion came right for the aircraft. Kaiba rushed into the control room, swearing a vow that he would not be defeated by his stepfather, and pressed down a red button that, at the cost of the back part of the airship, sent the craft flying faster than it had before to just escape the explosion.

Everyone was safe at last.

"Phew! That…was close," Duke commented as everyone breathed their sighs of relief.

"I can't believe that all happened in less than a day. It feels like forever," Tea put in, collapsing to the floor in fatigue. "I just wanna go home and take a nice long nap and forget this ever happened. Now if only it were that easy."

"Oh, quit your whining. It wasn't that bad. If you take out the almost-dying part, it was actually kinda fun there. Not saying that I would want to go back or anything, but it at least wasn't as terrible as Battle City," Mai remarked.

"Are you kidding? This was totally worse than Battle City for me! Some creepy old guy wanted to get in my body! And I almost died! The only bad thing that happened to me during Battle City was being possessed by Marik and having a giant crate held over my head! The threat of death was there, but not the threat of a pedophile!" Tea exclaimed.

"Oh, you're such a drama queen," Mai muttered.

"Let's look on the bright side. We're all alive and we all have our own bodies. We can't really ask for more," Mako declared with a grin.

Upon hearing this, Jessica and Mokuba exchanged morose glances. The others might not have much more to ask for, but they sure did. They wanted to ask for Noah and AI to have survived that explosion, to be able to live normal lives like the rest of the world. But that was not to be. Not everyone who deserved to live had made it off of that fortress before it blew, and they were probably the only ones that really knew that.

Kaiba stepped back into the room, instantly gaining everyone's attention. His eyes focused on his little brother and the injured girl standing beside him, but no clear emotion could be read in his blue eyes as he looked at the couple. They wondered and worried about what he was thinking.

"Mokuba. Jessica. Carrie. I need to speak with you in private now," he said, turning on his heel and walking down the hall—the only hall left on the airship—without waiting to see if the three would follow him.

The three named looked at one another before moving to follow the rich brunette. Since it involved all three of them, it could only mean he wanted to talk about Jessica and Mokuba's relationship. They had made it quite clear in the virtual world that they had been dating for some time now. Kaiba had been completely against it at the time that their relationship had been revealed. Carrie had been glad for them; she had only been upset about them feeling the need to hide it from her. Had things changed since then?

Kaiba led them to an empty conference room look-alike and beckoned them inside. They went in single-file. He followed, closing the door behind him and locking it in case some people tried to butt in. Carrie, Jessica, and Mokuba stood around awkwardly, unsure of what they should do. The brunette man instructed them on where to sit—he was at the head of the table, of course, and placed Carrie at his right. Mokuba and Jessica were made to sit across the table from them. It was weird for him to willingly place himself next to his rival, but given the circumstances, it was probably for a good reason.

"…Is this the part where you say, 'I suppose you're wondering why I called you all here'?" Jessica asked lightly, breaking the silence.

"Very funny, Jessica. But I didn't call you in here to hear your failed attempts at humor. We need to talk about your relationship with Mokuba before things move on. After all, neither of you had any kind of permission to start dating. You went behind our backs to do Kami-knows-what and that is just not acceptable," Kaiba stated authoritatively.

"I don't need anyone's permission to date. I go out with whoever my heart beats for, and you were just unlucky enough to have that person be your little brother," Jessica countered, crossing her bruised arms over her chest defiantly.

"Yeah, but I do have to agree with Kaiba on one point. You did go behind our backs even though you both know I'm much more lenient than Kaiba about this kinda thing. I mean, you never even told me. You never told anyone. What if we had discovered you were missing and we didn't know what happened to you? Did you want to give us a heart attack?" Carrie demanded.

"No. But you and Seto have bad blood between you. We thought you'd disapprove of our relationship if you knew we were going out. I mean, if this lasts, you could end up being related to him through marriage. That's something we thought neither of you would like all that much," Mokuba pointed out.

The blonde girl sighed. "You're right. I wouldn't like to be related to Kaiba, and I know the feeling's mutual. But…I would accept it if it meant my little sister was happy. That's all I've ever wanted for you, Jessica. If Mokuba makes you happy, then who am I to get in the way of your happiness? You're young and in love for the first time. I know what it's like to feel as you do." As she said this, her hands came to rest on the Millennium Puzzle, which held the spirit of her first real love. "As far as I'm concerned, you two have my blessing to date. Just make sure you don't do anything stupid that could bring another life into this world, okay? You're too young for that sort of responsibility, especially considering that you still watch Barney."

Jessica flustered and stood up in anger, forgetting her pain for a moment, to slam his hands down on the table. "You promised you'd never bring that up in front of Kaiba! And you know I dropped that for Twilight! Now you've gone and embarrassed me in front of someone I have to prove myself to and my boyfriend! I hope you're happy!" Then the pain reminded her that she wasn't in any condition to be angry and she collapsed back into her chair. "Ow…" _AI, what the hell did you and Noah do while you were in control of our bodies? I don't like what it's done to me...I'm so weak and useless now! Thanks!_

"…You don't have to prove yourself to me any further, Jessica. You proved yourself enough when we were trapped in that virtual hellhole," Kaiba remarked suddenly, surprising all that were gathered. "You showed me the loyalty you feel to Mokuba and have been there for him when I have not. When I had my back turned to him because of my lust for vengeance upon those that he bested me, you were there for him. And you stood up to me when I deserved to be belittled. That's not something many people can do and get away with it. But more importantly, you stood by my side and took the hits for me when Mokuba's life was on the line. Despite all the misery Noah was putting you through by using Mokuba as a shield and a weapon, and also despite our rocky relationship, you didn't even hesitate to work with me to take him down. You gave up everything you had to protect me and Mokuba…That is something that cannot be overlooked even if it did happen in a virtual reality."

"So wait. What are you saying, Seto?" Mokuba wanted to know.

"This girl cares about you just about as much as I do, only in a different way. Jessica West is a courageous young woman that would throw down her life for your safety. I couldn't ask for a better person for you to be paired with without sounding outright greedy and turning my back on you again. You don't have to sneak behind my back anymore, Mokuba. You have my permission to date her freely," Kaiba stated. "Just promise me that if you do have intercourse you'll use protection. We don't need you becoming a father at this age. Kaiba Corp. doesn't need an heir."

Carrie sweat-dropped as the young teens exchanged awkward glances. "Is…Is that really the only reason you want them practicing safe sex? Really, Rich Boy, you should have better morals than that. I mean, this is my little sister and your baby brother we're talking about. Shouldn't you be preaching abstinence instead?"

"Only if I'm a fool that believes teenagers in relationships can keep it in their pants," Kaiba countered.

"Well, you wouldn't know about how to do that. With all the girls you've been with, I suppose I can hardly expect you to tell anyone to keep their hormones in check. Of all the people I know, you have the hardest time of keeping it in your pants," Carrie rebuked.

A nerve throbbed in Kaiba's forehead. "Shut up! You don't know anything about me or what I've done!"

"Don't you mean _who_ you've done?" Carrie taunted with a cruel smile. "As one of your employees and former classmates, I am fully aware of how many girls you've been with. It's more than I could count if I had six hands, that's for sure."

"Why you-!" Kaiba snapped as both people stood up.

Mokuba jumped up on the table and moved between them in an attempt to make peace. "Guys, come on. Stop with this arguing already. Me and Jessie aren't going to do that sort of thing anytime soon. You don't have to worry about that. And if our relationship lasts throughout high school and we end up getting married, you two are going to be related, so you'd best get your anger under control now. I don't want my brother and my sister-in-law to always be at each other's throats."

"Yeah, and you should cut Seto a break, Carrie. He's been through a lot in his life. If you lost your parents at a young age, had to grow up in an orphanage, and then lived with a man as terrible as Gozaburo, I'm sure you'd sleep around quite a bit, too," Jessica put in.

"Are you forgetting what we had to go through in our young lives? It's almost as terrible as what Kaiba went through, and neither of us…Wait. Did you just call him Seto and stick up for him?" Carrie blinked in confusion before turning her bitter gaze on Kaiba again. "Great! You've gone and corrupted my little sister! I hope you're happy!"

"I didn't corrupt her. She just has an understanding heart that even I can admire," Kaiba muttered cynically.

"…So…What do we do now? Are Noah and AI really gone just like that?" Jessica asked suddenly, changing the subject as she stood and slowly walked over to the large windows of this room. She looked down at the vast blue ocean, resting a hand on the glass as she thought of those two and their lost love. "They weren't bad people. Noah was just misguided and AI was his servant. They saw the light in the end and that's the only reason we're still alive right now. We can't just forget about them like that. And I can't just accept the fact that they're gone. I just…can't do it."

"Noah was a technical genius from having his mind downloaded into a virtual setup, and AI was just as smart. They probably downloaded themselves into another system somewhere else and are safe," Kaiba told her, though there was no telling if it was just to make her feel better or if he was being serious. He, Mokuba, and Carrie came to stand beside her, and he rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "The others may choose to forget this ever happened, but after all Noah and AI have done for the three of us, I doubt we ever will."

"Seto, promise me something," Mokuba said suddenly, making his brother's blue gaze turn to him. "If you ever come across their minds in your system, please find a way to grant them life. It's the least we could do for them for strengthening our bonds like this."

Kaiba smiled. "Sure. If I ever come across them, I promise to give them life. But what are the chances of that happening?"

"Slim, but it means a lot to us that you would make such a promise," Jessica commented with a smile. _It means a lot to all four of us..._

_Thank you, Seto._

_And thank you, Noah and AI. May you find happiness again...You deserve it._

* * *

_A/N: End of the Noah Arc! This chapter was a bit rushed, but that was to convey the urgency of their need to get the hell out of there. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day._


	69. 69 - Matron-Adults

_A/N: Well, now that the Noah Arc is over, it's time for some fillers to bridge the gap between his time and Dartz's. I'll try to keep them from being boring, which shouldn't be hard because we're going back to the Matron-children for awhile. But of course, they're not gonna be the cute little kids you remember from previous chapters anymore, as they've grown up. Then I'll find a way to keep it interesting while leading into the Orichalcos Arc. Well, anyway, please read on and enjoy, my friends!_

* * *

Chapter 69

A whole two weeks passed after the craziness of the virtual world, and many things changed for a certain blonde-haired teen as he continued to take care of the children of the Matron-Watchers. They grew up quickly, as Violet had told him they would, and at the end of the month of July they were already looking like teens. Puberty kicked in, making them difficult to be around just like human teenagers and taking away his real authority over him. He almost wished he could have them back as babies, when they were more manageable.

Jaden looked a lot like his mother in the face and now stood taller than Joey. His curly green mop of hair hung loosely around his head—he liked it that way despite the other guys' claims that it made him look girly. His dark eyes were always full of determination and the strength of a leader. That strength he had inherited from Violet, the present-day leader of the Matron-Watchers. Surely he would follow in her footsteps. His friendship with Rose and Siren had only gotten stronger, and now the three of them were the best of friends despite the changes in their bodies. Jaden's usual attire consisted of a green muscle shirt, black leather pants, a dark purple duster, and black converse shoes.

Glimmer was now the definition of a mean girl. Her platinum blonde hair was in a different style every day, though she mostly just liked to wear it like Ino from Naruto. Her attitude was one of the worst Joey had ever seen, and it didn't help matters that she liked to bring up the fact that she was the same height as him despite being much younger. Her bubblegum pink eyes were full of bitterness and the embodiment of her snobbish demeanor. Only Siren could mildly stand her, and that was only because she felt every girl needed a gal-pal. Glimmer's usual wear was a pink blouse that showed off a bit of cleavage, a short white skirt, light pink tights, and knee-high white boots.

Roxas and Axel were just alike, which meant they were both punks with golden hearts. Just like Jaden, the tan twins had grown to be taller than their caretaker, which they liked to bring up to tease the poor young human. Their magenta hair was worn in a ponytail for Roxas and disheveled for Axel. Mischief could always be found in the silver eyes of these two, but they were tame enough not to do anything too dangerous or hurtful to anyone. They could get along with everyone save Glimmer, though they never considered any of them to be their friends. Still, that didn't stop Roxas from entering in a relationship with Siren. After all, the Matron-Watchers would be dependent upon them continuing the existence of the race. Roxas's usual clothing choice was a white T-shirt, blue jeans, a black duster, and regular old white sneakers. Axel's was a black T-shirt, blue jeans, a white duster, and regular old black sneakers.

Rose had grown to be the most impressive and the kindest. She wasn't quite as tall as the others, but she was only a couple inches shorter than Joey now. She had cut her red hair short in a pixie-like style, which had turned out to be really cute and attracted compliments from all the girls she knew. A yellow rose hair pin could always be found there as well—she liked it when Joey had given to her as a present when she looked ten. Her crystal blue eyes were almost always full of happiness, especially when she was around her best friend Jaden. She and Gun still didn't get along all that well, Glimmer hated her, but everyone else liked her. It was her infectious smile that made her so likeable. Rose's usual attire was a light blue halter top, a pale yellow frilly skirt, white tights, and pale yellow high-heeled pumps.

Siren was still as annoying as ever, but her funny demeanor made it hard for her to be disliked. Her indigo hair was almost always worn in a braid down her back, contrasting her brown skin quite nicely. She was just taller than Joey by about an inch, but unlike the others that were his height or taller she never rubbed it in. Rather, she pointed out that Matrons were a different race and she couldn't bring up height because she would always be shorter than the men of her people. Her amber eyes were always cheery and bright, especially when she was with her friends Jaden and Rose or with her boyfriend Roxas. Her smile was almost as infectious as Rose's, but her lack of volume control kinda took away from her appeal. Still, she was a lot better than Glimmer. Siren's clothing consisted of an orange spaghetti-strap shirt, a cream-colored denim half-jacket, cream-colored denim capri pants, and orange converse shoes.

Gun had a badass attitude that kept him from getting close to anyone. He also was taller than Joey; in fact, he was taller than all the Matrons, though only by an inch or two over the twins. His sky blue hair was still short and he liked to wear it unkempt. He only ever got along with Roxas and Axel, and that was on rare occasions. He was the loner among the Matron-children, never wanting to hang out with anyone even if they were of his kind. He even snuck out at nights sometimes just to be alone. His orange eyes hardly ever held pleasant feelings in them if any feelings could be found in them at all. Nothing could ever truly make him happy. In that sense, he had grown up strangely because this house had been nothing if not full of happiness. Gun's attire was a black muscle shirt, black denim pants with chains attached, a black leather jacket, black fingerless gloves, and black biker boots—very fitting of his personality.

With all the changes that took place with the Matron-children, they could no longer share a room. When they had started coming into puberty, Violet had come to enlarge the house to give each of the Matrons their own room. Their rooms were also a reflection of their personality, so Joey tried to avoid going into them as much as possible. The purple-haired Matron-Watcher had then told him the children would not be with him for much longer. The two months were almost up. He was both relieved and saddened to know it was almost time for them to go. They had become a part of his life, a major part of it in fact. If not for them, he doubted he would have gone to Noah's virtual world. After all, the whole reason he had gone there was to protect them from the Big Five and Gozaburo.

A little over a week was all the time he had left with them…

That wasn't very long at all.

* * *

"Wake up, Joey. Wake up," Glimmer purred, gently shaking her caretaker as she sat on his chest in her nightclothes.

Joey was resistant to being awoken, but slowly he came to. He took a moment to realize what was going on, and when he came to see that Glimmer was straddling him, his brown eyes widened in shock. He immediately tried to get out from under her, but she wouldn't let him. This was so inappropriate! What in the world was the platinum-haired Matron thinking right now?

"Glimmer! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Joey demanded, trying to keep from looking at certain things as he yelled at the girl.

She smiled a seductive little smile. "Don't play coy, boy. You know what I'm doing. Or rather, what I want to do. But it just can't happen while you're asleep. You have to be awake to feel it, to feel me."

The blonde man sweat-dropped. "Glimmer, no. No, no, no…A thousand times no. I raised you from a baby to now. That's just wrong! You're only a month and some odd weeks old. And I'm just not interested in you in that way."

Glimmer crossed her arms over her chest, but that smile never left her face. "Matrons mature quickly. In your timeline, I may be just over a month old, but in the lifespan of a Matron-Watcher, I am really eighteen years of age. And do you really think I care about the emotions attached to life? If I did, I wouldn't be the girl I am. I'd be crying into a pillow about how I have no friends and how much my life sucks. I just wanna feel, and you're the only male in this house that has ever truly cared about me."

"Yeah, because Vi made it my mission to raise the next generation of Matron-Watchers! I love all of you equally and care for you the same! But I will not betray her trust by letting you get into my pants!" Joey exclaimed.

The platinum-haired girl scowled. "If it was Rose in my place, you wouldn't be so hesitant. You've always loved her more than the rest of us. After all, she was the first of us you ever held. Something about her drove you to her, and vice versa. Perhaps you'd rather it be her straddling you in her night-wear than me."

"You're a sick, twisted girl, you know that? I care for you all like you were my own kids! I don't love anyone in the way that you're suggesting, and that includes Rose! So now get the hell off of me before you do something we'll both regret!" Joey ordered.

"No. You may not like me, but neither does anyone else in this cruel world we live in. A girl has needs that need to be satisfied, and well…I can't take advantage of any of the other guys in this house because their power is just as strong as mine. But you…You're a human without the abilities of an all-powerful Matron. A handsome human at that," Glimmer claimed, leaning over and pinning his arms to the bed with her hands. Her face came to be only centimeters from his. "I can take advantage of you, get what I want, and leave you whenever it pleases me. And there's nothing you can do about it because you don't have any power to stop me."

Joey struggled against her because he didn't want to be used like this, but it was futile. She knew what she spoke of—humans were indeed weaker than Matrons. Perhaps once he had been stronger than them back when they were just little children, but now that no longer held true. Every one of the people in this house could easily overpower him. Their knowledge, their strength, and their unique abilities made him seem so insignificant.

Glimmer smirked at his attempts to fight her off as she pulled his shirt over his head. She drew invisible signs on his chest and abs, making him very uncomfortable. This girl had always been a brat, always wanting things her way, but she had never done anything this drastic before. He remembered her as a baby, as a little girl even, that he had raised in this world to protect her from those that would see the end of the Matron-Watcher race. It sickened him to think that little girl could want to do something to him, her caretaker…A man that had acted like a father figure to her for almost two months now.

She removed her hands from him as she moved to pull off her own shirt, giving him an opportunity to escape. Mentally apologizing for his next move, Joey punched Glimmer in the chest with all the force he could muster, knocking her back onto the floor as she was caught offguard by his sudden actions and sending her shirt flying off in some direction. He was quickly on his feet and making for the door, calling for one of the other Matrons to come help him. Glimmer was not to be deterred. With a flick of her wrist, the door slammed shut in his face and locked itself. It wouldn't budge no matter how hard Joey tried to make it do so. He screamed through it to the others, practically begging them to save him from the platinum blonde.

The girl grabbed him by the back of his neck and threw him back onto the bed, clearly not happy that he had attacked her. Her magic kept him from being able to move; she wasn't going to rely on physical strength anymore. Her expression was of cruel anger as she moved back towards the bed, ready to take advantage of his weakness.

But she wouldn't get the chance.

The door blew open with so much force that it was knocked off its hinges and fell to the floor right behind Glimmer. This was caused by Rose and Jaden, who now stood in the doorway in their nightclothes with the other Matrons behind them. Glimmer glanced back at them with an annoyed look in her pink eyes, but she knew she couldn't take on all of them at once. Powerful as she was, it just wasn't possible. But she didn't want to give up on having her way with Joey, either. What a disturbing predicament…

"Get away from him this instant, Glimmer!" Rose snapped, her anger very visible.

Glimmer sneered and turned around to face them, not at all ashamed to be standing before them topless. "I don't wanna. He's too good a treat to pass up, as I'm sure you know, Rosie. After all, you've wanted to be with him since you, as a babe, met him."

"You know that's not true. Matrons become attached to humans in a way that's not love. It's how They choose who to watch over. With that being said, your words are nothing but lies as usual," Jaden remarked before Rose could explode.

"Love? Love is useless and meaningless. I just wanna have a little fun with our former caretaker before we leave to be with our kind. Is that too much to ask?" Glimmer asked.

"Yes it is. Joey is like a father to us all, and if you try to do anything like that to him, then you're a sick little slut. Add that to the fact that he doesn't want to do anything with you, and you get a really disturbing hussy," Axel put in, causing Glimmer to glare at him. "Joey doesn't want to have anything to do with you that way. You know what they call it if one person has intercourse with another and that other person is unwilling?"

"Yeah, but it won't be that if he enjoys it," Glimmer retorted with a scowl.

"I won't enjoy it! Now someone let me up!" Joey exclaimed.

Gun snapped his fingers and Glimmer's magic let up on Joey so he could move. The blonde teen let out a sigh of relief as he got off the bed, pulling his shirt back on and throwing Glimmer's at her to relay a message. With a sigh, the platinum blonde replaced her nightshirt to cover what no one wanted to see. Joey ran past her as quickly as he could to hide behind the other Matrons for protective reasons. She responded by crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.

"You guys never let me have any fun," she complained.

"Yeah, right. If we never let you have any fun, we would have told Joey and Violet long ago that you sneak out of the house every night to 'have fun' with random human guys and that you use your Matron abilities to cover up any traces of your 'fun' so you won't get in trouble," Siren commented bitterly. "With all the 'fun' you have at night with your multiple partners, you have no reason to go after Joey."

"Don't even try to deny it, Glimmer. I see you out there all the time," Gun muttered when it looked like the prep was going to tell Siren off.

"Gun never lies about anything, either," Roxas piped in.

Glimmer took turns glaring at each of the other Matrons. "So…You have it all figured out, huh? Well, maybe if I felt some love in this house, I wouldn't have to go running off to the arms of some random man out there. At least they make me feel wanted, if only for a little while. No one here makes me feel welcome, not even my supposed caretaker. He's more concerned about all of you than he's ever been concerned about me."

"Well, maybe if you didn't have such a bad personality, we might want to hang out with you and we might even like you. But you're personality is shitty at best. You make us feel like pure shit, and then you walk all over us like you're hot stuff. And you wonder why no one likes you," Axel grumbled.

"I don't have to stand here and take this. To hell with all you bitches," Glimmer hissed, disappearing from their sight. The sound of her bedroom door slamming was the only indication of where she had gone, its noise echoing throughout the silent house. Then all was still where once before it had not been.

Joey let out the breath he had been holding without knowing it. He hated to admit it, but he had been a bit afraid there. Being overpowered by Glimmer, who wanted to have her way with him, and then being trapped in the same room with her and having to rely on the help of others had really unnerved him. She was one woman he didn't want pinning her to the bed in a sensual way. Knowing her intentions for him made him not want to go to sleep at night anymore…

"Are you all right, Joey?" Rose asked as Jaden and Roxas made to fix his door for him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You guys came through for me just in time," Joey said. "I don't know what's come over that chick, but I don't wanna get caught in the same room with her for awhile. That was the first time any girl's ever pinned me to a bed…It's not all it's cracked up to be."

"I wouldn't say that. It's just that you got pinned by the wrong bitch," Roxas commented, giving Siren a sideways glance that made her giggle and blush.

Joey sweat-dropped. "You guys used to be so cute and innocent…"

"What can we say? Our childhood is short-lived. That's just the way it is for the Matron race," Jaden remarked with a shrug. "What takes you twenty-one years to reach takes us only about two months to do. That's just how it works. Sorry, Joey."

"What are we going to do about that brat?" Gun wanted to know, referring to Glimmer.

"Yeah, what are we gonna do about her? Once she's set her mind to something, she won't stop until she gets it. We might have thwarted her here, but she won't be deterred. She'll just wait for another moment to get Joey alone, and when she does she'll make sure we can't stop her," Axel pointed out.

"No offense, Joey, but I don't see why she's so set on you. There are hotter human guys she knows that she could lay out, like that Mako guy or even Tristan. I wonder what has drawn her to you over them," Siren said.

"Who cares why she's attracted to our caretaker? We just have to keep her from jumping his bones until Violet comes to take us to the Realm of the Duel Spirits," Rose declared bitterly, still quite upset by Glimmer's words and actions. Her crystal blue eyes were full of anger, a feeling that didn't quite belong there.

"I'll stand guard over you when you're sleeping and other times when you should be alone to protect you from her. She may be strong, but I can keep her at bay," Jaden volunteered.

Roxas snorted. "You planning on watching his ass for eight days in a row? You may be a Matron-Watcher, but even our kind needs to sleep sometime. And you…You may be next in line to be the leader of our race, but you sleep a lot more than the rest of us. We should take turns watching over him to ensure Glimmer doesn't sink her teeth into him… Or rather, force him to stick something into-"

"Okay! Okay! Enough talking about what Glimmer wants to do to me and wants me to do to her! I'm sick of all this perverted talk!" Joey exclaimed. "I just wanna take a cold shower, get dressed, and get the hell outta this house for awhile to see my friends and figure out what to do about this mess! Is that all right with everyone?"

"S-Sure, Joey. But you didn't have to yell," Siren murmured nervously.

"I'll stand outside of the shower to make sure Glimmer doesn't pop in while you're indecent," Gun grumbled.

"Great. Just great," Joey mumbled. _The one that used to watch now has to be watched. Why...Why couldn't I have a normal life?_

* * *

"Wait…Glimmer tried to do what to you?" Carrie asked, eyes wide in surprise after having listened to Joey tell the gang at the game shop what he had just gone through.

Joey gave her a dark look he had never given to her before. "Please…Don't make me say it again. It was painful enough to say it the first time, and even more painful to have experienced it firsthand. I didn't even suspect it would ever happen, that any girl would try that with me, but least of all any of the girls in that house. Then I wake up and BAM! It happens and I don't want it to happen. Not with her, at least. I mean, I raised her and the others! They're practically my own flesh and blood!"

"That's just so wrong. But then again, I'm sure I've seen Glimmer out at night…I just didn't think it was her cuz I never got a good look at the chick's face. It was always being pressed up against some other guy's as their bodies were up against a wall or in a corner," Duke remarked, recalling his nights at clubs and causing the others to give him strange looks that weren't the least bit approving. "Let's just say, I've witnessed her getting a lotta ass and it's not surprising she would try to get yours."

"That still doesn't make it right. It's practically the worst thing in the world Glimmer could do to him after all he's gone through to ensure her safety," Serenity stated, hugging her brother.

"I can kinda see why she did it and why she sneaks out at night. She had a bad attitude as a kid, which made the others not want to be friends with her right off the bat. Only Siren has ever attempted to be nice to her. She's all alone, so she seeks acceptance in the arms of random guys to feel loved if even for awhile and for the wrong reasons. Joey, you have cared for all of the children as best you could, which is the closest thing to love she has ever felt in that house. Now she's about to be separated from the only person she's ever known to care about her, so she wants to show you how much she cares before she doesn't have the chance anymore. Her methods may not be the best, but I'm sure that's why she's doing this," Tea commented.

"You know a bit too much about this stuff," Mako put in.

Tea's eye twitched. "Are you suggesting something, Mako?"

"Anyway," Yugi interjected, cutting off them before they could argue. "Tea does make an interesting point. A girl without friends would do crazy things to feel loved. But her lack of friends was her own doing. Her attitude won't allow anyone to get close to her."

"Look, I don't care what her reasons are for going after Joey. She doesn't have the right to take advantage of him just because he is human and can't fight off a Matron. She should be glad for his kindness, accept that he doesn't like her like that, and move the hell on before things get too far out of hand," Mai growled, arms crossed over her chest. She, of all the people gathered here, seemed to be the most angered by Glimmer's actions. "Let me talk to that little girl. I'll set her straight and make sure she never bothers you again. Just give me five minutes alone with her and your problem will be solved."

Carrie gave her an odd look. "Why are you so riled about this?"

Mai flustered a bit and she quickly looked away from the others. "Because…Because Joey is a good man who did a noble deed for the Matron-Watchers and doesn't deserve one of the kids in his care doing this to him. He's my friend and I don't like seeing him suffer like this, even if it is for reasons any other man wouldn't mind."

"Are you sure it's not because you secretly like him?" Ryou asked innocently.

"Of course I'm sure!" Mai snapped, glaring at the white-haired Brit.

"I think we should let her talk to Glimmer. She, out of all the rest of us, knows what's it's like to be friendless and can relate to Glimmer in that sense," Yugi commented.

"I don't know…Mai seems dead set on giving that girl a tough-lashing and an ass-kicking. I'm not sure if that's the best thing to do in this situation, considering that Mai and Joey have suppressed feelings for one another that a Matron ought to be able to sense. Glimmer won't react to that very well," Tristan pointed out.

Joey and Mai turned red, shouting, "We don't have any feelings for each other, you moronic monkey!"

"While that does hold true, I agree with Yugi on this one. Before we met Mai, she was very friendless and all alone. Though I doubt she snuck out at night to be with multiple partners and feel accepted…" As she said this, Carrie saw her friend scowl to confirm her thoughts on the subject. "…she at least knows what Glimmer feels like. She may give the girl a tongue-lashing and an ass-kicking, but that prep deserves it for trying to force herself upon Joey. Besides, all those things might just be what that brat needs to convert into the Matron-Watcher she's supposed to be."

"You're a smart girl, Carrie," Mako complimented. "I agree with her. At least it's something better than just whining about it and, in Joey's case, being a big baby. What do you say, Mai? You up to talking to Glimmer?"

"You bet I am. But I don't want any of you tagging along. I'm going to face this doll-face all by myself and going to set her straighter than she's ever been before. That'll teach her to take advantage of a good man that I…that I consider a good friend," Mai stated, stumbling only once without the others taking a huge notice of it. "Don't you worry, Joey. I'll have her out of your hair and away from your body before the day's over."

"I sure hope so. I don't wanna burden the other Matrons with my weakness against her, and you'd be helping me a lot by doing this." Joey flashed her a brilliant smile that made her heart skip a beat involuntarily. "Thanks a lot, Mai. You're a life saver."

Mai hesitated only a moment to return his smile. "Don't mention it."

* * *

The blonde-haired violet-eyed woman threw the front door of the Matron house open, purposely letting it bang against the wall loudly. Every Matron that lived here save Glimmer was in the library, reading their books to obtain any knowledge they didn't already have. Their reading was interrupted by her sudden appearance—they rushed out of the library to see what was going on. Upon seeing her and her angry expression, they knew why she had come and lost their worried looks immediately.

"…So, he told you," Axel assumed.

Mai nodded once. "I need the assistance of only two of you to keep Glimmer from running away. She won't escape what she tried to do to a good man, no matter what her excuse is. My friend Joseph Wheeler shouldn't have to live in fear for the next eight days just because she can't keep it in her pants. I'm sure you feel the same as I."

The six Matrons nodded, and Rose detached from the group. "I'll go with you."

Surprisingly, Gun stepped up as well. "I'll come as well."

"Good," Mai said, knowing they would be strong enough to detain Glimmer. "Then let's go catch that little witch."

Siren, Roxas, Axel, and Jaden returned to the library, keeping their minds open just in case they would be needed to take Glimmer down. Then, silent as they could be, the trio moved upstairs towards the bedroom of the platinum blonde Matron. She had locked herself away, awaiting a moment when she could get Joey alone in the house. She could probably sense their approach, but was too wound up in herself to give it much attention. Mai looked at Gun when they came to her door to confirm if it was guarded by Matron magic. He nodded once, but with one movement of his hand the wards were weakened and all that stood between them and Glimmer was a locked door.

Without warning, Mai kicked it in and sent it flying into the wall, knocking it off its hinges with the force she exerted. Glimmer, who had been meditating beforehand, opened her eyes in disbelief to have an intruder in her space. She didn't have enough time to react before Gun and Rose had her pinned to the wall with their magic. She growled and tried to fight back, but she was outmatched here. Two Matrons beat one hands down. And even if she had just had to contend with Gun, she would have lost as he was the most powerful Matron-Watcher of their generation. Rose she could have taken as they were practically equals, but not Gun. Never Gun.

Mai walked over to where Glimmer was being held slowly, heels clicking on the floor as she made her way over to the girl. The platinum blonde met her gaze with a bitter one, condemning the woman for her present situation as the others wouldn't act without a human around. The Matron knew Joey had blabbed about earlier to his human friends and that was why this whelp was here now. Those humans thought this woman could change her, could make her stop going after her caretaker. What fools they really were…

Then she felt a fist hit her in the face, which took her by surprise. Her bubblegum pink eyes widened in shock when she felt the impact from Mai's hand. The anger the blonde woman had was not natural, considering she was supposedly here on the behalf of a friend. If here on behalf of a lover, then maybe, but not for a friend. Glimmer could only stare at Mai after her fist pulled away, trying to decipher her.

"How dare you pull this stunt with Joseph Wheeler after all he's done for you and your kind, you little spoiled brat!" Mai hissed, barely able to contain her anger and struggling to keep from striking Glimmer again. "You're selfish and rotten to the core! He's done everything he can to ensure your safety, even risking his life to keep you safe from the evil likes of the Big Five and Gozaburo Kaiba, and this is how you repay him? By trying to get in his pants? He raised you like you were his own daughter, his own flesh and blood! If you truly respected him and his sacrifice, you would have never EVER thought of doing this! How could you, Glimmer? Just because you're all alone and no one here really likes you…That's no damn excuse for your behavior! Being friendless was your own choice! Don't let your idiocy infect Joey just because you're tired of being alone after all this time!"

Glimmer just continued to stare at her indifferently as she tried to figure Mai out.

"You have no idea how good you got it, do you? You've grown up in a good home and have had everything you could ever want. Others are never so lucky. I grew up in an orphanage, you know, and I had to share everything with everyone else. I had nothing—I have always had nothing. I've never had a place to call home until Carrie invited me to live with her after Duelist Kingdom concluded. Even when a family adopted me when I was ten, I never belonged. They only adopted me to be a meal ticket and I was treated like pure shit by the children and the parents. I had a hard time making friends just like you, but unlike you that was because I had real reasons not to trust people or treat them kindly. It didn't make me so crazy that I wanted to run into the arms of random men. I didn't have time to ho around even if that was my desire. I had jobs to work at in order to just survive on my own because my so-called family kicked me to the curb once I turned eighteen. I've had to work at least two jobs to stay alive, something you will never have to do. No one cared about what happened to me, and I didn't ever lay down for those that showed me the slightest bit of kindness, either.

"That was my life before Duelist Kingdom," Mai continued, eyes shining with unshed tears from remembering her life before. The only thing keeping the tears from falling was her anger directed at Glimmer, though she barely acknowledged her presence or that of Gun or Rose. "On that island during that tournament hosted by Maximillion Pegasus, I met the people I now call my friends. Carrie risked her life to help me despite the way I had downgraded her beforehand, and later invited me to come live with her. Joey reached out to me when I insulted him and his friends. Mako helped me and Mokuba to escape when Pegasus was acting crazy. Every one of the humans you know me to hang out with have done something to earn their way into my heart, breaking through all my barriers to show me what friendship really means. I didn't care much for it before, but now I would never give it up. These people are the kindest people I know and the first to ever care about me…I would never betray their trust in any way, especially not Joey's."

The platinum blonde laughed, bringing Mai's attention back to her. The woman couldn't understand what was so funny about her past. It certainly wasn't a comedy. So why the hell was Glimmer cracking up? Was she just doing it to be rude? It seemed that way.

"I've got you figured out, Barbie," Glimmer declared, flashing Mai a cruel smile. "You're in love with Joey and you're afraid to admit it because you're afraid he won't return the feelings. You're jealous of how easily I can take advantage of him, wanting my power so you could do what I did to him yourself. The only reason you're angry at me is because I beat you to the punch in attempting to get in his pants. You really think your little sob story is gonna deter me? If you do, you're a dumb bitch that needs to get something between her ears other than air."

Mai turned red with rage and she punched Glimmer in the abdomen so hard it had the Matron doubling over in pain. She grabbed the preppy teen by her hair and forced the brat to look her in the eye.

"Let me tell you something, you pig. I am NOT stupid and I am NOT a bitch and I am NOT Barbie and I am NOT in love with Joey. You have no idea how thin the ice you're walking on is, and if you keep going the way you're going, you're going to fall through and no one will save you," Mai hissed, her grip on Glimmer's hair so tight it made her wince. "Now let me make one thing clear before I let go. Go near my friend with bad intentions again, and I will make sure you live to regret it. I may not be able to hurt you without the aid of Matrons, but believe me when I say that you do not want to see me pissed off worse than this. And I will be pissed off worse than this if you don't heed my warning. Ya got that, bitch?"

Glimmer responded by giving Mai a dirty look. Mai threw her head into the wall as she let go of the brat's hair and turned her back on the Matron, ignoring the shocked expressions on Rose's and Gun's faces as she passed them. Rose let up her magic on Glimmer to fix her door—a courtesy that wouldn't be done if their places were reversed—and Mai turned around to look at the platinum blonde one last time.

"I tried being reasonable with you, but I guess you like being a lonely whelp," Mai muttered just before Rose set her door in place and locked it.

Now that she didn't have to face Glimmer anymore, Mai let out her breath and closed her eyes sadly. _Forgive me, Joey. I couldn't get through to her...I just hope my words will keep her from trying to take advantage of you when the other Matrons leave you alone. I don't want you to be hurt like this...Or hurt at all for that matter...Because I...I..._

"I have to go back to report my failure. See you guys later," Mai grumbled.

* * *

_A/N: A weird place to start a filler...But I wanted to show that Glimmer is the misfit in the Matrons and never really found her place because no one wants to be around a mean girl that treats them terribly. After all, a mean girl is nothing without a posse of other mean girls to back her up, which is what happened here. A bit of language, but what can you expect from teenagers? And Mai, who never had a real back story in the show or the manga, now has one that she tried to use to get through to Glimmer. Weird chapter, huh? Well, what did you think of this? Please tell me, and thank you for reading. Have a wonderful day, my friends! One more chapter until we reach 70!_

_Also, could you tell I support Polarshipping?_


	70. 70 - Glimmer's Revelation

_A/N: I'm sorry about this chapter and the one before this not being up sooner, but my house is without internet at the time that I am typing this. It has been for about three weeks, so that's why no one has seen any activity from me lately. Here's hoping the bill gets paid soon. Anyway, let's get back to the story. Here's the next chapter. Please read on and enjoy the seventieth installment of **Her Pain, His Heart**._

* * *

Chapter 70

That night, Glimmer chose to sneak out again as she did almost every night. The platinum blonde Matron knew she wouldn't have a shot at Joey tonight—she sensed the presence of Jaden watching over him, and if she were to engage him in battle, the others would come to support him—but she still wanted to feel something of acceptance. Only lonely human men in the clubs could give her any kind of acceptance, so logic pointed to her going there. No wards had been put up to prevent her escape; it was almost like they didn't care if she had fun with others. They just didn't want her having fun with Joey.

She flipped out of her window and landed on her feet in the yard two stories down. No one came out to yell at her for leaving, further making it seem like they didn't care what she did with anyone but Joey anymore. Her bubblegum pink eyes narrowed in anger. It wasn't fair. She had been in this house just as long as everyone else, but she was the only one without friends. What was wrong with those people? Why couldn't they like her for who she was and stop hating her? Their misplaced hate was thwarting her fun, and she hated when someone messed with her fun.

Adjusting her skirt and shirt appropriately after her jump, Glimmer started walking towards the nearest club. She had frequented it and other clubs ever since she started looking like a teenager, give or take a couple of days. Though it had only been for a little over a week, she had gotten around quickly and her face was well-known in these places. Lonely men hungered after her, wanting a piece of that if only for a few minutes. Glimmer wasn't too picky, but she steered clear of any man with some sort of disease that could be transferred to her, and of course they had to be somewhat appealing physically for her to pull them into the bathroom for a few moments of fun.

Her face still hurt, as did her abdomen, from where that human woman had struck her before. Glimmer never thought that a human would ever hit her, and especially not one that knew what she was. Mai usually seemed so level-headed before, but somehow the platinum blonde's actions had left her so furious that she couldn't control that anger. Glimmer knew the reason behind such anger—Mai was in love with Joey—but that human had denied it and would probably continue to deny it if ever it was brought up again. Mai had tried to make her change by telling Glimmer a brief mentioning of her past, but it hadn't worked. Glimmer didn't want it to work. She liked who she was…

She walked into the club and immediately the men let out a howl of joy. Glimmer did her best to smile, but for some reason it was harder now than it had been before. Why was that? She didn't know, nor did she want to figure it out at the moment, so she just pushed through it and gave the boys the best fake smile she could. The jealous look of the ladies in the club was something she had become accustomed to—they were all jealous of how easily the guys came to her and how easily she could use them. The women might have a few names for her, but they never spoke those names to her face or within her earshot. Human women didn't have the guts to do anything, did they?

Glimmer went up to the bar and the barkeep, knowing her tastes, gave her the strongest drink he had. The liquor burned on its way down her throat, just the way she liked it. She never had to pay for her own drinks because one of the guys that were interested in her would do it for her. That was one of the benefits of being beautiful in a place like this. Anyone would do anything if it would make her happy. That kind of thought usually made her feel so happy…

But not tonight.

For some strange reason, she wasn't feeling even the slightest bit happy yet. Glimmer found this odd, considering that she was usually filled with joy and having the time of her life by this time in the night. But nothing remotely close to that was happening now. All she felt was sadness coupled by loneliness. The only thing she could think of that might make these feelings go away was to have some fun with a guy of her choosing so he could make her feel wanted.

She asked the barkeep for more liquor as she began to scan the faces of the men in the club to pick out her first mate. Many of the guys were on the dance floor, grinding it to the beat of whatever song was playing. Some were with girls, others were alone. She spotted someone that caught her eye dancing with some lady that seemed to be his girlfriend, and despite his relationship status, Glimmer wanted him. He was hot and well-muscled and didn't have any diseases, and even from where she was sitting Glimmer could sense he was tired of waiting for his girlfriend to put out. She downed the rest of her liquor, thanked the barkeep, and headed onto the dance floor.

The platinum blonde headed straight for that guy, not even looking back at the other men much to their disappointment. The path opened in front of her as the people saw who her sights were set on and they were kind enough to clear the way. Her target's girlfriend saw her first and stopped dancing, looking at Glimmer with wide eyes. She knew what the appearance of the Matron in front of her meant; she was about to lose her boyfriend for a little fling. The boyfriend glanced back at the pink-eyed blonde and Glimmer knew immediately that she had him snared. The girlfriend begged for him to stay, to not go with the blonde, promising him that she would give herself up to him if he didn't go with that girl. Glimmer sensed that he really did love his girlfriend, but he was torn between having fun with his love and having fun with the prettiest girl in the room.

Feeling this in his heart, Glimmer suddenly felt sick in a way she had never felt before. This wasn't the first couple that had been in love that she had broken up, and yet…Why did she feel so disgusted with herself for trying to break this one up now? What had changed? Why was she feeling so weird tonight?

She murmured an apology to the couple, saying she had mistaken the guy for someone else as her excuse before moving back through the crowd. Everyone was staring at her out of surprise; this was the first time she had walked away from someone without getting anything out of it. She pulled money out of her pocket and handed it to the barkeep to cover the cost of her liquor herself, ignoring the shocked look on his face as he took her money. Without looking up at anyone, she left the club with a hurting, heavy heart aching with a pain she didn't recognize.

Glimmer walked out of sight of the club before she leaned up against a wall and started crying. She didn't know why she was crying or what the hell was wrong with her tonight, but it felt good to cry. She hadn't shed tears since she looked little; she saw tears as a sign of mortality, and she didn't like feeling mortal. But her heart seemed to be alleviated a little bit by the release of her tears, so she just stood there and let the rivers flow down her face onto the cold ground below. It just felt so good to let it out at last…

From here, when she had cried herself out, she managed to walk to a quiet bar she had never been to before. The bar was nothing like the clubs she frequented in its noise level and its activity. People didn't usually come here to hook up with someone and there wasn't any dancing. Hardly any young people came to these places; it was mostly just older people that wanted to get drunk in peace and escape the world for awhile. Glimmer thought that sounded like a good idea, though she didn't feel like getting drunk. She just wanted to be alone with her feelings for awhile.

The barkeep gave her the order of pretzels she asked for and she moved to a table in the back next to a window. She knew she wasn't the kind that this bar was used to getting, but she didn't care what anyone thought of her right now. Glimmer just wanted to think without being surrounded by noise or questioning stares. She nibbled at her food slowly just to do something with her hands. The feeling of loneliness was never as strong as it was now, but she wouldn't let herself cry anymore. Not in public, anyway. She just kept her eyes down and listened to the sad songs that played in the bar, wishing she could stop hurting if even for a little while without having to be in the arms of a man.

"Aren't you a little young to be in a bar?" a familiar male voice asked as someone sat down across from her.

Glimmer glanced up to see Keith, a man that had filled in for Joey while her caretaker had been battling bad guys in the virtual world. She hadn't bothered to get to know him when he had been taking care of her and the other Matrons—he was just a human and he didn't matter. All she knew was he had once been bad, then he was killed, and then he came back to life without his evil being in him anymore. She also knew he wasn't too close to the humans that she was acquainted with because of his dark past, so he couldn't know what she had tried to do. No one had spoken to him since he left after the gang had returned from the virtual world. So why was he talking to her?

"…If you know who I am, then you know age doesn't matter," Glimmer murmured, looking down again as she failed to mask the sadness in her voice.

"Yeah, I figured as much," Keith said. "Look, Glimmer, I'm going to cut to the chase. What are you doing out in a bar? Shouldn't you be at home in bed like the other Matrons? This is kinda a late hour for you to be out playing around."

Glimmer snorted. "I'm hardly ever in my bed, Mr. Howard, and never at this hour. Usually I'm in a club trying to get laid by as many men as I can. It makes me feel wanted and accepted since I'm not at home. It's fun and it makes me happy…Usually."

"That's some talk for a girl your age…And apparently, some action as well. I just hope you're being safe about this," Keith remarked, and the platinum blonde nodded to answer the question that wasn't a question. "I know I can't change your mind about doing this, but I just hope you know what you're doing. But what's this talk about _usually_ doing this, that, and the other?"

"Usually…I'm in clubs getting laid in the bathroom or in the corner of the room or outside the building. Usually…I'm smiling and happy and having fun. But not tonight," Glimmer admitted. "Tonight I've just felt…sad and lonely…I can't even pull off a decent fake smile or do my usual routine. I think…I think there's something wrong with me. I think what Mai told me earlier is affecting me somehow."

"Care to fill me in, Glimmer?" Keith asked.

Since she felt like talking now, Glimmer admitted to all her deeds and told him everything. She didn't understand why she trusted this guy with dark blonde hair who was once bad. Hell, she didn't even trust her own kind all that much, or those humans that hung around her caretaker all the time. Maybe it was because she knew him a little but he was detached enough from the group not to be so judgmental. Whatever the reason was, it just felt good to get everything off her chest. It was just as good as crying, if not better in one way or another. At least it was more effective than engaging in intercourse with men she didn't know every night.

"…I think you're right. Mai did have an effect on you," Keith told her after she finished speaking. "She opened your eyes to how good a life you really had and made you regret ever trying to take advantage of Wheeler. You may be too stubborn to admit it, of course, but you know how wrong it was to try something like that. You know he's raised you like a daughter and that's why he cared for you as much as he did. And you also know you're the only one to blame for no one caring about you because you pushed them all away from the beginning. All those clubs, the men, the drinking, the intercourse…It was a cover so you wouldn't have to face yourself. It took some time for it all to sink in after what Mai did, but tonight you've realized how foolish you've been." The blonde man gently grabbed Glimmer's chin and forced her to meet his gaze. "…Am I right?"

"…Unfortunately, yes," Glimmer muttered as she forced him to let go of her. "…And I don't know how to change. I mean, a zebra can't change her stripes. Maybe…Maybe it's too late for me to leave this lonely place."

"Don't be stupid. It's never too late as long as you don't make a mistake that can never be forgiven," Keith stated. "Take it from someone who has changed his stripes. I did have some help from Mirage, what with her taking my life and then returning it to me without my evil, but still. I changed from a lawless bandit trying to hurt others to create a better world for me into a law-abiding citizen with a pure heart that wants to do good for all. If someone like me could change, then you can change as well."

"…Are you sure? I mean, I've treated my fellow Matron-Watchers so terribly ever since we were little. They won't believe I've changed no matter what. The shitty way I always used Axel…The way I always beat up on Jaden…Not to mention the way I've always talked down to Rose. And that's how I treated my kind. That's not even going into the way I treated the humans that have always been so kind to me." Glimmer sighed. "They'll never forgive me."

"Maybe not, but you'll never know until you try," Keith commented.

"…Is that why you still haven't left Japan? Because you're trying to earn forgiveness?" Glimmer asked.

Keith hesitated. "…Yes and no. I have some sins to make up for, of course. But that's not the only reason I'm still here. See, it costs money to fly in airplanes from Japan to New York, and at the moment I don't have enough money. So for the time being, I'm stuck here making up for the wrongs I've committed against everyone that I wronged."

"Do you think they'll ever truly forgive you?" Glimmer wanted to know.

"No, but a man can hope," Keith admitted. "Of everyone I've wronged, Carrie has the least initiative to forgive me. But that, my dear child, is a story for another time." He glanced at the clock on the wall with a frown. "It's getting late, and at an hour like this, no one should really be out on the streets unless they want to get in trouble. Let's get you home before someone starts missing you, okay?"

Glimmer nodded and slowly stood. Keith wrapped a friendly arm around her shoulders and she rested her head on his chest as they walked out of the bar, feeling a lot lighter than she had felt in a long time.

_Maybe I can change after all, _she thought with a small smile.

* * *

Joey heard knocking at the front door that startled him awake and made him fall out of the bed like a klutz. Jaden laughed at him, though he was only half-awake by this time in the night. The green-haired Matron offered to see who was at the door, but Joey insisted he do it since he was the man of this house. Jaden agreed to stay in the bedroom, knowing that he would be able to sense if Glimmer made a move for Joey and get there in time to stop anything even from this distance. So the blonde teen went downstairs in his nightclothes to answer the door, keeping a wary eye out for topless blondes that might straddle him.

His fear was wasted, for as he opened the door he discovered that Glimmer was on the other side with Keith. Now Joey wasn't the kind to jump to conclusions, but this setup seemed sorta suspicious. He knew the kind of guy Keith used to be and the kind of girl Glimmer was acting like recently, and those two personalities put together could only equal disaster in the end. But Keith wasn't a bad guy anymore. He had proved himself to be changed when he, along with a few others, took care of the Matrons while Joey was in the virtual world. Also, he had helped Carrie out on that terrible night when her so-called father did something terrible…No, he wouldn't take advantage of Glimmer's bad behavior no matter what.

"Hey, Wheeler. Sorry to bother you so late," Keith apologized. "I just had to escort one of your girls back home. Hope you don't mind."

"Nah, it's fine." Joey looked at Glimmer apprehensively, wondering things about her that he couldn't keep hidden in his gaze. "Uh…Where'd you find her?"

"Not wrapped around some guy, if that's what you're wondering. She was alone in some bar that I just happened to be in as well. I don't think she has that much alcohol in her system, so you don't need to worry about it," Keith told the younger man. He glanced over at Glimmer, and Joey could tell the man knew something he didn't. "I think you'll find that…she's not the same girl she was this morning."

Joey sweat-dropped. "…Uh…How did you find out about that…?"

"I told him. I told him everything," Glimmer admitted. She lowered her gaze to where she was staring at his shirt instead of his face. "…I'm sorry for what I did, Joey. It was very stupid and disrespectful and rude of me to do…You've done so much for me. You raised me like a daughter despite us being of two different races. I shouldn't have tried to jump your bones. I guess…I was just tired of being alone in this house and I…I wanted to feel like I'm loved. I know now that you do love me…Mai and Mr. Howard helped me see that. It just took some time to sink in." The platinum blonde bowed to her caretaker as tears wet her eyes for the second time that night. "I know it's no excuse for what I did…I just hope you can forgive me someday, Joey."

The blonde guys exchanged glances, as neither had expected such an action from this girl. Glimmer, the mean girl that believed she was the best thing to ever exist, who believed that she was better than everyone else and that the world was beneath her, would never have bowed to anyone before nor would she have apologized for making a mistake without being sassy about it. But she didn't sound sarcastic or anything; she truly sounded sincere. Joey wondered if she really could have changed so quickly. What had Mai said or done to her that managed to get through at last? What did Keith say to her to change Glimmer into this apologizing and mature woman?

A smile broke out on Joey's face. It didn't matter how she had changed. All that mattered was she had, and things could return to normal. It was good to have his family complete, happy, and completely happy now.

"Oh, come here, you," he said, taking the platinum blonde in his arms and hugging her tightly. She hesitated a moment to return the gesture, though her hug was not as tight as his because she felt it to be inappropriate after what she had done earlier. He didn't mind. "I'll always love ya guys, even when ya drive me crazy. It may not be in the way you might have wanted, but family love is just as good. You are a part of my family, Glimmer. Nothing you ever do will make me stop loving you. So yeah, you're forgiven. Just don't do it again, okay?"

Glimmer smiled as they pulled away from one another. "I won't do it again, I promise."

"Good. I don't think I could handle waking up and finding you on top of me like that again…," Joey told her with a shudder that made Glimmer laugh. "Now let's get you to bed. It's way past your bedtime, missy." He looked past her at Keith, who shared his smile upon seeing them happy. "Thanks for bringing her home, Keith, and for helping her when she was down. You have yourself a good night and get home safely."

"I won't be really going home for awhile, but I'll stay safe. You have yourselves a good night, kids," Keith said.

"What's he mean he won't really be going home for awhile?" Joey wondered aloud as he watched the blonde man leave.

"He can't go home to New York just yet. Like me, he has mistakes to make up for that won't allow him to return," Glimmer explained with a small smile.

"Well, I think you both are well on your way to making up for your mistakes," Joey commented with a smile of his own. _You'll be home 'fore you know it, Keith._

* * *

Mai was getting ready for work that afternoon—summer didn't mean she got all sorts of free time, after all—when she heard someone knocking at the door downstairs. Mako had already gone to work at the docks—he was a fisherman for pay now—and Carrie and Serenity were out with friends. Jessica was also gone; she was always hanging out with the Kaiba brothers ever since they left the virtual world. Mai found that weird, but never bothered to ask about it. Anyway, their absence left her to be the only one to answer the door. The knocker was just lucky she was finished, or else she would have a few choice words to say to them.

She ran down the stairs as fast as she could in her work attire, careful not to miss a step or trip in her hurry. The blonde woman was already running a little late. She couldn't waste too much time or else her boss would get mad again. Angry bosses weren't new, but Mai didn't like dealing with them at all. She grabbed her purse as the knocker hit the door again, ignoring them for a moment as she pulled her keys out. Then she opened the door to see who it was and judge if they were worth her limited time.

The person turned out to be Joey, a friend she hadn't seen since the previous evening when she had reported her failure. He didn't look mortified or anything, so she assumed he had made it through another few hours without Glimmer getting him. It still irked her how that preppy little Matron had acted yesterday, but she didn't have time to get angry about something she couldn't change or control. Hell, she hardly had enough time to figure out why Joey was here. Still, she couldn't blow him off. He was her good friend ever since they became friends back on Duelist Kingdom. She couldn't do that after all they had been through together.

"…Is this a bad time?" Joey asked.

"Well, I am running a bit late, but I can spare a couple of minutes for you," Mai told him, pulling the door closed and locking it behind her. "What's brought you here? Is it Glimmer again?"

"Actually, no. I came to thank you for helping out yesterday," Joey said as he followed Mai over to her red convertible.

"Please, Joseph. I didn't do anything except make a fool outta myself. What I said and did was for nothing. I told you it didn't get through to her," Mai muttered, throwing her purse in the passenger seat. "There's no need to thank me if I did nothing helpful."

"That's where you're wrong, Mai. See, it took some time for it sink in, but Glimmer has changed now. She couldn't go through with her normal nighttime routine last night. Keith found her in a bar all alone and they got to talking, and it turns out what you said did affect her in a good way. He brought her home, she apologized, and now she's even getting along with the other Matrons. It's all thanks to you, and, to a lesser extent, Keith," Joey declared.

Mai blinked in surprise. "Are…Are you serious? You're not just pulling my leg to make me feel better about letting you down, are you?"

Joey shook his head. "I would never do that to you. And you didn't let me down. Mai, you could never, never, never let me down." He gently grabbed her shoulders in a way that made her skin crawl. She looked into his eyes and he did the same with hers. "You did what you could, and that's all I could ever ask for. Everything you do is amazing, Mai. Never think otherwise. You are great just the way you are. I couldn't ask for a better girl to…uh…call my friend."

"Thanks, Joey. I…uh…couldn't ask for a better guy to…call my friend," Mai murmured with a smile that he didn't hesitate to return.

"Hey Mai…I know you're in a hurry, but…There's something I want to try with you, just to see how it works out," Joey commented, and Mai saw him blush a little.

"Whatever it is, you'd better hurry. I can only spare one more minute," Mai remarked.

Joey's face flustered a bit more as a nervous grin appeared on his face. "Oh, it shouldn't take a whole minute…_shouldn't_ being the key word here…"

Before Mai could ask any questions, Joey leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. The violet-eyed woman tensed in shock; she had not expected this at all. If any other man had kissed her without her consent like this, she would have kneed him in the groin and slapped him across the face and beat the hell outta him. But for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to do that to Joey. Somehow…This felt right. Something about it just felt so good, so right, that she didn't want to pull away. She melted into his kiss before she was aware of it, moving against his smooth lips with her own and reacting to him like he didn't expect her to. It felt right to both of them, so right…

The kiss broke apart seconds later, though to those involved it felt like much longer. Mai quickly looked away from Joey, turning her back on him and resting her now shaky hands on the side of her door.

"…Why…Why did you just kiss me?" she demanded.

"People say we have feelings for one another…They can see it. I know they're at least half right, cuz I definitely have feelings for ya, Mai. They're some pretty strong ones, too. I just…I had to see if you felt the same way," Joey told her, wishing he could see her face so he could read her better. "I'm not sure…Maybe I'm imagining things…But you reacted to it. You kissed me back and you didn't pull away…"

"I have to go. I'm going to be late," Mai said quickly as she pulled the door of her car open and climbed into the vehicle.

"Mai, wait!" Joey called, but his voice went ignored as the blonde woman turned the engine on and started pulling away. "Mai!"

"Goodbye, Joseph," Mai murmured, and then she drove away from him.

Now if only the turmoil in her heart was so easy to escape…

* * *

_A/N: Holy crap! That was a surprise ending, wasn't it? Well, this was a pretty decent chapter compared to the last one. The Glimmer issue is resolved, Keith popped up again, and Joey and Mai kissed. Very weird things I write. This wasn't very long for a seventieth chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful day._


	71. 71 - Regression

_A/N: In case you haven't noticed yet, I've bumped the rating of this story up to Mature. I feel that, after Glimmer's behavior in Chapter 69 and also other events that have happened in this story, it would be better to be on the safe side and go from Teen to Mature. Anyway, let's continue on with the story. Please read and enjoy, my friends!_

* * *

Chapter 71

Carrie sat off on her own as her friends played around, holding the glowing green amulet she had gotten from her Matron-Watcher a few weeks ago. Violet had told her nothing more about it or its message, and though Dark Magician Lady and Dark Magician Dragon Warrior had explained it a little to her, she still felt confused about it. Simply saying, "The past holds the key to your future," and saying she must gain the knowledge she didn't have when she was Iris wasn't enough. She needed to know a lot more before she could even think about taking on the Dark One that almost destroyed the world five thousand years ago.

She wished she could ask Violet about it, but her Matron-Watcher never appeared to her. Joey told Carrie it was a Matron-Watcher rule, that a Matron could never reveal themselves to the human they watched over. It was a strange rule—how could they help so much if their human charge wasn't allowed to see them?—and it bothered Carrie to no end. Joey agreed with her, and though it changed little, he offered to be the middle man for her questions. Violet never gave him helpful answers that could solve Carrie's dilemma, leaving her to wonder if Violet didn't want to help her at all. Why would her Matron-Watcher not want to help her?

_I don't like asking for help, but when I do, I don't appreciate being ignored like this, _the blonde girl thought, reading the words on the green stone for the trillionth time. _How am I supposed to know how to keep the past from repeating itself if my own Matron-Watcher won't help me? I am only human, just as Iris was only human. We have the same soul, which is why I almost died when we were both alive in this time. If we're so similar, won't we both make the same mistakes? Won't all of us that were alive in another life in Yami's time make the same mistakes because we are so much like we were then? How can we prevent a repeat of the past without knowing what the key in our past to save the future is? Ugh...I hate puzzles like this..._

"I'm sure we can solve this puzzle before we have to face the threat from our past. It would not be the first difficult puzzle you have had to solve," Yami said, materializing beside her as she slid the green amulet back around her throat behind the Millennium Puzzle.

"Maybe not, but this isn't the same as putting the Millennium Puzzle together. This is with words and memories and the past's relationship to the future. It's much more difficult than putting an ancient relic back together," Carrie remarked with a sigh. "I need a better hint, something more straightforward. You know, something like, 'To defeat the darkness, hit him in the groin as hard as you can.' But no, I got stuck with 'The past holds the key to your future.' That's so freakin' cryptic I can't even begin to come up with an answer to it!"

Yami smiled. "I wouldn't worry too much about it right now, Carrie. We still have a little under a year until we face the past again. There will be plenty of time for thinking about this between now and then. Remember what Ramla told us."

Carrie sighed again. "Yeah…We have two big baddies to face between when we talked to her last and when we face Zork. I think Noah counted as one of them even though he wasn't really evil, which means we only have one big bad to go. Of course, she said the battles between the two weren't too close together, so we shouldn't have to worry all that much about the new big bad right now. I do wonder about how he'll go about trying to destroy or take over the world, though…"

"With a children's card game, like all the others," Yami told her.

"Probably," Carrie agreed.

The blonde heard a noise behind her and quickly spun around, ready to fight if the need arose. It turned out to be a crowd of kids, though they didn't look like they had been there for long and therefore they hadn't heard her speaking seemingly to herself. Most of the kids were girls and all of them had paper and pen. She knew what this meant, frowning over the thought. These kids wanted her autograph, revering her as the Queen of Games even though she had lost her title to Yugi in the Battle City Finals. She was by no right the queen of anything, but people weren't giving up her fame. With a suppressed groan, Carrie took the paper and pen from each kid and signed her name, casually reminding them that she wasn't the greatest duelist in the world anymore. They didn't care. All of them said she was still the greatest female duelist and she'd get her title back eventually. In their minds, she would forever be the top duelist.

That really bugged her for some reason. Maybe it was because her friend, despite being the King of Games, never got more attention than she did. Maybe it was because she thought once she'd lost her title, she wouldn't be in the limelight anymore. She wasn't sure why, but she was tired of being revered as the Queen when she wasn't the Queen anymore. She wished people would stop calling her by that name and just accept that she was beat. She didn't even really want to be the best duelist in the world anymore, either. There were more important things to deal with than a children's card game. Her family, friends, boyfriend, and the world mattered more than it ever would. Didn't anyone else realize that?

She grumpily signed her name one last time and then looked away as the crowd converged on Yugi to collect the autograph of the King of Games. They didn't even bother with Joey despite his dueling skill, which also bothered Carrie even though he was too distracted to really care. He had made it to the finals of two prestigious tournaments and yet people still didn't know who he was. They knew her, Yugi, Kaiba, Pegasus, and even Duke and other lesser duelists. But no one cared about Joey or his achievements. No one cared that he would have beaten Marik had their duel not been in the Shadow Realm and made him pass out before he could win. No one cared that he could go head-to-head with both Yugi and Kaiba easily. No one cared about all the hard work he had gone through to become the great underdog he was today. They'd sooner root for the Queen that wasn't the Queen anymore.

"That's it!" Carrie growled under her breath when she couldn't take these kids' ignorance anymore. She stomped over to her friends and the crowd of admirers, shoving aside anyone that didn't get out of her way faster enough. Her anger was surprising to all, but her next action was even more so. "Joey, let's make these little jerks know your name. Duel me and show them what you're made of so they'll start respecting you as they already should."

Joey blinked. "Really? You want to duel me?"

"Why not? We've never matched up before in the two tournaments we've participated in, even though we've been in the finals of both," Carrie pointed out.

"He was in the Battle City Finals?" a kid asked with genuine awe.

Carrie glared at the kid. "Of course he was! How do you not know that? He was more involved in the Battle City Finals than I was, for God's sake!"

"Simmer down, Carrie. They're just kids. And remember, Kaiba was the host of that tournament, so he might have cut me out of viewing for the public," Joey reminded her. "And Duelist Kingdom wasn't broadcast to the public, either, so you can't expect them to know everyone who participated. They would only know the victor, which was you, from that tournament."

"It's still no excuse. Look at all your victories and great duels. You defeated Rex Raptor, Mai Valentine, Bandit Keith's lackey Bonz, the Paradox Brothers, and Bandit Keith in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. Not only that, but you went head-to-head against Kaiba and Yugi. You almost beat Yugi then." The kids gasped, astounded by her words. She continued. "You defeated Espa Roba, Weevil Underwood, Mako Tsunami, and Odion Ishtar in the Battle City Tournament, too. Then in the finals, you went up against Marik Ishtar and would have defeated him if the circumstances hadn't caused you to pass out before you played your victory move. By all means, you did win that duel, but it doesn't count because of a stupid technicality. You dueled Kaiba later after he lost to Yugi, and though you didn't win, you gave him a serious run for his money. To have done all that and still have no recognition is simply unforgivable. It's time to change that, so get ready to duel me, Joey Wheeler."

Joey exchanged glances with the others, who were just as confused by Carrie's sudden behavior, and then shrugged. The crowd cleared room for them to duel as the blondes activated their duel disks and cut each other's decks.

"Don't let what happened earlier with Mai distract you," Carrie whispered as she handed him his cards back.

"…Don't worry. I won't," Joey assured her, taking his deck and handing over hers.

The duelists took their positions and Joey was given the first move. Carrie's eye twitched when she heard the kids cheering her on, not at all appreciating the gesture due to her not being the Queen. She did her best to ignore them as Joey summoned Swordsman of Landstar in Attack Mode and placed two cards facedown. Then it was her turn. She drew her card, and then she summoned Gigobyte in Attack Mode. It was weaker than Joey's Swordsman by 150, but she didn't care. She activated the Spell Card Double Summon to Normal Summon a second time. Gigobyte was joined by Emissary of the Oasis, whose effect kept her from being targeted for attack as long as a Level 3 or lower Normal Monster was on her side of the field and also prevented Battle Damage involving those types of Duel Monsters. Carrie followed this up by using two Mystical Space Typhoons back-to-back, destroying Joey's facedown cards. Emissary of the Oasis destroyed Swordsman of Landstar and Gigobyte attacked Joey directly, bringing his Life Points down to 3550. Since she no longer had a hand, she ended her turn.

Joey summoned Alligator Sword and used his Monster to destroy Gigobyte. Thanks to Emissary of the Oasis's effect, Carrie took no damage from it. Then he activated the Spell Card Double Attack. By discarding a Monster from his hand that was one Level higher than Alligator Sword, it could attack again. Emissary of the Oasis was sent to the Graveyard and Carrie's Life Points went down to 3100, giving Joey a slight lead over her for the moment. He Set a card facedown and ended his turn.

Carrie drew her card and activated it. It was a Spell Card known as Pot of Greed, which allowed her to draw two more cards. She placed one Monster in facedown Defense Mode, Set her other card, and then ended her turn without making any big moves. Joey drew a card before ordering his Alligator Sword to attack her facedown card. She stopped him by activating her Quick-Play Spell Card Book of Moon, forcing Alligator Sword to go into facedown Defense Position until next turn. With no other Monsters to summon or moves to make, her opponent Set another card and ended his turn.

She drew a card and then flipped her Monster over. It was Morphing Jar, and its flip effect forced both players to discard their hands to the Graveyard and draw five new cards. She wasn't the only one who needed this, it seemed, as Joey looked quite relieved to get a new hand. Pleased with her draw, Carrie summoned The Agent of Creation-Venus to the field in Attack Mode. Then, giving up 1500 of her Life Points, she used Agent Venus's effect to Special Summon three Mystical Shine Balls from her deck to the field in Attack Mode. She still wasn't done at that point. She activated a second Double Summon and then Tributed her Morphing Jar and one Mystical Shine Ball to summon Splendid Venus to the field. Agent Venus destroyed Alligator Sword, then Splendid Venus moved in to demolish him directly. Joey activated his Trap Card Skull Dice to cut her attack power down to size. Rolling a two, her attack power was cut in half, resulting in Joey only taking 1400 in damage to his Life Points. His Life Points were cut down by an additional 1000 as she sent in her Mystical Shine Balls to knock him down, leaving him with only 1150 and putting her in the lead again.

On Joey's turn, he summoned Flame Swordsman and then used the Spell Card Change of Heart to take control of Splendid Venus for one turn. Rather than attack her with her own Monster, Joey used his own Double Summon to Tribute her and Flame Swordsman to summon Red Eyes Black Dragon to the field. He moved to attack Carrie only to have her activate her Trap Card Gravity Bind, which prevented every Duel Monster that was a Level 4 or higher from attacking. Thwarted yet again, Joey ended his turn.

Despite making it hard for him to attack, Carrie still had to contend with his Dragon in order to attack him. Easier said than done, considering his Dragon had 2400 ATK and her strongest Monster on the field had 1600. She summoned Bowganian to the field and activated its effect, dealing 600 damage to Joey and lowering his Life Points to 550. If it became her turn again, he would lose. Then she activated the Spell Card Monster Reborn to bring back Gigobyte, a strange move considering he was a weak Normal Monster and she could have brought back Splendid Venus. She activated Monster Reincarnation, discarding her last card to add Splendid Venus back to her hand. Without any other move to make, she ended her turn.

"Why would Carrie want to duel Joey all of a sudden? I mean, sure. The guy doesn't get any respect and he never has. But what's this going to prove? She's totally kicking his butt," Duke remarked, watching his language only because little kids were around.

Tea shrugged. "Maybe she just wanted to duel him. They've never dueled before now, after all. Maybe she just wanted to see how strong he really was firsthand."

"He doesn't look all that strong going up against the former Queen of Games," Tristan muttered with pity for his best friend.

"I don't think it has anything to do with her testing him. I think it's something to do with her own issues with dueling. Look at all these kids. They still consider her the Queen of Games even though she lost to me. She's lost more duels than I have, and yet so many people still see her as being just as good as I am. She is, of course, but the stats don't point in that direction. Joey's improved a lot and isn't the worst—he is really one of the elite. But no one even knows his name, let alone what a great duelist he is. She looked irritated when these kids knew who she was but didn't know who he was. Maybe… Maybe she's tired of being called what she no longer is and wants to enlighten these kids to who other good duelists are so they'll stop revering her," Yugi suggested.

"Man, that's real deep," Tristan commented.

"It does make sense if you think about," Ryou put in.

"If she wants them to see how great a duelist Joey is, then why is she kicking his butt so viciously?" Tea asked.

"She's not kicking his butt viciously. She's just pushing him to his dueling limits," Ryou told her.

"Well, he's definitely reached his limits. Now's the time for him to start making a comeback," Duke grumbled.

Joey drew and activated the Spell Card Giant Trunade, returning all Spell and Trap Cards to their owner's hand. This removed Gravity Bind from the field and would allow Red Eyes to attack. But Carrie had five Monsters on the field, and next turn she would Tribute two in order to bring Splendid Venus to the field to destroy Red Eyes. So instead of attacking any of her Monsters, Joey instead activated the Spell Card Dark Hole, destroying all Monsters on the field. Then he summoned Rocket Warrior and brought Red Eyes back with the power of his own Monster Reborn. He activated Graceful Dice to increase Rocket Warrior's attack strength in order to finish this duel. Carrie had no Spell or Trap Cards to save her, and with only 3100 Life Points left, she would not withstand the attacks of his Monsters. She smiled a small smile as his Monsters attacked her directly, bringing her Life Points down to zero.

The whole of the assembled people were shocked by Carrie's defeat, mostly because she had once been the top duelist in the world. There was once a time when she couldn't have been defeated by Joey for two reasons: she had a hardened heart that wouldn't let her be defeated by anyone, and Joey had been hopeless at Duel Monsters then. That time had passed and he had proven himself to be a capable duelist with skill enough to defeat her. He walked over to her as the holograms disappeared and extended his hand for her to take. She shook it, understanding the gesture. She would have done the same if she had managed to win.

Her moment was spoiled when a kid piped up that he still respected the Queen of Games and started chanting her name with that title attached to it. Other kids joined it, a chorus that was more like a taunt to remind her of what she once was. It was all she could do not to snap at them, as close to her boiling point as she was right then.

"You won't ever forget this, will you?" Joey asked, bringing her attention back to him.

A chord was struck in Carrie's mind and she looked at him with wide eyes. "…What… What did you just say…?"

"You won't ever forget this," Joey repeated, and suddenly Carrie was brought back to a terrible memory that had been long buried in the depths of her mind.

_::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Flashback:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

_She was lying on the ground of that alley, her being having retreated to the darkest parts of her mind to block out what Carl was doing to her. She kept her eyes closed, which wasn't difficult since she was in so much pain that she didn't even have the strength to open her eyes now, not to mention that both were extremely bruised. She just waited for him to be done with it, to stop hurting her in the way no real father ever should and leave her to die. He had said he wouldn't kill her, but her injuries were so severe that he might have gotten carried away and she could actually end up dying. She hoped she would die. She didn't want to live with this memory on her, for it would surely haunt her for the rest of her life._

_The beaten, dying blonde felt him pull out for the last time and heard his zipper go back up. She felt a grim sense of relief, knowing that her torture was over now and all that was left was for her life to cease to exist. This wasn't how she ever pictured herself dying in a torn black dress marinating in her own blood after having been violently raped by her so-called father, but she had no choice in this. Carl had overpowered her as he always did and had done everything he could to take her life away. Though he wanted her to live with the pain of knowing he would always have power over her, with the pain of what he had just done to her, the chances of her living were slim. She could already feel the darkness closing in on her, could already feel herself slipping away. Though her being was not really with her, she welcomed the feeling of death with open arms._

_Then she felt his breath on her throat and a great sense of fear passed over her as she wondered what he would do to her now. Wasn't he done yet? Hadn't he tortured her enough? Couldn't he just let her die already?_

"_You won't ever forget this, Carrie. Even if you manage to recover from what I've done to you tonight, you will never forget how weak you really are. No matter how many friends you surround yourself with and how much happiness you try to obtain, you'll never forget how easily you can be overpowered. You'll never be able to be with a man, for every man will remind you of me. You will be forever miserable, my dear little Care-bear. I'll always have power over you," Carl whispered in her ear, hatred in his every word. Such hatred should never be directed from a father to his daughter._

_She screamed out in agony within her mind, terrorized by his words, as she heard him leave her. It wasn't the words that caused her such mental distress—it was the truth behind them. A memory like this wouldn't just fade away to be forgotten like many painful memories from her past. She would never be able to forget this. It would always find a way to come back to haunt her, to remind her that she was weak and he would always have power over her._

_He would always have the power, and she would never forget this._

_::::::::::::::::::End of Flashback::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::_

Carrie was trembling in fear as a result of reliving that terrible event in her life. Her skin was crawling unpleasantly and it felt almost like he was inside of her again, making her want to retreat into the darkest depths of her mind as she had done then. It didn't matter that she knew he was dead. The memory of him still lived on, as it always would. She stepped backwards, or rather stumbled, hugging herself tightly as she continued to shake. The kids looked at her with concern, and her friends wondered what had suddenly come over her.

"Hey, are you all right, Carrie?" Joey asked, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

His touch reminded her of how she was touched by Carl and she quickly slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me! You're no father of mine!"

"Carrie, what are you talking about? What's going on?" Joey wanted to know.

"What is the matter, Carrie?" Yami demanded, not knowing because she had unintentionally closed her mind off to him as she remembered that terrible event and her mind was still that way.

She looked at them, but didn't see her friends in their faces anymore. All she could see was Carl West, the man that hurt her so much. All the males bore his face, bringing into her a fear like no other. She screamed for them to get away, ripping her Millennium Puzzle from around her throat and throwing it to the ground. It remained whole but its condition was the furthest thing from her mind. She turned on her heel and fled from the scene, tears streaming from her eyes caused by the fear brought on by a terrible memory.

It took awhile for the gang to calm the kids down and make them promise not to tell their parents about what just happened, but it happened and the crowd dissipated, giving them a chance to talk without being overheard or having to censor themselves.

"What do you think that was about?" Duke asked as Joey picked the Millennium Puzzle off the ground and brushed the dirt off its surface.

"I'm not sure, and neither is Yami," Joey commented. "He seems to think something I said set off some memory, though he's not sure because she closed her mind off to him after I repeated myself."

"It has something to do with Carl…Why else would she randomly scream out that Joey is no father of hers?" Ryou pointed out. "I think…When you said she would never forget this, it triggered a memory of a bad experience with Carl. It might have even been the trigger for the worst memory she has of him, if you know what I'm saying."

"You mean, he said something Carl said that night when he assaulted her?" Tristan inquired with wide eyes. "Oh dude, no wonder she's a wreck!"

"…Not to sound heartless or anything…But I thought she had gotten over that. It's been a few months since it happened. Shouldn't it be out of her mind by now?" Tea wondered.

Yugi shook his head. "Something like that doesn't just go away. Carl intended for it to be so. If he had just beaten her, sure, it would be gone by now. But he didn't just beat her. He did something much worse just for the violence so she would never forget it. He made that night memorable in the worst way. If _your_ father did that to _you_, would you so easily forget it forever?" Tea's expression was answer enough. "She may not have acted much different lately, but that night is still in her mind. She's been distracted by having to save the world and taking care of her sister to pay it much attention until now. It will take much more time for that to change and that mental scar won't heal for a long time, if it heals at all."

"…Is there any way we can help her?" Tristan asked.

The spiky-haired kid shrugged. "I honestly don't know, Tristan. Even though I'm her best friend, I'm at a loss of what to do about this. She won't let any guy near her…You saw how she tore the Puzzle off of her. Not even Yami can help her here."

"…Maybe she doesn't need the help of a guy. Maybe only girls can reach her now," Tea suggested. "I can get together Serenity, Alyssa, Jessica, and Mai, as well as any other gal-pal I can think of. We could try helping Carrie out somehow…I'm sure we could come up with something if we get together. If it doesn't work, we could always try something else later."

"Okay, you try that. And Yugi, I think you should hold onto this for the time being. You know, since Carrie always trusts you with her boyfriend whenever she can't be with him for one reason or another," Joey commented, handing the Millennium Puzzle over to his short friend. "If things aren't resolved with Carrie by tomorrow, we're gonna try something else to make her feel better. We meet back here at this time regardless. Agreed?"

The others agreed and split up, going their separate ways home with heavy hearts.

* * *

Jessica was typing on one of Kaiba's computers, sitting beside Mokuba at his brother's desk, as she tried to help her boyfriend out with his duties at Kaiba Corp. for awhile. He might not actually be an employee at the company, but since he was the brother of its CEO, he had quite a few responsibilities to deal with every now and then. Jessica wanted to help with the burden despite Mokuba's protesting, and after Kaiba briefed her on what she needed to do, she was right there beside him, halving his workload so they could have more time together. Of course, they were made to work in Kaiba's office so he could monitor them and their work in case they made a mistake. They were, after all, young teens and therefore very liable to mess something up.

This is what she had been doing ever since they returned from the virtual world of Noah and AI. Why had she suddenly decided to help out her sister's nemesis? Well, there were two reasons behind that. One was to spend time with her boyfriend and help him get out of the workload quicker. The other was in case Noah and AI's minds appeared on the server so she could hold Kaiba to his promise to find a way to grant them life. She hadn't forgotten those two, nor was she liable to ever forget. She doubted Mokuba and Kaiba had forgotten, either.

Kaiba had gone on break and now he returned with treats for himself and his little brother. His was just coffee—Jessica assumed it might be 'Irish coffee'—while he handed Mokuba a big chocolate shake. Jessica frowned, feeling a bit left out, until the rich brunette man handed her one as well, which he had hidden behind his back. She smiled and said her thanks. Having a nice Seto Kaiba around was strange; she had always believed him to be such a cold-hearted ass that cared only for himself. But ever since they had their bonding moment in Noah's virtual world, he had been nothing if not kind to her. He treated her almost as kindly as he treated his own brother. She returned the kindness as best she could. They could almost be called friends if it wasn't for their little tiffs every now and then that got blown out of proportion. What could she say? She was still a West and he was still a Kaiba; their blood was against one another and they could never have complete peace.

"So Seto, are you planning on hosting any new tournaments anytime soon? Battle City was so long ago, and now that Yugi is the King of Games, I thought you might want to chance taking the title from him," Jessica said as she sipped her shake, spinning around slowly in her wheeled chair.

"A tournament is in the works, but it will still be some time before I can launch it. Tournaments take a lot of preparation, Jessica. I won't be able to challenge Yugi for his title of King of Games for some time," Kaiba reluctantly grumbled. "Besides, there's still Carrie to contend with for that honor. She has beaten Yugi before…I have unfortunately not had such a victory over him yet. I did beat her once, but that was a forced win on my part. Don't ask about it."

"I think you could beat Yugi if you really wanted to, Seto. You are the greatest duelist I know," Mokuba told him. When he saw the look his brother gave him, he quickly added, "Okay, fine. You are _one_ of the greatest duelists I know. I still believe you could win."

"Yeah. You have a better chance than Joey Wheeler does, at least," Jessica agreed. "And you don't really have to worry all that much about my sister. She doesn't even seem like she wants to duel anymore, least of all in competition." The dark-haired girl frowned as she moved her straw around in her shake. "…There's something wrong with her, something I can't put a name to. She's just not acting like herself."

"What do you mean?" Mokuba asked.

Jessica sighed. "She's been pretty distant from everyone since we've returned from Noah's virtual world. She's always going off on her own, keeping away from her friends even when she's in the same room as they are. She doesn't talk to me as much as she used to, and according to Yami she's been pretty closed off from him, too. I don't even think she's dueled this whole time, either. I haven't seen her do it or even just look at her cards. I don't know…It's like she's become depressed or something. That's not like her."

"That does sound strange," Mokuba remarked. "Seto, what do you think?"

Kaiba folded his hands and rested his elbows on his desk as he pondered this for a moment. "…I think Carrie's still suffering from what happened that night."

He didn't need to clarify—they all knew the night of which he spoke.

"How can that be? That happened so long ago…and she was fine up until we left the virtual world," Mokuba pointed out.

"You forget, Mokuba, that she was unconscious for a couple of months and then she let Mirage take over to kill Carl. Then she came back only to have someone out to kill her a couple of weeks later. Then there was the deal with Wheeler having to take care of those so-called Matron-children, and then there was the virtual world. She has been rather busy these past few months and hasn't had the time to let herself be affected by what happened that night. Only now is she not distracted enough to force it out of her mind. She's reverting to old habits of seclusion to try to keep it to herself and not burden others. In a matter of speaking, she's torturing herself with the memory and by not seeking help," Kaiba pointed out.

Jessica looked down at her hands. "…I should have known…"

"Don't blame yourself for not knowing. That was her intention," Kaiba told her.

"…Do you think…she'll ever be the same? Is there any way…I can help her?" Jessica asked, hoping he would give her a definite answer.

"No one really recovers to be who they were after surviving such an attack. You'll be lucky if she returns to being half of what she used to be," Kaiba bluntly stated. He was not known for being comforting, anyway, and that was not likely to change anytime soon. "The only way you could help her is to be there for her even when she doesn't want you to be. Time and presence are the only remedies that will work…Unless you know how to wipe away that memory from her mind, of course."

"I could try…I've used the power of my first life before," Jessica reminded him.

"Yes, but that was simply removing Noah's control from Mokuba. If you try to erase that memory from Carrie's mind, you might accidentally erase all of her memories permanently. You don't have mastery over your 'power' and to try something like that would be too risky," Kaiba countered. "My comment about erasing that memory from her mind wasn't meant to be taken literally, Jessica. It's impossible."

Jessica bit her quivering bottom lip, trying to keep her sadness from bubbling over. "…I know that. I just…I just want my big sister back to the way she was…before that bastard Carl ruined her…"

Mokuba wrapped his arms around her and held her in a comforting way as Kaiba just sat there, considering the situation. He didn't like Carrie all that much—he hadn't ever really liked her since they met more than five years ago—but he hated it when one of his greatest rivals wanted to give up dueling before he could defeat them. Not only that, but she was Jessica's sister and Jessica was as close to a friend to him as she could be, considering the circumstances. Having Carrie in pain would hurt the pink-eyed girl that had risked so much to save Mokuba. He didn't like that, nor did he like the prospect of not having Carrie as competition. What Carl had done had not just harmed Carrie…It hurt everyone she knew…Those that loved her and those that were against her included.

Truly, how could she ever be helped?

* * *

_A/N: It might seem like I'm beating a dead horse by making what happened to Carrie come back into play once again, but really. If this happened to someone, they wouldn't recover from it that quickly and it wouldn't go away. Also, this is to move along towards the Dartz thing in a way you can guess but probably can't see at the moment. Also, when Kaiba was talking about someone trying to kill Carrie after Mirage killed Carl, that was when Iris was in her place and Mirage was trying to kill that lady. Anyway, what did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful day!_


	72. 72 - Stuff Comes to Light

_A/N: I'm sorry for not updating lately. I was doing my annual reviewing of my story for mistakes, and I've also been very busy lately. It's not excuse for keeping you guys in the dark. Please forgive me. Here's another chapter. Please read on and enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 72

Carrie hid herself away in her room, shivering from the pain of the memories running through her head. Her knees were pulled up to her chest as she sat on the sill of her window, crying into her legs silently. She couldn't remember how she had gotten up here exactly—the last thing she recalled was running away from her friends—but here she was, all alone and miserable as she had been many times in her life. The isolation had never helped her before; it wasn't about to start now. She felt sick, scared, and scarred, a mixture of things she hadn't felt since that terrible night…

A knock came at her bedroom door, but she didn't have the strength to answer it. Despite not being fond of isolation, she didn't want anyone to see her like this. She couldn't be seen like this, not after the way she had reacted after losing her duel against Joey. What would her friends think of her now? What would Yami think? She had no idea and really didn't want to find out. She just wanted to be alone in her pain, to not burden others with her misery and weakness, to deal with this all on her own in her own way.

But her friends were too kind to allow that.

Since she had not locked her door, those on the other side could easily come in of their own accord. Tea stepped in first, followed by Jessica, Serenity, Alyssa, Nefer-Tina, Rebecca, and Mai. Carrie paid them little attention because her face was buried in her knees and she was suffering too greatly to really notice them. It was only when they were standing right in front of her that she found that she could not ignore them any longer and managed to raise her head just enough to glance at them.

"…Carrie, you don't have to be alone in this. Let us help you, please," Jessica pleaded, and the blonde girl realized her little sister had been crying recently. Why was that? What would make Jessie cry?

"Mistress, we know you are hurting, but dealing with the pain alone is not good. You have to let us help you before you end up drowning in your misery and fall into the darkness of despair. How can I and the other Guardians protect you when the threat lies within and you will not let us help you?" Nefer-Tina asked. The female mummy had seen her former mistress Iris tread a similar path once before, a path that ended with her death, and did not want to watch it happen again if she had the power to stop it.

"You can't close yourself off to us, Carrie. We just want to help you," Rebecca put in. She had been in town and invited by Tea despite her young age because her intellect outweighed her immaturity. She might be able to provide some assistance…Maybe…

"Please…Don't let this eat you up. Reach out to us before…you become closed off forever," Tea begged. Having seen what the onset of the memory of that night could do to Carrie, she had a very strong reason for being here to aid her friend.

"Carrie, we're here for you," Serenity murmured, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hon, don't cry alone. It won't heal you, trust me. I've been there, though not under these circumstances. Crying alone only causes more hurt, more pain, than was already there. In times like these…You need to talk more than anything else," Mai stated, resting her hand on Carrie's other shoulder as she took a seat on the window sill in front of her hurting friend. "You've never had a chance to let the pain out before. Not really. There's always been something more important standing in the way of you being human. Or there's always been a guy around to remind you of…you know who. But that's all gone now. No one's trying to take over the world or destroy it, and you're surrounded by your gal-pals. We're all here for you, Carrie Alyson West. Let the pain in your heart out and let us help you heal."

The emerald-eyed girl sniffed. "…It's…It's not that easy…"

"Of course it's not. Something like this could never be easy," Alyssa remarked. "Nothing about it will ever be easy…Not at first, at least. And it's not like we're expecting you to heal up like nothing happened. If you heal even a little bit, it'll be a miracle. But…We just don't want to sit around doing nothing. We want to try to help you, little cousin."

"You…You can't help me…No one can," Carrie sobbed.

"Don't think so negatively. Anything is possible," Jessica insisted, not wanting her sister to give up hope now of all times.

"Yeah," Rebecca agreed. "All you need is a bit more time and a lot more companionship. Then this wound will stop aching so much."

"No it won't! Don't you people understand?" Carrie snapped, taking the group by surprise by her sudden angry outburst. "Something like this never goes away! It never stops hurting! NEVER! That's how he intended it and that's how it will always remain! He will always have power over me! I will always be weak and worthless! Nothing will ever change! No matter how much time passes and how dead he is, he will always be able to overpower me! I am nothing! I will always be nothing!"

The other girls exchanged anxious glances, none having expected Carrie to react so bitterly to them. Sure, she was hurting with a pain none of them had ever known, but still. Her being angry at them for trying to help had never even registered in their minds. How could they help one that didn't believe she could be helped?

**Carrie, you're being stupid, **Mirage commented from the depths of the girl's mind. **These mortals are trying to get you through this. They are your friends, and two of them have relations with you. Why do you turn away from them? You know they could alleviate at least some of your pain. Talking amongst mortals does that. Why are you being so cold?**

The blonde teen gritted her teeth and turned away from her friends as she mentally shunned her darkness. _It's none of your concern!_

**On the contrary, everything you do is my concern. We share this body, host, and therefore whatever happens to you affects me as well. **Mirage's voice took on a darker tone than usual, and it made Carrie feel even worse than before. **Like on that night, for instance. Had you not been so thick-skulled about me, I could have killed that bastard before he hurt you. But you wouldn't have that. You would rather be overpowered by that hateful fucker than give some power over to your darkness to save yourself. You let it happen to yourself, Carrie, and now you're letting yourself suffer for it. In turn you are forcing me to suffer just as greatly. I hope you are content with what you are putting yourself through. Is this pain all you ever wanted?**

_Shut the fuck up! You know nothing! You're just a monster!_

**I am not a monster. If anyone is the monster here, it is you. You are your own monster, allowing terror to enter your life and playing the victim to crimes you might as well be committing yourself. You've always had the power to protect yourself from danger. You have always had me at your disposal to do what needs to be done. But you hardly ever use it and rarely when it's necessary. You allowed yourself to be beaten to near-death by Carl and then raped-**

_No!_

**Yes. You let it happen-**

_No!_

**-and now you won't let your own stupid decisions go. You know you could have stopped it if only you accepted my pleas, but you were too damn stupid to act. I grow tired of suffering because you can't forget the past. Call me heartless—I do not have a heart like your own—but you know I speak the truth.**

_I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP, YOU BITCH! YOU'RE WRONG ABOUT ME!_

**Yelling at me proves nothing, nor will it make me silent. You can never silence the truth you know to be within your own heart. I sense you replaying that night over and over in your mind, trying to think of how it could have been different. But it never can be different because you never utilize your power. You only always see yourself being conquered by that fucker every time. I am never in play. I am an asset you see as dark. For good reason, but also a dumb move. You, the Pharaoh, the Winged Dragon of Ra, and Uria prevent me from doing anything truly evil. It was the same back then and you know it. Things could have played out differently if you weren't so damn afraid of your own power. But you cannot change your past, so let it go already and start moving on, you pathetic cur. If you don't seek out help and continue to wallow in your shitty misery like this, we're all going to die and things will just play out the same as before. If you don't start healing, you'll just prove to me and all others that you really are weak, that you really are nothing and worthless and you were never worthy of life or the love of the Pharaoh.**

Carrie trembled even more now as anger mixed with her sadness. Mirage had a cruel way of putting things, but everything she said was the truth, painful as it was to hear. The dark spirit had spoken honestly in her twisted way; Carrie should have let Mirage take over when Carl appeared in that alley on that fateful night. She had been blind by fear and the thought that the dark spirit could only make things worse, and therefore hadn't used all the power she had at her disposal to save herself from her so-called father's wrath. She had to acknowledge that before she could even begin to move on. The blonde girl knew it wasn't her fault that Carl had beaten and raped her—the victim was never to blame. But she also knew she could have done more to keep it from happening, and that was part of the reason the memory hadn't left her alone yet. Her regret of not letting Mirage save her kept it alive and biting at her heels with its razor-sharp fangs.

Mirage was also right about needing the help of her friends. If Carrie let herself remain in the past forever like this without even trying to reach out for assistance, it would only lead to a dark path with an abysmal ending for her and all those that resided in her mind. Such a path would only prove Carl right about her and mean that Yami had been foolish in allowing himself to be put in such feeble hands. If she continued down the path on which she now stood, she wouldn't just hurt herself. She would hurt him and her friends and Jessica, and that would be something she could never forgive herself for doing. Just because she hurt didn't make it right to hurt those around her.

She really did need help.

"…I…I'm sorry…," Carrie sniffed, pulling her legs even closer to her body. "…Please… Forgive me…"

"Oh, Carrie," Jessica said, sounding like she was in a great deal of pain herself. She encompassed her big sister in her arms in an attempt to reach out to her and take some of the suffering away, and the blonde found that some comfort did come for her little sister's touch. She lifted her head and rested a shaky hand on Jessica's arm, eyes still closed as the tears continued to fall even after all this time. Jessica stroked her big sister's hair for awhile, wishing there was more she could do to ease the suffering within Carrie's heart.

"Come on. Let's go down to the living room and talk," Mai suggested, taking Carrie's other hand in her own as she got to her feet once again.

Slowly, Carrie managed to stand despite all the turmoil within with a little help from her dark-haired sibling. The group moved out of her room and downstairs together, taking it slow for the sake of the girl who was in agony over something terrible that had happened to her months ago but was still such a fresh wound on her heart. Her emerald gaze remained on the floor the entire time. She might be willing to seek help, but she still felt so weak and could not find the strength to lift her head. It was a miracle in itself that she could even walk, weak as she seemed. The pain was so dreadful…Would her female friends be able to help her?

Could she ever be helped?

* * *

Rose glanced around, making sure no one was close enough to see her, before climbing out of her bedroom window. It would be easier for her to leave out the front door, but then she might have to explain herself to the other Matrons and Joey. She didn't have much time left in this world, and though she had spent quite enough time in it already, she wanted to go out as much as possible before she had to go into the Realm of the Duel Spirits for the foreseeable future. It was a sunny afternoon with a gentle breeze blowing through the area; it would be foolish of her not to leave the house on such a nice day.

She touched down in the lawn gently despite it being a two-story drop from her window, pausing only a moment to readjust her clothing before continuing on her way. The red-haired Matron had no idea where it was that she wanted to go exactly, only that she would get there peacefully and have fun without the others for once. They would get to spend the rest of their practically-immortal lives together—they could forgive her for this one lonely adventure. Jaden might worry and Siren might bite her head off for leaving without telling anyone, but they could deal with it.

Her crystal blue eyes took in the scene when she came upon a park within Domino City. It was a beautiful landscape full of luscious green foliage and colorful flowers of varying shapes and sizes and species, each containing its own beauty much like people had their own beautiful aspects. The fresh air filled her lungs, bringing a smile to her face as the scent of the flowers overtook her. This was a wondrous place in the human world; she wondered if the Realm of Duel Spirits had any places as beautiful as this one.

Very few people were in this park at this time of day. She assumed they were busy at their workplaces or at home with their families after a long day of work. The children may have been here had technology not advanced so much that it kept them indoors for most of the day. Only athletics ventured out of doors anymore, and that was only to practice for their sports. Rose observed a handful of teens kicking a ball around for a moment before moving along to not seem like a creeper.

She found herself in a meadow within the park, a place where no one else would be and where she could be alone with her thoughts while enjoying the spoils of nature in the human world. Rose took off her shoes, feeling immediate shock as the cool blades of grass met the soles of her feet. It was unexpected, but she didn't mind it at all as she danced around like a little kid in this little place she found, her brilliant smile even brighter than usual because of her momentary happiness in the world she had come to know. It hurt to think that in only a few days she would leave this place, never to return until she took up a human to watch over and only then when they needed her to intervene in their life. This planet called Earth was so lovely…She didn't want to leave it.

Rose fell back onto the ground, looking up at the sky with her pupil-less eyes as she contemplated her future. Violet had briefed all of the Matrons on what they would be doing based on their strengths, and therefore the kind of human they would be watching over. Siren, since she spoke her mind loudly and excelled in defensive magic, would have to guide a person weak at heart and too feeble to protect themselves with their own power. Glimmer, being hard of heart and master of manipulating love with a flick of her wrist, would keep a heartthrob in check and a prissy person in line. Roxas, an offensive user with deadly accurate aim, would stand up for a lowly person who would need strength in their heart to remain intact. Axel, a defensive Matron with much potential for good to go with his lethal aim, would look after a broken human soul. Jaden, son of the current leader of the Matron-Watchers and having a strong will, would look over the next protector of the world just as Violet looked over Carrie. Gun, hard and powerful as he was, would protect a fighter in a tough spot or someone else who was tough but alone in the world. And Rose, because of her kindness and strength of heart, would watch over a person with a heart of gold hidden beneath an exterior hard to penetrate. Such different paths they were destined to follow…and yet they would still be together most of the time due to their line of work.

But when she thought of what she would be leaving behind, she couldn't help but feel some sadness.

"Why did you sneak out?" Gun asked coldly, startling Rose by his sudden appearance.

"Gun! How long have you been here?" Rose demanded as she quickly stood and faced him, glad that he wasn't standing that close to her.

The teen with sky blue hair shrugged but kept his arms crossed over his chest as usual. "Does it matter? You haven't done anything really incriminating the whole time you've been out. The only thing that bothers me is how you didn't even have the decency to tell us that you were leaving. You just left. I thought we had outgrown this stuff when Glimmer came to the good side."

Rose met his cold orange stare with her crystal blue eyes evenly. "I…I just wanted to experience the human world on my own. I won't be here much longer…You may not understand this, but…It saddens me that I will not see this place very often after we depart. There are so many wondrous things here, and so many kind people. I…"

"Departing Joey and the others will be hard," Gun agreed, surprising Rose by his words. "You were very close to our caretaker. I imagine leaving will be the hardest for you because of that, as I am also sure he will have a harder time letting you go than he will the rest of us. The bond you two have developed…I am almost jealous of it. Such a bond gives strength to those involved, even in departure. Perhaps…You and Joey will both grow stronger even after you separate because you will hold the feelings of happiness you've shared within your heart and remember the good over the bad. Have you thought of it that way?"

"…No. I have only seen the gloom of separation, not the silver lining of it," Rose admitted. She took a hesitant step towards Gun, enthralled by the sudden kindness of his words directed at her. "Have you not developed such a bond with anyone during your time here on Earth? Surely you can be made stronger, too, by having a similar relationship with one of the humans that took care of us."

Gun shook his head. "Not I, Rose. You know me. I have never allowed myself to become close to anyone, human or Matron, since the day we were given life. My strength…The power I possess that makes me the strongest Matron of our generation…It is born from my isolation and my loneliness. No bonds can make me stronger than I am now, for I have no bonds like you and the others. I am alone."

"It was…your choice to be alone," Rose commented.

"Yes. It was my choice," Gun concurred.

"But why? Why would you want to be alone? Companionship warms the heart and makes one feel special, like they're not just another mortal in existence that can easily be forgotten. Being with others gives purpose to life other than just living. Without purpose, one might as well not be alive. Happiness cannot come from loneliness. Why would you choose such a dark path to follow?" Rose wanted to know as she took another few hesitant steps in Gun's direction.

"…Loneliness lets the truth be revealed. Darkness gives a greater meaning to light than standing in the light all the time ever could. It's only after you've experienced the darker side of things that you can truly appreciate and realize the significance of the light," Gun replied, an odd look coming into his eyes as he noted her slow advance towards him. "I did not think myself worthy of the light that you and the others stand in until I learned the truth of the darkness. That is why I chose to be alone and lead a purposeless life for the first part of my existence. It has…not been an easy path. Seeing you and the others happy while I could not be a part of that happiness…and then hurting you because of our disagreements…It was not easy."

"Seeing you suffer alone…It was not easy for me, either," Rose told him softly. "I always wondered why you never wanted to play with the rest of us, or why you didn't even want to spend time with us. You were always alone. I didn't want that; I wanted to be with you as friends. But I could never reach you. Every time I tried…We would just end up at odds with one another. At least now I know…It wasn't for nothing."

"I didn't know I meant so much to you," Gun said.

"Of course you mean that much to me," Rose stated, standing directly in front of him now. The wind blew through, moving her skirt in its motion and causing strands of her pixie cut to caress her face as she looked up at Gun. "You have always meant so much to me. Despite being at odds with you through most of our lives, you have always meant the most to me, even more so than Jaden and Siren. No matter what you put me through and how you treated me, there has been and always will be a special place for you inside my heart that no one else can ever fill."

"Rose, I cannot believe what you are saying," Gun muttered, but he didn't sound as skeptical as he intended.

"You mean, you do not feel the same way?" Rose asked, a bit hurt.

"I wish I didn't," Gun grumbled.

The red-haired Matron was taken aback by his words and took a step back. "…Why?"

"…Because…I prefer the darkness to the light after all I've done to you," Gun admitted, mad at himself for hurting Rose unintentionally. "I don't deserve your heart."

"Gun, you've done nothing to me. You could never truly hurt me, never. You've been in the dark far too long, and it's past time you realized the warmth of the light you deserve to feel. You are deserving of the light and of my heart," Rose claimed defiantly.

Before she could say another word, Gun did something very unexpected. He moved his hand under her chin and forcibly but gently brought her face closer to his. His lips met her, and then Rose felt everything he had kept hidden from everyone for so long. His angst, his loneliness, his longing to belong…He could keep nothing from her now. The touching of lips would prove so much to a human, but to a Matron, it was something much more than that. It granted her access to his soul and him access to hers, taking them to a place where no secrets could be hidden. It revealed all that if they were to try to exchange it otherwise would take hours to do so. This only took seconds and had effects that would last a lifetime.

Rose pulled away when his soul became too much for her, but she did not turn away from Gun. Rather, she encompassed him in her arms, smiling up at him despite feeling his suffering as her own now. Gun returned her smile with a small one of his own as he wrapped his arms around her smaller form. He had regretted following her before, but now that he had stood in her light, he regretted nothing. If he could stay here in this moment with her forever, he would have lived a meaningful and happy life that he could be proud of.

Thus, sadness in both of their lives had brought Gun and Rose together.

It was something that they would never regret as long as they lived…

For one had to feel sadness in order to truly experience happiness.

* * *

Yugi was alone in his room, staring at the Millennium Puzzle lying at the head of his bed. He had returned home after watching Carrie break down carrying a heavy heart and a befuddled spirit inside an ancient pendant. Grandpa had been surprised to see his grandson home so early on a summer's day, which left Yugi no choice but to explain the whole situation to the old man. The gray-haired Muto was just as distraught about this as the others, but he admitted there was little he could do and he just hoped light would find its way into Carrie's life again. He let his grandson go up to his room where Yugi had collapsed onto his bed and spent the last few hours just staring at the Puzzle, trying to think of a way to help his best female friend out when she was hurting so much.

Yami had been silent this whole time, but the short teen could imagine all the things running through the spirit's mind because they were running through his mind as well. All the pain Carrie had gone through because of Carl, especially on that single night that left her so scarred…Both the spirit and his reincarnation would like nothing better than to take it all away, to erase it from the past so she could be the same beautiful girl she had been before that terrible time. But nothing was that easy; nothing would ever be that easy. Because of that, she would suffer and Yugi would never be able to help her even when she needed him the most.

"If only I knew what was on her mind. I mean, why did she just randomly decide to duel Joey in the first place? If they never dueled, Joey wouldn't have said that thing that triggered the memory," Yugi remarked out loud. "Why would she want to challenge her friend like that in front of all those kids? It's not like her. She hasn't even dueled since we got out of Noah's virtual world. I didn't even think she was into dueling anymore."

"…She hasn't been herself ever since we returned from the virtual world, but dueling will never leave her. It is a part of her life as much as we are. She just…hasn't felt the need to do it lately," Yami told him, seated on the headboard of Yugi's bed and looking upset by the separation of himself and the one who held his heart in her hands. "And as for her duel against Joey…Well, she didn't like being revered for something she no longer is while he isn't even known by most. She doesn't appreciate being called queen when she holds no title and has lost more duels than other top duelists. Honestly…She doesn't want to duel for sport anymore, if she even wants to duel at all."

Yugi looked confused. "But…But you just said dueling was a part of her life that could never leave her."

"Yes, but it can fade away if she chooses to let it do so. Life doesn't revolve around card games, Yugi," Yami admonished.

"Yeah, but the big baddies seem to think so," Yugi pointed out.

"That is true," Yami reluctantly admitted.

"…To think that Carrie's pain was triggered by losing a duel…It's not a pleasant thought at all. But the duel is obviously not to blame here. It's what that jerk Carl did to her. Something like that…I don't think I'd ever be able to recover from that even with the help of all of my friends," Yugi murmured sadly. "I really wish I could help her somehow. It hurts me to see her like that and not being able to do anything. But as long as Carl has power over her, she'll never be able to trust males or be touched by them without thinking of him and what he did to her. Even I can't go near her and I'm her best friend. What kind of best friend am I if I cannot make her feel better?"

"Do not put yourself down, Yugi. You cannot help her while she is like this for the very reason you have said. He intended for her to never be happy by taking away her ability to ever love and trust the opposite sex. When she looks at us or feels our touch, all she can think of is what he did to her. It does not make you a bad best friend to accept that she is not stable enough to see you right now. It means the opposite," Yami stated. He sighed and looked towards the window. "Know you are not alone in this, Yugi. It pains me to see her suffer and know I cannot take her in my arms to heal the pain because of what that bastard did. It might be a bit harder for me since I am her boyfriend, but our pain bleeds out of the same vein."

"Do you have to brag about that now? I know you're her boyfriend—you don't have to rub it in," Yugi muttered.

"I was neither bragging nor rubbing it in. I was just making an observation," Yami commented pointedly.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Yugi grumbled. "Let's just hope the girls can help Carrie recover enough for you to be out of here by tomorrow. I don't want to have to deal with you for longer than I have to, considering how you like to annoy me and bring up my unrequited love for your girlfriend."

Yami huffed. "Who annoys who? As I seem to recall it, you like to irritate me by reminding me that if you had solved the Puzzle, Carrie would have fallen in love with you instead. If that isn't more annoying than what I say, then I must not know what annoying is. So yes, I do hope that Carrie is mentally stable enough to accept me home because I cannot stand being with you longer than necessary."

"Lies. You know you love me and you're jealous of my cuteness," Yugi taunted.

"What cuteness? All I see is ugly," Yami countered.

"Then I guess that means you're ugly, too, because I'm you," Yugi shot back.

"If I was ugly, I won't have attracted someone like Carrie," Yami retorted.

"Yeah, well, that's just one girl. My good looks and adorability have attracted more girls than that. There's Tea, Rebecca, Carrie, and all my fan girls. And before you say it, Carrie would have been mine had you not forced yourself in front of me and she has kissed me, so there."

"It was one time on the forehead. It meant nothing. And just because it could have happened doesn't make it count. So there."

"Well, I'm still more attractive than you."

"Believe what you want, you cunning little shrimp."

_Well, here's one way to get our minds off of the misery of Carrie's situation, _Yugi thought with a smile that Yami returned because the spirit understood why Yugi had gone off on a tangent about his appearance. _Getting into an argument with an annoying spirit about who's better looking…It never fails to kill time and distract. I guess this means I'm smarter than him, too, for coming up with such a clever idea._

_**I won't go that far, Yugi, **_Yami interjected.

_Oh, but I would. I always go as far as the truth will take me._

_**Yugi, sometimes you make me crazy.**_

_That's cuz you be jealous._

…_**I hate you.**_

* * *

_A/N: I had to add some humor into this or else I was going to drive myself insane with depressing sadness. I hope it wasn't too random. Anyway, I hope this was worth the wait. What did you think of this? Please tell me. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day._


	73. 73 - Acknowledgement

_A/N: I apologize for not updating sooner. You know how life can be. On a related note, I'm out of school for the summer until August 9. However, I may still be too busy to type out chapters for my stories because of life and the summer reading project I have to do for my senior year. This sucks. But anyway, here's the next chapter. Please read on and enjoy, my friends._

* * *

Chapter 73

The day ended with Carrie curled up in a ball on the couch, fast asleep with tears fresh on her cheeks. Revealing everything of that night to the girls had resulted in plenty of crying, but all that crying had made her tired. All the girls, though it was painful, had listened to everything she had to say because they understood keeping it in would just hurt her more than letting it out could hurt them. They hadn't said anything in response, knowing that it wouldn't help any, and just let Carrie pass out when she did. All they could hope for was she would not be in as much pain now that it was all out at last.

Mai was glad to have had this done, but she could not bring herself to smile or feel any relief. Bringing this up once again allowed her guilt to boil to the surface as it had that night when Carl had hurt his daughter. Mirage had warned her not to leave Carrie alone, she had taken that warning to heart, and yet she hadn't followed through. It had only been about five minutes, but it was enough for the girl to go off on her own and gave Carl the chance to do what he did. Of course Mai wouldn't admit her feelings to anyone since they were here to help Carrie. Still, the guilt attacked her heart and left a scar that refused to fade away even after all this time. As long as Carrie was suffering, Mai could never forgive herself for failing her.

_No, _Mai corrected as she and the other girls moved out of the living room to talk. _I'll never be able to forgive myself…Never._

"…I can't believe she had to endure all of that," Jessica sobbed, having been in pieces since she heard of the incident in the park, as they moved into the kitchen. "How the hell has she remained so together until now? How?"

Nefer-Tina shrugged. "…She has been busy saving the world and everything. My guess is she just didn't let herself fall apart. She had to stay strong or else other people's lives would be in jeopardy. Now that there's no danger, she has no reason to stay strong. She can allow herself to be human…something she's needed to do for so long now."

"I just hope talking to us helped her out. Someone like her shouldn't have so much suffering on her shoulders," Rebecca commented. "I wish I could stick around to help more, but it's getting late and Grandpa will start worrying if I stay out any longer. Good luck with Carrie and let me know how things turn out, okay?"

"Thanks for coming, Rebecca. And tell Arthur we said hey," Tea murmured as the blonde girl with pigtails made her exit. She then sighed and looked back at the others. "I'm still worried about Carrie. Talking just doesn't seem like enough. And what if some big bad shows up? She'll push this all off again to take it on and just delay healing herself even further. I think this is one of those things that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later because time just adds more pain. I mean, she reacted so badly to that onset of a memory by the simplest of words even after all this time…What's to stop that from happening again later if this isn't dealt with?"

"You make it sound so simple, Tea, but it's not something that can just be 'dealt with'," Alyssa muttered as she glared across the counter at the brunette girl. "Carrie was almost beaten to death and then raped for violence by her so-called father. It doesn't matter how much time passes—a wound like that will never heal, and it most certainly cannot be 'dealt with.' Even beginning to move on will take time. You saw what it took just to get her to talk to us. Right now, the best thing we can do is be here for her until she's more comfortable around us. Talking and being here may not seem like enough now, but soon you'll see just what good it can do. It's the simple things that keep people from falling off the edge."

"I agree with Alyssa," Serenity put in. "But I also think it would be for the best if Carrie avoided any contact with boys at this point. She's too unstable and even those that are close to her might cause her to relapse into that misery we saw her in earlier. Unfortunately…We live with a guy. What are we to do with Mako while we're helping Carrie recover?"

"…I'll ask Joey if he can make room for him at the Matron house," Mai said, her guilt momentarily overshadowed by the memory of that blonde boy's actions when he stopped by this morning. She wasn't sure if he would be willing to listen to her after she had blown him off about that surprise kiss, but if she explained that it was for Carrie, perhaps then he could look past it to help out the poor girl.

"Would Mako be all right with being kicked out like that?" Alyssa asked.

"He'll understand. He is, after all, one of Carrie's closest friends, so he'll do anything for her sake," Serenity replied.

"Well, regardless of what he does, I'm staying in this house until Carrie's feeling better. Mom and Dad will just have to understand that," Tea declared. "I just have to go home and get some clothes. I'll be back soon."

"I'll do the same. Ja-Kal won't object since I'm doing this in the best interest of our mistress. He'll just wish he and Rath and Armon could help, too, but they'll all understand that it just has to be this way," Nefer-Tina remarked.

"I don't need to explain myself to anyone or go anywhere. I'll just have someone send clothes over," Alyssa muttered as she and the others watched those girls go. She glanced at Mai. "Are you going to call Joey or not? I may not be familiar with Mako's work schedule, but I'm pretty sure he's going to be showing up soon and it'd be nice if we already had an alternative place for him to go while we support Carrie."

"…Yeah…Don't get snippy with me, Alyssa," Mai grumbled, taking the phone from its cradle and starting into another room. _If you weren't Carrie's family and so famous, I'd have probably decked you by now. You mean well, I'm sure, but that mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one of these days._

Once in the security of her own room, Mai sat on her bed and looked at the phone in her hands. So many things were going through her head then. Carrie's issues, her guilt about having failed Carrie on that night, Joey's kiss…That last one wasn't as important as the others, but yet it kept pushing itself in front of everything else. She couldn't forget how that boy seven years her junior had gotten the courage to plant one on her, or how she had felt in that moment. Caught there in that passionate embrace that was a mere touching of the lips, Mai had lost herself and responded to his feelings with those buried deep within her heart. She knew he liked her; he had said so himself. She, however, could not admit as much without feeling sick. Their friendship she could handle just fine, but love? She was seven years older than him and a full-fledged adult while he was still a minor. It just seemed so wrong…

But in that moment when their lips met, it had felt so right.

_I am not a cougar, _Mai admonished, shaking the thought out of her head. _I don't like him in the same way he likes me. Joey and I are just friends and that's all we'll ever be. If he asks about it, I'll just put him down gently. He'll understand. Besides, I'm not even going to be talking to him about that or about us. I'll just be calling him on behalf of Carrie to ask him if he can give Mako a place to stay while Carrie gets a grip on life and comes to terms with her past. There will be no mentioning of love or relationships of any sort._

Despite this resolve, the blonde-haired violet-eyed woman had difficulty punching his number into the phone. Such things as this were not so easy to force out of the mind as she would have liked, much like the feelings she had for him that kept pressing at her heart in an attempt to make her accept them. She cursed herself and pushed those feelings aside along with those thoughts as she counted the rings. She took a deep breath to calm herself when the rings stopped and he picked up.

"Ya got Wheeler here. Who's callin'?" the blonde boy asked casually. She wondered if he would have been so casual if he had known for whom he was picking up.

"Joey, it's Mai. I have a favor to ask of you," she told him and could almost feel the air grow colder with the admission of her identity. "I…I hope this isn't a bad time."

"Nah, it's…it's a good time," Joey assured her with a broken undertone she didn't fail to notice. "Whatcha…Whatcha need, Mai? You know I'll do anything for ya."

"…It's not really for me. It's more for Carrie. See, we managed to make a little bit of progress with her today. She told us…Well, she told us pretty much everything that happened that night and we just listened. It doesn't seem like much, but I think it helped her quite a bit. She's had that burden on her own for so long and now it's out," Mai explained. "But she still has a long way to go. Me and the girls are going to stay here with her until she's stable enough to face society again. There's just one thing. We don't think she should have any contact with the opposite gender for some time. You know why that is, I'm sure. But we have a man that lives here, so we have sort of a predicament on our hands."

"…Do you want me to put Mako up here for awhile? I can do that. He's a good guy, the Matrons like him, and it'll be no trouble at all," Joey stated.

"Could you? We'd all really appreciate it," Mai said.

"Yeah, of course I can. I'd do anything for Carrie. It is kinda my fault that she is such a mess right now. I did kinda set her off on accident after beating her in our duel," Joey murmured morosely.

"Joey, it's not your fault. None of this is anyone's fault but Carl's. He's the one who did this, and now we have to pick up the pieces," Mai remarked pointedly, not liking the sound of his voice when he was sad. Someone like him should never be sad or blaming themselves for something they didn't do.

"I know that. I wish I could have been the one that made that bastard pay for hurting her, but Mirage took that out of my hands. All I could do for her was ask Pegasus to make a couple of Duel Monsters cards for her so my heart would always be with her. But what good has that done, Mai? No matter what any of us do, something's always gonna get at her and bring her to her knees. I don't like that."

"Me neither, Joey." She sighed. "…And I will always feel like a failure to her for leaving her alone on that night instead of waiting for her to dress for Kaiba's party. If I hadn't been so impatient, she would have been with me and Jessie and Duke in the car instead of in that alley with Carl destroying her. Mirage warned me that she was in danger. I knew she was in danger. I knew it and I still left her alone. So you shouldn't be the one feeling like shit over this stuff. I'm the one that has to shoulder some of the blame here."

"No you don't. Mai, you're not to blame for what happened. You did what you would have done any other day. Carrie just didn't stay in the house because she wasn't aware of the danger she was in. If she had waited for you to return, then it would have been fine. But no one is to blame except Carl, just like you said. But nothing I say is gonna erase that guilt from you, is it? Nah, this is probably something you'll have to overcome on your own, just like we all have things we must figure out on our own."

Mai's heart dropped into her stomach. "Joey, please…Let's not go there."

"I won't talk much about it, I promise. But just answer one question for me."

"…Okay. Just one."

"…Do you have any feelings for me?"

"Joey-"

"I just need to know, Mai."

She sighed. "The only feelings I have for you are friendly. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm sorry, Joey, but all we'll ever be is friends."

Joey let out his breath, sounding disappointed. "…Okay. I can accept that. Thanks for being honest with me, Mai. Send Mako on over, and I…I guess I'll see you when I see you."

"…Things won't be awkward between us, will they?"

"I hope not."

"Good night, Joey."

" 'Night, Mai."

They cut the ends at the exact same moment, but things were far from resolved. Mai hadn't wanted that matter to come up, but it had, if only for a moment. Joey's question was a reasonable one after what had happened this morning, though it made many more questions pop up in the heart of one who did not want to find answers to them. She just wanted to forget the matter even if it didn't want to be forgotten.

_I cannot let this distract me like I'm some foolish little schoolgirl, _Mai admonished. _Carrie needs me. I cannot fail her again. Never again._

* * *

Yami was not surprised by Carrie's absence the next day when the gang gathered in the game shop and Yugi's home nor was he all that shocked by the lack of females. He considered Tea's plan to reach out to Carrie and knew he had been foolish the previous night in hoping Carrie would be well enough mentally to take him from Yugi. A wound such as hers would take more than a day to heal if it healed at all. He didn't expect it to heal all the way, but he did want it to heal enough to not be such a hindrance to her. She didn't deserve such suffering in her life. Had she not suffered enough?

The boys struck up conversation and played video games to pass the time, but the spirit was not interested in what they had to say or what they were playing. He tried to be, but his mind kept wandering back to the same thing. Carrie, his girlfriend, who was suffering and who he could not help because of the reason for her pain, kept her place within his head and refused to give up her spot to anything else. It pained him that he could not ease her misery because of Carl and though he had accepted this fact, his heart wouldn't stop wondering if there was something he could do that he was overlooking. There had to be something he was missing. There had to be.

_**Stop being so depressing, Pharaoh. I can make myself sad on my own, thank you very much, **_Yugi grumbled mentally while competing against Tristan in some wrestling game.

The spirit did not respond to Yugi but did cut off his thoughts to the boy. It was not in anger or irritation that he did so. No. Yugi may annoy him at times, but he had his uses. Whenever Yami was on the verge of wallowing in self-pity or any sort of misery, Yugi was always quick to distract him in one way or another. Whether it was with arguments about who had better looks or who understood Carrie better, Yugi never let the spirit fall into any sort of depression for long. Yami appreciated that as well as the sacrifices his reincarnation made in order to keep him happy. Such a thing required Yugi give up sleep for a night or so. Last night was no different. In payment for that kindness, Yami thought it best to keep his own depressing thoughts out of Yugi's head for awhile. That kid worried enough about Carrie as it was—he didn't need someone else's worries in his head.

He was taken from his depressing thoughts about Carrie as soon as he started thinking them when Ryou called Yugi out of the room to talk to him in private. The white-haired Brit seemed strange and Yami could not recall a time when Ryou ever wanted to talk to someone alone for good reasons. His suspicions were confirmed as soon as the teens stepped out of the room and the other boy's expression changed to one too familiar. Why was that pesky thief messing with things now? Couldn't he just leave well enough alone?

"If you wouldn't mind, Yugi, I'd prefer to speak to the Pharaoh. It concerns a little friend of mine that he happens to hold in his heart a bit more than most people," Thief Bakura said, seeming to look through the short kid with spiky hair.

_**What do you suppose he wants? **_Yugi asked, staring down the evil spirit and putting off trading places with Yami for the moment.

_I'm not sure, but if it involves him and Carrie, I assume the worst, _Yami told him.

_**Don't be so sure. Remember, Mirage is a part of Carrie, and Thief Bakura and Mirage have been known to be together. Perhaps he means to talk to you peacefully because he is concerned about her safety. Carrie isn't the only one in pain in that body, you know. Mirage feels her pain magnified by some number. He knows that, too, which is probably why he wants to talk.**_

…_That is possible._

"Are you done stalling yet?" Thief Bakura wanted to know, exasperated.

"What do you want?" Yami demanded as he took over Yugi's body.

"I, for once, want the same thing you do. I want Carrie to recover from the suffering Carl inflicted upon her once upon a midnight dreary," Thief Bakura replied.

"For Mirage's sake, I assume," Yami muttered.

The evil spirit held up a finger. "Don't be so quick to judge me, Pharaoh. It may be true that I fancy that immortal darkness within your lover, but that is not the only reason I care what happens with that mortal. Carrie is a kind girl who doesn't just treat me like another villain in her little story. She actually tried to convert me even more so than our precious Iris ever did. Oh, but that's right. You don't quite remember your former girlfriend following me into the desert to try to talk some sense into me. Your memory is a bit flawed, isn't it?" The look Yami gave him then made him cut to the chase. "Well, the important thing here is that I don't just care about what Mirage is going through. I actually mind Carrie's pain as well."

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?" Yami growled—it was his turn to be exasperated.

"Patience is obviously a virtue you lack. You never can wait for things to play out, can you? Always in such a hurry…No wonder you couldn't defeat me in life and had to seal us away for five millennia," Thief Bakura taunted. "All this waiting must have driven you insane."

"I do have patience. Just not with you," Yami countered. "What else is there?"

"I think we should infiltrate the house and break through to Carrie ourselves. We can't leave something this delicate up to those wenches. Look at the facts here, Pharaoh," Thief Bakura insisted. "Alyssa and Jessica are so brash and aren't exactly sensitive to anyone's feelings but their own. Tea is a clumsy oaf that knows nothing about anything when it comes to repairing damage to the heart because hers has never been involved in anything. Nefer-Tina is an old-fashioned girl that should be long dead and she's just so irritating. That Mai acts so wise but she's a foolish bimbo in love with a younger boy and afraid to admit it, not to mention how she blames herself for what happened to Carrie which will cloud her judgment when it comes to helping the poor girl. And Serenity…Well, that chick is so innocent that just hearing about what happened to Carrie probably made her shut right down. None of those females could ever break through to her. We're the only ones who possibly could. So let's do it before something bad happens over there."

Yami shook his head. "You are…a dumbass."

"I beg your pardon, but this is no time to be questioning my intelligence. Your lady needs you more than she needs those mortals," Thief Bakura stated.

"Thief, that is the most ridiculous thing you have ever said. Carrie does not need us. If anything, we are the last things she needs at this moment," Yami told him. "You underestimate those girls. Alyssa and Jessica can be brash, but they also care deeply for their cousin and sister in a way that does make them sensitive to her feelings. I have seen this before, once right after that terrible incident and another time when a visitor from the past accidentally reminded Carrie of that night. Tea may have never put her heart into anything, but she understands the heart better than you might think. She is also connected to Carrie in a way we cannot touch. Nefer-Tina lost her mistress once before and will do anything to keep that from happening again. Mai may feel guilty about what happened as you've said, but she will not let it stop her from helping Carrie now. And as for Serenity, she is tougher than you give her credit for being and you know it. They have a better chance of breaking through to her than we ever could."

"Your relations to these women cloud your judgment," Thief Bakura claimed, but he didn't sound so sure of himself anymore.

"No they don't. You know I speak the truth or else you wouldn't have that expression on your face," Yami said without missing anything that his foe might have wanted him to overlook. "If you truly care about Carrie, you'll know that we should just leave well enough alone. Any male that goes over there can only do harm because of what Carl has done. Not you or I or anyone here can change that. If we were to try, it could only backfire and I for one do not want that to happen."

Thief Bakura sighed. "…I suppose you're right. It's just…I feel so useless just sitting here watching those pathetic mortals play games while the women do all the work and Carrie suffers. There has to be something I can do, you know?"

Yami gave his enemy a small, grim smile. "Yes, I know. But there is nothing we can do except give her space. It's a hard thing to accept, let me tell you, but we must accept it."

_**You're so good at telling people that, but you still won't accept it yourself, **_Yugi commented because he couldn't resist getting in a jab at his first life.

_Quiet, you. It's different with me, _Yami pointed out. _And…And I think I can accept it now. After hearing what Thief has said and putting the truth out there, I think I finally understand. There are just some things I cannot change. I must let others change it instead because my own involvement will only make things worse._

_**It still doesn't make it any easier.**_

_Of course not. Nothing in love ever is easy._

"How would we have infiltrated the house, anyway? The women wouldn't have let us past the front door," Yami remarked, addressing the white-haired spirit again.

Thief Bakura shrugged. "We could have used our magic to get past them. Hell, we could have even dressed in drag as female Duel Monsters, pretended we were summoned by one of these foolish mortals to help out, and then did our thing. The last one would have been pretty awkward, though, since dresses are so uncomfortable. So I'm told, anyway."

"…I think they would have seen through us if we tried that," Yami muttered with a sweat-drop.

"You underestimate us, Pharaoh," was Thief Bakura's reply.

"…You're really creepy sometimes, you know that?"

"What's evil without a creepy factor? And you're just jealous because you know I'm sexier than you'll ever be. Hell, I'd even be a sexier girl than you if we did dress in drag."

"…I'm not going to argue with you about this."

"You'd lose and you know it. That's why you won't try."

"Just shut up already."

* * *

The pieces were starting to fall into place at long last. Soon all of his destined minions would be under his power, and then the hunt for souls would begin again so the Great Leviathan could reawaken from its ten-thousand-year slumber. The end of the world was on the verge of coming once again; he would see it come to pass this time. The legendary knights were not here to stop him at the request of his father. The only hero of this time would be under his control soon. There would be no one to oppose the Orichalcos or to prevent the light from coming to eradicate the evil of this place.

"Dartz," one of the minions said, dropping to his knees and bowing behind the advocate of the Orichalcos. "How much longer must we wait until we begin collecting more souls? Valon, Alister, and I can do this on our own. Why is it so important that we remain here until you have brought to us two more followers of the Orichalcos?"

The man with long bluish-green hair turned and faced his blonde minion, his mismatched eyes considering the words just spoken. He did not expect this fool to understand—if he understood then he wouldn't be so easy to manipulate—but he would have preferred to have loyalty without so many questions. Unfortunately, Dartz knew unquestionable loyalty could only come from summoned creatures or the dead and never from the living. The living only served to cause conflict, which was why they needed to cease to exist.

"Rafael, you have no idea how important these remaining hunters are to the Orichalcos. They may be simple human girls to you, but to the Orichalcos and the Great Leviathan they are so much more. Together they will bring to us more souls with more power than you and the others possibly could. We cannot move forward without them for that reason, and you must accept that," Dartz stated. "There will be a day soon when you will no longer question the abilities of the hunters yet to come. You and Valon both…will find something special about them when they arrive, of that I have no doubt. Now rise, Rafael, and be gone from my sight."

"With all due respect, sir, I doubt I will find anything special about any female, no matter how powerful they are," Rafael muttered as he stood. "Not even these hunters you speak of will change that."

Dartz smiled. "Do not be so quick to jump to conclusions for these are no ordinary females. No, Rafael. They are the former Queen of Games and the Mistress of Harpies. Carrie West and Mai Valentine shall come under the blessed power of the Orichalcos, and then the world will crumble and be cleansed of the evil within the hearts of humanity! Yes, with their help the Great Leviathan shall devour the world!"

Rafael blinked in surprise. "Carrie West? I thought she was on the opposing side. She has always stood in the way of the world being destroyed before. Why would this time be any different than all those other times?"

"Because, Rafael, this time her heart is stricken with pain from the evil this world has inflicted upon her poor spirit. She will see the error of her ways and come to us to cleanse the world as well as her soul. The one once deemed to be the savior of the world by the wicked shall become the true savior by the power of the Orichalcos," Dartz explained. "That is something you will see soon enough, my child. Just be a bit more patient and have an open mind and heart when the daughters of the Orichalcos make their arrival."

Dartz waited until his muscular minion had left before turning back to the idol where his offerings were made to the Great Leviathan. Looking upon all of the souls he had already obtained to fuel the magnificent creature, he knew his words were not false. No one could stand against him and his followers once Mai and Carrie were under his power. In a couple of weeks, the fun could truly begin.

_Mark my words, this world will be facing its demise by autumn's end, _he thought with an evil smirk.

* * *

_A/N: Well, I believe I may have revealed too much with that last scene, but I had to bring the main storyline back into play or else this would just be another filler. What did you think of this chapter? What do you think of this story as a whole? Please tell me kindly. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day._


	74. 74 - Departure

_A/N: I don't really have anything to say at the moment. I just hope you read on and enjoy this chapter dedicated to the departure of the Matron-Watchers. Thank you all for reading my story—this one is also for you. =)_

* * *

Chapter 74

Six days passed in a flash of what became routine for the gang. The guys hung out at either Yugi's or Joey's playing video games while the girls stayed with Carrie to help her heal. The Matron-Watchers didn't fully comprehend what was going on since they didn't know much about her, but they didn't ask questions which happened to make the transition a little easier for the men who felt useless to their female friends. Tea and Mai kept the guys updated on Carrie's status: she was eating again; they managed to make her smile; she could go upstairs on her own again; the color was starting to return to her face. It was almost like they were caring for a sick woman, but under the circumstances it really was that way. Carrie was sick and her affliction was suffering from the wickedness of a man who had once had the audacity to call himself her father. All the guys could say in response was they hoped she felt better soon and go on with their lives without her or the others.

And life went on undeterred without the slightest care that its constant heroine was in a great deal of pain.

Today broke routine to pieces because it wasn't like any other day. Today was the day the Matron-Watcher children, now full-grown, would leave this world for the Realm of the Duel Spirits. This would be the last time they would see each other because now the rules of the Matrons would prevent the children from meeting with any human unless absolutely necessary. The Matron-Watchers would choose Their soul to watch over, say Their farewells, and disappear with Violet to never be seen again by their eyes. Because it was such a serious day, the guys hoped Carrie would be able to make it. The girls had grown close to these kids, and it just wouldn't be the same without them.

Tristan looked away from the boys as they chatted with the Matrons and turned his brown gaze out the window. It was almost time for Violet to arrive and still the girls hadn't shown. Tea had said they would try, but Carrie was still unpredictable and they didn't know if she was ready to face the world again just yet. Time ticked on in their absence. He didn't want to give up hope of their coming and thus was why he was so antsy. He wasn't alone; Yugi kept glancing towards the door every five seconds and Ryou had made a point to sit by the window and turn his eyes towards the outdoors quite a bit. If those two were so worried, he could only imagine what the spirits within the Items around their throats were like.

Ryou suddenly stood, accidentally knocking his chair over, and rushed towards the door despite his blunder and knowing the Matrons could easily open the door with Their powers. He threw it open to reveal the ladies standing on the other side. Mai stood at their lead with her hand still held in the air, poised to knock. The guys were quick to greet them all, but their eyes all rested on one person they had been worrying about for so long and hadn't seen happy in forever. Tristan was amongst the ranks, pleased to see her but concerned at what it had cost her to come to this sausage-fest.

Carrie did her best to smile, which wasn't easy since so many people were staring at her and she didn't like that under any circumstances. Her green eyes were focused on the floor rather than on anyone about her as she fidgeted nervously behind her back. She looked different, for lack of a better word, but Tristan wasn't really sure if it was for the better or for the worst. Her blonde hair was pulled into a low ponytail with bangs hanging in her face in a way that might block her eyes from view if she wanted them to do so. A formless long-sleeved magenta shirt hid her torso while a pair of dark slacks kept her legs from showing. Her white sneakers were the only normal thing about her. An outfit like that when it was still summer had to burn her up, but Tristan doubted she was thinking of comfort when she chose to wear it. She had redness and bags under her eyes and her beautiful face seemed a bit more sullen; her skin had somehow paled since the last time he beheld her, too.

Tristan smiled—he was just happy to see her again.

"…Are we just going to stand here or are you going to let us in?" Jessica asked.

The boys and Matrons moved aside to allow the women entrance. Ryou moved to right his chair and offered it to Carrie, who gave him a small smile as thanks before taking a seat. Tristan noticed she had positioned herself away from the crowd and wondered if she was doing that to keep from being near people or if it was to keep from stealing the attention away from the Matrons. Perhaps it was both. She knew it was Their special day—Their last special day—and wouldn't want to ruin it by having everyone focused on her just because she wasn't in her house anymore. Whether it was through their own realizations or the other girls telling them, the others kept their distance and maintained focus on the Matrons.

Ryou and Yugi could not stay away from her, and in the end, neither could Tristan. He grabbed a chair and pulled it up with theirs to join the circle. They were talking quietly amongst themselves and paid no attention to the brunette, and he was fine with that. He just needed to see Carrie up close, to have his chance to talk to her. Despite her rejections and her being in a relationship with a dead guy and the passage of so much time, she still held a special place in his heart that could not be closed or replaced with anything else. He hated himself for liking her like this when she would never like him like this—he should just move on from the girl and try his hand at someone who would actually return his feelings. But even his crush on Serenity could not change it. Thus, he cared about her well-being just as much as Yugi and Yami…and apparently Ryou and Thief Bakura.

"I can't believe it. Bakura actually wanted to come help me out with Yami by dressing in drag? That's…unbelievable," Carrie commented with an amused look on her haggard face that didn't quite match the smiles of her companions. "I never thought that spirit would care about me enough to work with his greatest enemy and wear a skimpy Duel Monsters costume just to try to help me out."

Ryou chuckled. "Yes, and now he says I'm going to pay for telling you about it. But what's worse is how that isn't the first time I have ever heard him talk about wearing a dress. In fact…I think I distinctly remember waking up in an alley wearing a French maid costume with make-up on and my hair straightened." He flustered a bit before adding, "And for some strange reason…I had on a thong…"

Yugi turned red and Carrie burst into laughter, looking like her old self for a moment. Tristan laughed right along with her, causing Ryou to look more embarrassed by his admission. The poor kid was probably getting a headache from all the angry ranting his darker half was doing at the moment. The tall guy could honestly say he didn't pity him. Having a murderous evil spirit in one's head was one thing—having a murderous evil spirit that liked to cross-dress in one's head was another thing entirely. And he thought Carrie had it tough with a righteous spirit and a dark spirit battling it out in her mind…

"…Well…At least we know he's open to role-playing," Carrie said. "Bakura better not make you pay for sharing interesting stories with us. We all have our own unique experiences that make us who we are. He shouldn't be worried. Mirage still loves him all the same. Maybe next time he decides to be a French maid he could invite her over and she can be the handsome butler or sexy client whose house he's cleaning." She scowled as those words came out of her mouth. "She made me say that…God she's lame!"

"…Can we…Can we please not talk about this anymore?" Yugi stammered.

"Oh come now, Yugi. We are nearly adults. You can't still be shy about the subject of shagging, can you?" Ryou teased. Yugi's face only became redder at the word shagging as a response.

"Give him a break, Ryou. Unlike you, he's still a virgin," Carrie pointed out as she playfully punched her best friend's arm. "I thought Mirage would have taken your virginity from when she messed around with Bakura in her own body, but now that you've brought up your French maid story, I'm not so sure…"

_Own body? What's she mean by that? _Tristan thought, confused. He had no idea that Carrie had replaced herself with Iris or that she had been deathly ill as a result or that she had forced Mirage out of her in the dark form of a video game character because she had kept that a secret. Only those that had seen her and Iris knew it. Thus was why he had no idea what she was talking about.

"…Well…It's not like it's uncommon for seventeen-year-old boys to have lost their virginity," Ryou remarked, slightly embarrassed. "Duke hasn't had his for years. And I don't need to tell you about all the bangs Seto has under his belt. But that's beside the point. Yugi is acting like a child about this whole thing. He is probably a full-on virgin from the way he whines, which is…well…purely unhealthy for anyone our age."

"What do you mean by that?" Tristan asked, curiosity making him add his voice to this conversation at long last.

"You know what I mean," Ryou replied. "When boys reach a certain age, they…well…"

Tristan looked at him with wide eyes, shocked. "Ryou! How can you talk about that? We're in a house where little kids used to live! That's disgusting!"

Carrie held up a finger before he could say another word to the fluffy-haired Brit. "Hey, don't go blaming this on him. I broached the subject of virginity, and it was Yugi that brought up the incident of Bakura's plan to cross-dress yesterday." She pointed her finger at the blushing boy without looking away from her brown-eyed friend and added, "He brought it up in a very unusual way too. Yugi said, and I quote, 'Don't you need breasts to pull off a Duel Monster's outfit? Without boobs, wouldn't the whole thing just fall off?' Ryou had to explain for him because he was just too red to do it himself. And that, my pointy-haired friend, is why we're talking about the nasty habits of teenagers."

"Yugi…Ryou…I'm never going to look at you two the same way again," Tristan told them pointedly.

Ryou shrugged. "I never expected you to look at me in any way. I mean, I'm a British boy with a Japanese name and a dark spirit inside me that may or may not be gay. How can you really look at me in a way that's not judgmental?"

"Good point," Tristan concurred.

"It's okay, Ryou. We love you, anyway," Carrie said, reaching over and hugging him. This was very unexpected considering her affliction, but at least it was a good sign. She was able to touch the opposite gender without much trouble—progress. Ryou did not hesitate to return the gesture, though in Tristan's opinion, he returned it a little too tightly and his hands were a little low on her back. She released him and turned back to Yugi. "So, back to your issues with sensuality and the like…"

"Why the hell do you want to talk about that?!" Yugi exclaimed, his face's color putting a beet to shame once more. There was an unspoken note to his question that the others recognized and Tristan worried if perhaps his friend had been a bit brash in his deflection. That note could make Carrie react in a bad way and she could become unstable again. It had taken a week to get her to this point. Tristan didn't want her going back.

She smiled a small smile and leaned back in her seat. "Because teasing you is fun and you're the easiest target in our little group. Ryou lets all his secrets out—there's no sport in making fun of him. Tristan is pretty much an open book, too." At this, Tristan feigned an upset expression, though in reality he was only a little offended by her comment. "And me …Well, we all know my problems. That just leaves you, our little closed-off buddy who is just too shy for his own good and gets squeamish when the topic of sex is brought up."

Yugi paled. "…Don't say that word…"

"What word?" Carrie asked innocently though she was a guilty criminal. "…Sex?"

"Yes, that word," Yugi murmured.

"What's wrong with sex? Sex is natural and how you were created. Your mother and father banged in the bedroom several times for fun. One of those nights of passionate sex gave you life," Ryou pointed out. "And whenever your mum withheld sex, your father would go into the bathroom with a sensual magazine and wank. Wanking is also natural."

"…You two…are evil…," Yugi claimed, clamping his hands over his ears but failing to keep their words out.

"Sex is a part of life, man. Just accept it and they'll leave you alone," Tristan put in.

"Come now, love. Let us leave our poor little friend alone. I think we've scarred him enough for one day," Ryou agreed.

Carrie sighed and playfully ruffled Yugi's multi-colored hair. "Yeah…I hope you know we were just kidding around and meant no harm, Yugi. If we actually hurt you, I'd never be able to forgive myself. You're my best friend, and friends don't hurt one another. We just tease. Sometimes it gets bit out of hand…I'm sorry if that happened just now."

Yugi grinned up at her as best he could. "Nah…I've been through much worse. I'm just glad to have you back, Carrie."

"And I'm glad to be back," Carrie told him.

Carrie stood up and her little group stood with her. She hugged each of them in turn starting with Yugi and ending with Tristan. As he embraced her, he couldn't help but feel that she seemed stiff, tense even, in his arms. She wouldn't even look him or the others in the face and the hugs never lasted more than a couple of seconds. He wondered if perhaps she was still suffering from Carl's curse; if so, it took great strength for her to push past that enough to even touch her friends. He admired her for that strength as she quickly moved away from him after their hug, but he wished this could end. Misery did not suit her, no matter how much it tried.

There was a knock at the door. No other humans were expected to arrive at the Matron house, which meant it could only be one person. The time had come. Joey moved past the others to let Violet in, for it was the violet-haired Matron on the other side of the door. Her heels clicked on the wooden floor as she stepped inside, but she did not stay in for long. She said it would be better to conduct this business outside in the light of day. The procession did not argue with her and followed her out the back door.

Tristan, Ryou, and Yugi made to follow them, but Carrie remained where she stood and thus they did not go very far. She had lost her smile upon the arrival of her Matron-Watcher and her eyes were on the floor, refusing to look at anything as they hid behind her bangs. The boys exchanged glances, unsure of how to go about this. Of course they wanted to see the Matrons off; this was the last time they would see Them. But Carrie was their friend and had been so longer than those kids had been alive. If she was uncomfortable with going out there for whatever reason, they weren't about to leave her alone. She needed them now and now that they could help her, they weren't going to give that up.

"Carrie, love, what's wrong?" Ryou asked.

"…Nothing," Carrie lied, looking up at them with a forced smile on her lips. "I…I'm just not allowed to see my Watcher. It's in the rules of the Matrons…The Watcher can never reveal Himself or Herself to the human He or She watches over. Hell, I couldn't even look at Violet when She came in. She hid from my sight by having all those people around Her. I can't go out there. I have to stay in here until They're gone…So…You guys go out there and say goodbye to the Matrons for me, will you?"

"Sure, Carrie. But I…I really think Violet might make an exception. You helped raise her son and the other Matrons. Surely she'd understand if you wanted to see Them off," Yugi said, trying to get her to come out with him so she wouldn't be left alone. Tristan wondered if it was all his urgings or if Yami had something to do with it as well.

The blonde shook her head. "There are no exceptions."

She reached into the pocket of her pants and pulled out the glowing green amulet Tristan had seen her wearing for a few months now. Today she had chosen not to wear it but she still had it on her person. She had told the others about it when they were helping Joey take care of the Matrons when They were just babies. Violet had given it to her as a clue to how to help Yami save the world from the darkness that almost destroyed it in his time. That clue was that the past held the key to the future—vague as any clue could be—and she couldn't really figure out what to do with the information. She had worn it in hopes of it one day coming to her, but now she held it in her extended hand out to the boys that didn't want to leave her alone. What did this mean?

"…Will one of you please return this to Violet? It hasn't helped me any and I have no use for puzzles without solutions right now. If She asks why I don't want it, just tell Her that She's been _very helpful_—" The sarcasm in Carrie's tone was unmistakable. "—with figuring this out and that She should probably get a raise for doing _such a good job_ with Her duties as my Matron-Watcher who's supposed to keep the bad from taking over my life. Thank Her for everything and give this back."

Reluctantly, Ryou took it from her hand. She returned to sitting again and crossed her arms as her eyes glanced once more at the floor instead of at anything in particular. The boys exchanged looks, but they knew Carrie wanted to be alone and therefore wanted them to leave. They hesitated only a moment before going the path everyone else had gone already, all the while looking over their shoulders at the troubled blonde.

_Carrie, why must you always be like this? Left out and all alone in your misery...Why can't things be different for you? _Tristan wondered. _I wish I could heal you of all your pain, but it's a foolish wish. Not even Yami can do that. All we can do is nothing, and it makes me feel so useless._

_Oh Carrie, why can't things be as they once were?_

_Why can't the world let you be happy?_

* * *

Ryou looked upon the others as he stepped out of the house with Yugi and Tristan, the amulet with the cryptic clue grasped tightly in his pallid hand. The Matron-Watchers were lined up in front of and facing the humans and Their leader, the pale curly-haired woman who towered over all of the other females of her race, stood facing Them with her back to the humans. Now that They were all full-grown, They were almost see-through. The light moved through Them all, giving every Matron the appearance of spirits as They, in truth, were. Matrons were spiritual mortals with lives lasting much longer than any human's could ever be.

As he looked upon the leader of the Matron-Watchers, Ryou couldn't help but feel anger towards her. This woman was supposed to keep Carrie safe, to stop all the bad from happening to her and keep good things in her life. He recalled Joey saying something on the subject before, something about her duty having been hard because Carl's Matron died when that bastard's heart became dark, but that didn't make things any easier. He was tired of seeing Carrie suffer so much because this woman couldn't do her job without help. He gripped the amulet tighter in his hand, so tight in fact that it dug into his skin and made him bleed. She shared some of the blame for what had become of his friend. She had the power to stop Carl on that dreadful night and didn't lift a finger to help her charge when the worst thing was happening to Carrie.

_With you around, she might as well not even have a Matron-Watcher, _the white-haired boy thought bitterly.

He held his tongue as the Matrons went about Their ceremony of choosing whose soul They would look after. Most were names he didn't recognize as they were complete strangers that may or may not be in existence at present. The only two that really took his attention away from his anger at Violet were the ones spoken by Jaden and Rose.

"I choose the next hero of the world, Jaden Yuki!" Jaden announced proudly after his mother asked him the question she had asked all of those before him. "He has the same name as the one Joey gave me, so I won't forget him! And well…He seems like a really fun guy destined for some rough roads. I want to be there to help him through that."

"As expected, You have chosen well, My Son," Violet said, a small smile on her black lips. Her gaze turned towards the last in line, Rose. "And who do You wish to watch over, Child?"

Rose looked right at Joey as she responded with, "I want to watch over My caretaker, Joseph Wheeler, who does not have a Watcher and who has been a great man without one."

Everyone, including her fellow Matrons, was stunned by her declaration. No one had expected any of the Matrons to choose any of them to watch over despite Rose's close connection to the blonde boy. It just didn't seem likely. But here she was, breaking tradition because she didn't want to leave him behind forever. Ryou could understand that and their bond; it would be a shame to break it for no reason other than a forced change of scenery. He watched Violet's expression transform from shock to indifference as she regained her composure. Who the hell was she trying to fool? She was just as surprised as the rest of them.

"Child, are You sure You want to choose him? He does not require a Matron-Watcher as he is already on a righteous path balanced out with the good and the bad. There are others who may need Your strength and guidance. Do not be so quick to cast them aside just because You have a bond with Your former caretaker," Violet cautioned. "And do not forget that as a Matron, if You choose to watch over Joseph Wheeler, You can never reveal Yourself to him again. Do You understand this?"

"I have considered this fully, Leader. Though I do not agree with the rule Our kind have created, I will abide by it. Joey is deserving of one of Us, and I want to be that one for him even if You and the others do not agree it is right," Rose replied. "And also, I would like for You to let Joey keep the house he raised Us in so he does not have to live with his father anymore. That man can only serve to hurt him."

Violet looked ready to shoot her down, but thought better of it and sighed. "…Your heart is set on this. Your connection has been made, and it is Your decision. I cannot do anything to stop it; the matter is out of My hands. And yes, Joey can remain here. As You have made it clear You want this for him, it shall be done." She turned to the collective whole of those gathered and stood so she could look at both the humans and the Matrons. "Now say your farewells, for We depart this world until We are needed here again."

Rose, Jaden, Siren, Roxas, Axel, Glimmer, and Gun stepped forward to say goodbye and give hugs to the humans that had cared for Them for two months now. Ryou hugged each of the Matrons and said his farewells without really looking at any of Them for his brown eyes could only focus on Violet. She watched the procession patiently, looking pretty noble for a failure. She shouldn't look so high and mighty with all the wrongs she allowed to happen to Carrie. She should be miserable and weeping on the ground, begging for Carrie's forgiveness. His heart hardened against her and he felt the amulet cracking in his hand as his grip continued to tighten on it, resulting in more blood seeping through the breaks in his skin.

He kept silent as Violet opened up a portal between this world and the Realm of the Duel Spirits. He kept silent as the new Matrons departed one by one. First was Jaden, then went Rose, then went Siren, then went Roxas, then went Axel, then went Glimmer, and then went Gun. He kept silent as he watched each of those kids leave this place…

But once Gun's blue head disappeared through the portal, he could not hold it in.

Before Violet could step in after Them, he called out to her and emerged from the crowd. She turned back to inquire only to find him standing in front of her with his hand extended towards her in echo of Carrie when she held the amulet out to him. His hand was still clenched into a fist, but the blood was visible even then.

"Bakura, what is the meaning of this?" Violet wanted to know.

"Carrie wanted to return something to you. She would have been out here to do it in person, but her failure of a Matron-Watcher did not desire to see her," Ryou told her politely with an edge of venom in his voice. "So I'm doing it for her because I actually give a damn about her and what she needs."

"You're speaking nonsense. I do care about-!"

"Of course you would see it as nonsense. You don't understand what it means to protect something precious or what it is to truly care about someone," Ryou interjected before she could finish her words that he saw as lies. He opened his fist and revealed the bloodied-and-cracked glowing green amulet Violet had left in Carrie's room a few months ago. He did not fail to see how her abyss-colored eyes widened upon sight of the accursed thing. "Carrie told me to tell you that you've been _very bloody helpful_, so bloody helpful that you should get a damn raise for the _bloody good job _at your duties as a Matron-Watcher who's supposed to keep the bad from overtaking her life." He grabbed her arm with his empty hand and pulled it up so he could drop the blood-covered amulet in her hand, purposely leaving as much blood on her as he possibly could without prolonged touching. "I honestly think she was too soft with her choice of words, but I do not have all day to point out your flaws."

Violet looked at the mangled amulet before looking back at Ryou. "This is not for Me to take back. This is to help her save the world when the time comes. I have no need of this necklace…"

"And Carrie has no need of it…or you for that matter," Ryou countered.

"What do you mean by that?" Violet demanded, astonished by his claims.

Ryou laughed, sounding almost hysterical. "Oh, where do I begin? You claim that Matron-Watchers are supposed to be like guardian angels, protecting Their charge from suffering too greatly and to lend Their strength to and guide the one They watch over. You even lectured Rose about her choice, but You're in no position to be lecturing anyone with how much You've failed at this. Carrie started off fine, but seven years into her life things made a turn for the worst. She was abused, neglected, misused, rejected, and suffering all the time for over eight years in a row with hardly a bright spot in her sham of a life. Where were You, her bloody Watcher, when she was crying alone in her room covered in bruises and dying on the inside? It took an ancient spirit with no memory trapped within the Millennium Puzzle to set her free, and even then the bad kept piling up. First it was Pegasus stealing Jessica's soul. Then came her discovering the presence of her darker half, the evil being we know as Mirage. She was constantly getting hurt on the island of Duelist Kingdom, and that's not even bringing up how You let Bandit Keith sexually assault her and nearly do worse. If Tea and Yami hadn't been there she would have broken even worse than she did that day. Then her soul was torn when she dueled Pegasus and she couldn't even control her body for an entire month.

"But this is only the beginning of your failures, dearest Violet. We hit the really bad stuff after we move past Battle City. But in Battle City, of course, we cannot forget how You allowed for her to be captured and manipulated by a misguided Marik where she was made to duel against Yugi and Yami chained to an anchor and she nearly died. If not for the bravery of Serenity, she would be at the bottom of the sea. Luckily for her, that was the worst thing You allowed to happen to her in that bloody little tournament. Unluckily for her, the worst was yet to come. In the darkness of a night that should have been a pleasant one for her, You allowed Carl to find her, to beat her senselessly until she was barely alive, to do what no father should ever do to his child for any reason. You let that happen to her when You could have saved her just as easily. This wound, inflicted by the damn hands of that bastard, haunts her to this day because You did nothing to help her. You may as well have inflicted this wound on her Yourself. Mirage exacted justice when You should have made that unnecessary, but of course, You're used to letting dark forces do whatever they want.

"Then Carrie was fine for awhile…" Ryou knew this part was a lie—Carrie had not been fine because she had replaced herself with Iris to escape being human, which almost led to her death again—but he could not speak the truth in front of so many people who didn't know it. Carrie hadn't wanted it to be common knowledge and thus he minded her wishes. "…There was only the one attempt on her life by someone we never found. But then Noah almost killed her along with the rest of us because his father and the Big Five corrupted him and wanted the bodies of Your kind. But then, I don't need to explain this failure to You. You know what You did wrong there. But You should know about everything You've done wrong in Carrie's life…Though I seriously doubt You'll ever admit to being a failure undeserving of the position of leader of the Matron-Watchers, it takes a weight off my chest venting to You. Before I forget, I have one last thing to add. That amulet You gave to her, which I suppose was Your feeble attempt to guide her, wasn't very much of a guide at all. 'The past holds the key to your future' could mean any number of things and isn't very helpful in the slightest. Hell, it's more useless than You have proven to be. But then, I'm only telling You this because Carrie can't do so herself thanks to Your stupid rules. If anything, I'm going easy on You. She would say so much worse with much more colorful words. And I wouldn't blame her."

People were whispering behind him, but Ryou paid them no attention. He kept his bitter gaze on Violet, watching her as she absorbed everything he had said.

"…You do not know what I have gone through, Ryou, in My duties as the Watcher of the world's present-day heroine. It is not an easy task, and you are right. I have failed. I am a failure," Violet admitted with a great deal of reluctance. "But it is not My fault. With so few of My kind around to balance the forces on the hearts of the short-lived humans, the position of Matron-Watcher is harder to fill than ever before. You believe Me to be some magical being that can prevent all the wrongs in Carrie's life in their tracks, but you overestimate My powers. Not even the strongest Watcher could do such a thing. Humans act of their own accord and will do what they will to whoever they want. Because of Carrie's role to play in this world, keeping such things in line is even harder than it would be for another human. You have to understand that."

"I have to understand nothing," Ryou retorted.

"I didn't even choose to be Carrie's Watcher," Violet stated, sounding more bitter than she meant to sound because Ryou's anger was starting to annoy her.

"Then why are You going by that title?" Ryou wanted to know.

"Because when My original charge died, I had to protect the hero of the world or else she would have been gone long ago," Violet replied. "If not for me, Carl would have killed her and Jessica a long time before he tried. Someone had to keep such a thing from happening to she who would save Us all, and I was forced to be that someone."

"So You failed Your original charge, too? How are You still allowed to be a Watcher?" Ryou asked with as much venom as he had at his disposal.

"I kept her life positive. Circumstances out of My hands took her from this world," Violet stated. "You of all people should know she died after living a happy, if brief, life. After all, Ryou Bakura, it was your sister Amane that I watched over. Do you still consider Me a failure despite all I did for her, even taking on her as My own pain in her final moments after the accident?"

Ryou was in shock from her admission, a shock that took away most of his anger in an instant. Amane Bakura, his dear sister, had been dead for years now. She still held a piece of his heart even after all this time, but he hadn't had the chance to really think about her until just now. His sister had faded from this world far too quickly—he still wrote letters to her because no matter how much time passed he could never truly let her go. Now to hear that Carrie's failing Matron-Watcher had originally been Amane's…It was too much. His sister had lived happily in her short existence, but yes…Violet had failed her as well…by letting her die as she did.

What kind of sick, twisted counterexample was this supposed to be?

His anger returned full-force, guided by the hands of Thief Bakura. Ryou did not resist his taking over—despite how kind and gentle and pure the brown-eyed boy was, a part of him wanted to make Violet pay for hurting two people he cared about through her negligence in their lives—and fell back into his mental prison to allow his counterpart to release his rage. Violet did not fail to notice the change and moved to make her exit.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Thief Bakura demanded, grabbing her pale wrist with his bloody hand and keeping her from entering the portal. "You think you can bring up Ryou's dead sister and get away with it?" She struggled against him; it was only a matter of time until she used her powers to get the upper-hand. He knew this but was too fueled by Ryou's anger to care. "You failed little Amane just as you fail Carrie with every passing day! You could have kept her alive! Instead you let her die! I won't let you make the same mistake with Carrie! I'll kill you before I let that happen!"

Before she could use her powers, Thief Bakura drew back his fist and punched her in the face, releasing her arm at the last second so her body could fall to the ground. The others gasped and shouted, but he could care less what they thought of him assaulting this bitch. She had hurt his hikari by failing Amane and Carrie; she had to be dealt with for doing it and that was that. He proceeded to kick the violet-haired woman, delivering them swift and true so her Matron powers would not be able to come to her rescue. She was stronger than a human, so the damage he inflicted was not as great as it could have been if she was normal flesh and bone. Still, his attacks were enough to make her cough up blood and double over in pain.

"You think this is painful?! You're only getting a taste of what Carrie had to endure in her life! You could have saved her from this! You could have kept her safe! You could have saved Amane as well! But you didn't!" Thief shouted while he continued to hurt the Matron. "You'll pay for what you let happen to them! You'll pay!"

"Bakura! Enough!"

The voice that called out to him now belonged to one he despised almost as much as he hated Violet and Carl. He stopped kicking Violet but pressed his foot against her throat so she wouldn't get any ideas about escaping before turning to face the crimson glare of the Nameless Pharaoh.

"Why should I spare this swine?! She has done nothing to help anyone since she revealed herself to that Wheeler kid!" Thief Bakura remarked vehemently, forcing Violet to gag as he applied more pressure to her throat. "Hell, she hasn't done any good since she was born! She is the reason Ryou's sister is dead and Carrie is slowly dying! She cannot be allowed to escape such crimes without punishment!"

"This is not the way to go about this. Violet is only mortal and She is prone to make mistakes like humans do. She has tried to help Carrie, and I believe in my heart that much worse could have befallen her if Violet had not been there to look out for her. I am sorry that she could not save Amane Bakura from the clutches of death, but killing this woman will not bring her back nor will it stop Carrie's suffering," Yami pointed out. "You must not let your emotions cloud your actions, Bakura. You kill her now and Carrie's life could end in the blink of an eye. Then what good would come from this? Death solves nothing. Let Her go and rest in the knowledge that you will perhaps never see her again."

Thief Bakura huffed. "You're wrong. Death can solve many things. But I have little doubt that if I killed a Matron, even one as useless as this one, there would be serious repercussions from the other side that might cut my life too short to fulfill my plans. Fine. I'll spare this cockroach for now. But mark my words, Pharaoh. If I ever see this bitch again, I won't hesitate to end her life. Regardless of what price I must pay for doing it, it shall be worth avenging Amane and Carrie's pain to see this wench die."

He removed his foot from Violet's throat, but she hardly had enough time to breathe before Thief Bakura lifted her off the ground and tossed her into the portal. It closed with her departure, taking away the cause of so much misery. With her and his reason for staying here a moment longer gone, Thief Bakura turned on his heel and walked away.

_Thank you, Thief, for doing what I could never do, _Ryou murmured from his prison.

_**You're quite welcome. I just wish that meddling Pharaoh hadn't stepped in. I feel unfulfilled having let her leave with her life.**_

_You did what you could...for me, Amane, and Carrie. We couldn't ask you for more._

_**Well, there's always next time to rectify this failure…**_

* * *

_A/N: I don't have any idea how this chapter turned out the way it did. First I had that little tangent conversation with Carrie, Ryou, Yugi, and Tristan about sex and masturbation (sorry if anyone found that offensive, by the way.) Then I go and switch it over to Ryou getting angry—which is not in his character at all—and going off on Violet only to have her reveal she was originally his dead sister's Watcher. And then Thief Bakura tries to kill her only to be thwarted by Yami. Sheesh this was random!_

_While I'm at it, I should explain why I capitalized the words he, she, they, them, etc. when people were referring to Matrons. The Matrons are, for the most part, very powerful beings. They can even be viewed as demigods or weak gods that do have life spans—Theirs are just a lot longer than ours. I did not make this denotation before because the children were still developing, but on this day They were considered to be grown up and therefore gained this respect. The more capitalized pronouns used for the Matrons, the more respect the character or characters has for the kind. Thus was why Thief Bakura's dialogue had no capitalized pronouns since he has no respect for them._

_I made Them up, so I can do whatever I want with Them!_

_Well, what did you think of this chapter? Please tell me without being rude or the like. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day._


	75. 75 - Tainting Darkness Moves

_A/N: As we stumble upon the three-year anniversary of this story, I have come to realize that I am only about halfway through the storyline of **Yu-Gi-Oh!** I started this at the beginning of my freshmen year of high school when I was only fourteen years of age. Now I'm about to be seventeen and a senior. I think if you read my first chapter and compare it to some of these more recent chapters, you can see how much my style has changed. Since this has been my main project since I entered high school, I feel that finishing this by the time I leave high school would only be fitting._

_Thus being the case, I am putting all of my other stories on this site on hold until this story reaches its end. This means that only this story will be worked on—with an occasional One-Shot when inspiration strikes—and thus may be updated more frequently. School will take precedence over this, of course, but otherwise I will dedicate a good portion of my free time to working on new chapters for this._

_Now that that's outta the way, let's continue towards Waking the Dragons, shall we?_

* * *

Chapter 75

The passing of eight days returned things nearly to normal. Carrie was able to mingle with men just fine, though she still could not stand prolonged touching with the opposite sex, and thus the girls believed they could leave her in peace. Alyssa, Nefer-Tina, and Tea returned home and Mako came back to the house now that he knew Carrie wouldn't react badly to seeing him. She still preferred to keep her distance for her own sanity and had yet to reclaim the Puzzle from Yugi, but everyone believed it wouldn't be long until she was back to the way she had been before Joey had accidentally reminded her of that terrible night.

Mai could not get over her own mental pains so easily. Every time she looked upon Carrie's desolate face, she was reminded of how she could have saved the girl from that tragedy. She could have because she knew what was to come. Mirage had warned her as best she could and even took steps to keep Carl from striking earlier. All it took was her closing her violet eyes for a moment for the memory of her encounter with a Mirage-controlled Harpie Lady to come crashing down in her mind.

"_Don't leave Carrie alone."_

_The words were spoken so quietly in the still air that Mai almost thought she had imagined them. But then she heard them again, and it sounded like it was coming from her purse which was resting on the table next to the door. She quietly walked over to it and pulled out her deck. A card in it was glowing an eerie red color. She pulled it away from the others—when she did so, the light brightened blindingly and expanded. Mai shielded her eyes until the light faded only to find the red-haired Harpie Lady standing in front of her with glowing red eyes. She was shocked, believing herself to be dreaming, but some part of her knew the ten-foot winged woman standing in front of her was not of her imagination._

"_Wh…What are you doing here? How was it that I was able to summon you?" Mai asked in a shrill whisper, glancing over at Carrie's sleeping form in fear that the light might have awaken her. The blonde girl just turned, pulling the sheets closer._

"_You did not summon me. Mirage reached out to control me so that someone might be warned of what is to come," the red-haired Harpie replied in a monotone that suggested that the one that summoned her was also controlling her. "She cannot keep me here for long, so I must be brief. Mai, listen to me. There is someone after Carrie, someone that she knows well and has been powerless against for the most part. Mirage saw him when Carrie was in the bookstore and she failed to notice him, and Mirage has a premonition that he intends to hurt her somehow. Since you are her closest friend, Mirage believed it wise to inform you. She is unable to take control of Carrie's body because the girl has developed a strong will and Uria has gotten stronger, so she used what energy she could to bring me out."_

"_Who is this man?" Mai wanted to know._

"_He is-" The Harpie quickly fell silent and glanced suddenly at the door. Mai didn't sense what the Duel Monster/Mirage did, but from one of the nearby windows she noticed a shadow that shouldn't have been there. Her heart began to race in fear of what might happen. Another card in Mai's deck glowed, and this time she hesitated not to pull it out. A weapon that looked much like a gun appeared in the red-haired Harpie's hand, and she made her way silently over to one of the windows that the shadow wasn't near. "I shall send him away now, for I lack the strength to take him down at the moment. My apologies for that. I won't be able to return to tell you the man's identity. This will sap the rest of the power Mirage has given me. Just don't leave Carrie alone, especially at night, until this menace is taken out."_

_Before Mai could ask any more questions, Harpie Lady had flown through the window. Mai watched the shadow, waiting for the Duel Monster to drive it away. A couple of minutes passed, and then she heard gunshots, perhaps from the weapon the Harpie had. The shadow ducked down before disappearing altogether while gunshots continued to ring out. They died out after a few minutes as Mai held her breath. Her heart never stopped racing._

'_**I shall keep him away the best I can for tonight,'**_ _Harpie_ _Lady said in her mind._ _'__**Stay by her side, regardless.'**_

But Mai hadn't stayed by her side. Caught up in preparations for Kaiba's party, she had let the warning leave her mind and left Carrie at the house. She hadn't been alone, it was true; Serenity had still been at the house because it was her first day of living there and she had wanted to stay. Even so, it had not been Serenity's responsibility to keep Carrie safe. Mai had given her word to Yami to watch over her in his absence—she practically swore that nothing would happen to the blonde girl—and had not followed through.

Her violet eyes, shut to the world, allowed a few tears to slip out as she recalled that feeling in her chest when she realized that Carrie wasn't at the house anymore and how she had frantically raced around town trying to find her friend, trying to save her friend before something terrible happened, without any success. Her heart had pounded loudly in her ears as she rushed into the Kaiba mansion looking for Carrie only to still not see her and within moments of realizing she wasn't there only to hear Alyssa mention Carrie being in the hospital and that she had to go. Mai, Tristan, Yami, and Kaiba had accompanied her in a limo and all the while Mai began to hate herself. Even then she knew what had happened was her fault. She may not have inflicted the wounds upon the girl, but she was still to blame because she knew but did next to nothing to stop it.

As light began to filter through her window, she realized there was no point in trying to sleep anymore. Not that she ever really slept anymore, but she wished she might get even a few hours every night. But then, she wasn't good enough for that…No, she wasn't worthy of anything after she had failed her friend.

_Up and at 'em, Mai, _the busty woman morosely thought as she forced her body into the upright position. _You have a big day ahead of you. Work and taking care of the household during the day, and then this evening you have that dueling tournament in Tokyo to go to where you're sure to dominate. Yugi, Carrie, Kaiba, and Joey didn't sign up for it since it's just a tiny one, but then they have little to prove…But I'm not so lucky. I'm not as well-known as those guys…Hopefully this tournament will change that…_

Word had managed to get out about Joey defeating Carrie in a duel on the day she had her breakdown. Before that, he hadn't been very well-known himself, but victory over the former Queen of Games had accelerated his rise to fame. She had heard him complaining about having to look out for fangirls and fanboys now and how he would rather be mugged by gangsters any day over that. Yugi and Kaiba were still very popular, what with the first being the current King of Games and the second being his greatest rival, and people still worshipped Carrie despite her not having dueled in public in a long time and especially not any she had won. Mai wasn't even sure if the poor girl was even interested in Duel Monsters anymore.

But Carrie must have had some interest in the game, however, because she had asked Mai if she could come to the tournament with her as a casual observer. Of course, Carrie knew she would have to be in disguise to avoid being recognized and swarmed by fans, to which she was open. She had told her violet-eyed friend that she would be there as support and would cheer her on no matter what happened. Mai knew the others in the gang would probably come out to support her, too, but they were busy with preparing to go back to school as well as the other aspects of their lives. Only Carrie could spare the time to go with Mai.

_Isn't that ironic? _Mai thought bitterly, slipping into her fluffy purple slippers before stepping out of her room.

No one else was out of their rooms when she made her way down the stairs—she didn't expect them to be. Because of it being summer, Serenity and Jessica were keeping busy until late at night and would sleep in until after noon. Carrie was still recovering from her issues and probably got as much sleep as Mai, but still stayed in her room until at least eleven. Mako still had his job that kept him out until the evening, so he was often tired and slept sporadically. She would be alone until she left for work.

Sipping on chocolate milk while waiting for her fudge Pop Tarts to be toasted, Mai let her mind wander for a bit though she did not release the reigns completely. After all, if she had she knew her mind would return to her guilt and she would end up feeling sick to her stomach and thus unable to do her job. It managed to turn to Joey and the way she felt when he pressed his lips against hers. He was younger than her by seven years, still a minor, while she was an adult and then some. Any chance of their coupling just felt so wrong with such a gap in age…and yet even now, something about it still felt so right.

Her heart fluttered anew just as it had when he made his bold move that morning; she had had to control it then but did not have to do so now. His touch, his voice, his lips, his personality…It was all so alluring. A boy like him should have a girlfriend on his arm with girls looking after him everywhere he went, but as far as she knew no one appeared to be interested in him. Hell, he had been single forever according to Tristan when she asked him bout Joey's status. No one in the gang aside from Carrie had been in a relationship, and even she was in her first. Mai wondered what was holding them back, but mostly her mind focused on Joey. A good guy like him who was so attractive even to someone like her deserved to experience love.

_Maybe I should try to find him a girl. I'm a good judge of character and could find him someone worthy of him, _she thought, munching on her breakfast while still deep in thought. _I may not be right for him, but I can find someone who is. He may not like it now since he's got his schoolboy crush on me, but he'll thank me for it later. He needs someone his age, not some old lady like me, who can love him better than I ever could. Besides, we're just friends…I don't like him like that. _She sighed and shook her head. _Now if only I could say that convincingly to myself and other people…_

She returned upstairs to shower and change into her work clothes, all the while wishing her thoughts and emotions would leave her alone. If they kept assaulting her while she was too tired to fend them off, there was no way she was going to emerge victorious in that dueling tournament this evening. No one ever supported a loser, and this held especially true in the Duel Monsters world. If she was ever going to make a name for herself, she had to get her head in the game.

_No more focusing on guilt or Joey. From here on out, it's all about Duel Monsters, _Mai thought as she stepped into her convertible. _Get my head in the game and move forward._

* * *

Rafael glanced over at his brunette associate as they waited outside Dartz's sanctuary for their master to emerge. The multicolor-eyed man had called them both here for a reason neither really knew. All they were aware of was that Dartz had an assignment for them and Alister was bitter about being left out of the fun. They had been called up an hour ago but were left alone as the Atlantean performed his rituals that no one but him understood. The Aussie sat casually across from Rafael, looking as though he might even be sleeping. The blonde muscleman could not be sure since his associate had his goggles pulled on over his eyes, but then, he only did that off his motorcycle when he was sleeping, so chances were that he was snoozing over there. Rafael never could understand how that guy could be so relaxed with the end of the world as they knew it so close at hand…

The door opened loudly, jolting the brunette biker from his sleep or casual lounging or whatever it was and drawing the attention of the older man. No one emerged, but they didn't expect Dartz to exit. Whenever the door opened ominously it meant he wanted them to come in. Rafael rose from his seat while brunette stretched and removed his goggles from his face before doing the same. Exchanging glances, the men entered the room and the door closed behind them of its own accord.

Dartz had his back to them as they entered the sanctuary, but that was not unusual. The duo stopped a few feet behind him and knelt as they were accustomed to doing whenever in the presence of their master. Rafael personally found it a bit degrading but never said anything about it because he was in the green-haired man's debt. The others that worked for Dartz were in a similar situation and thus would never voice any complaints about bowing to the man. They remained on one knee silently and awaited Dartz's recognition and speech.

"Rise," he said after a moment without turning around to look at them. "Right now there is no need for such formality when you are about to undergo such an important mission."

"Oh, and what's so important that even Alistar's outta the loop? He's done nothin' but gripe since he found out, and frankly, it's been quite annoying. I'd rather have 'im on this gig than me. It'd shut 'im up right fast, and besides, it seems a bit overblown," the Aussie said, accent very present as the words rolled off his tongue. He rose along with Rafael, but the blonde did not like how the man did not respect Dartz as he ought to do.

"I believe you'll think differently when you begin the mission, dear Valon. You have heard me mention the female duo of hunters who would be coming to our side before we begin the cleansing of the world. Some of you have questioned why we must wait for them, but the wait is finally over," Dartz told them. "Tonight, you and Rafael will be retrieving them in Tokyo when their wills have been tried and they are ready to come into the light of the Orichalcos. You will be responsible for bringing them here to me where the Great Leviathan will judge their souls and make them the Soul Hunters we need."

Valon grunted with a roll of his eyes. "So you're sending us on a chick run? That doesn't sound so important. Send Alister on this one. He enjoys easy missions with little purpose much better than I do."

"Show some respect, Valon," Rafael growled.

"No, it's quite all right, Rafael. The boy has a rebellious spirit, of which I admire. Just make sure you don't forget where such a spirit has placed you in the past, Valon," Dartz commented, and Rafael saw Valon's smile disappear as the memory of his past came to him. No one under Dartz's control had a great past, but from the way the master liked to hold it over him it seemed Valon's was extremely rough. "Mai Valentine will be participating in a tournament with Carrie West accompanying her in disguise. You should have no trouble finding them when they are ready to be found. Now, Swordsmen of Doma, go forth and bring our sisters here so that the Orichalcos can once again begin the cleansing of the earth. I await your return with high expectations. Do not disappoint me."

The long-haired man raised his arm and the same door that had granted them entrance before opened once more. Valon, slightly upset by Dartz reminding him of where he had once been, turned on his heel and couldn't seem to get out of there fast enough. Rafael shook his head as he followed suit. Just like Valon, he didn't like putting off things just for a couple of girls, but Dartz knew best and Rafael knew better than to ask questions about this again. He just hoped Carrie and Mai would prove to be worth all this otherwise pointless waiting…

* * *

When Carrie met Mai outside that evening, the woman could hardly recognize the girl. Her blonde locks were hidden underneath a curly green wig and her usually makeup-less face was made up to match her Gothic outfit. Even her nails were painted black. The clothes were not as conservative as what she had been wearing as of late, but still enough so she wouldn't be uncomfortable. Someone dressed as she was at a Duel Monsters tournament would surely be overlooked. Duel Monsters did attract some freaky characters, so she would blend in just fine. Mai admired her taste and wished she had the guts to dress in such a stereotyped uniform of a negatively represented group of people.

They arrived in Tokyo about an hour later and pulled up to the stadium where the tournament was to be held. Trying to find a place to park was troublesome, but Mai had expected such a crowd from the fans as well as contestants hoping to make it to the top. She and Carrie went their separate ways at the double doors with the former being a participant and the latter being a part of the audience. Her violet eyes watched Carrie go, wondering if it was wise to have brought the girl along when she was still recovering, but it was too late to consider that now. They were here and there was no turning back.

Her Harpies blew the competition away time and time again. The competition seemed a bit too easy in comparison to the duels she had fought in Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, and even when she was trapped in that virtual world of Noah Kaiba's the duels were harder. She had to remind herself that in those tournaments she was going against pros whereas now most were very amateur. Only a handful gave her a little challenge, but always she managed to come out on top. Still, it did provide a decent distraction from her guilt of having failed Carrie and her mixed emotions over Joey. She had to give it that much, at least.

The last duel pitted her against the second-best duelist at this tournament. She was disappointed to not find anyone she knew had come to participate in this event, but then, she was also somewhat embarrassed that practically everyone in the stadium didn't know who she was, either. Having made it to the finals in two huge tournaments hosted by the creator of Duel Monsters and a great duelist whose company produced a lot of the gaming responsible for the advancement of this game, Mai had thought people would at least recognize her name. But no, it was not to be. Just like Joey, she was overshadowed for some reason she would probably never know, and that really bugged her. One glance at Carrie in the audience as she drew her hand against her opponent and she could tell the girl felt the same about the matter.

_If Carrie hadn't become Queen of Games, I bet Kaiba would have limited her publicity, too, _Mai thought bitterly. _He hates her and Joey, after all, and it's because of him that it took so long for Joey's talent to be recognized by the dueling world. I don't know why he would keep me out of the limelight…Maybe he has something against women who have a lot of talent in his game. All I know is…I will make a name for myself, with or without his or Pegasus's approval._

Her opponent was tougher than all the others, but in the end she defeated him just like everyone else that had opposed her. But despite winning and receiving the beautiful crystal trophy along with the prize money, Mai felt unfulfilled. She couldn't explain it, but somehow this victory felt…empty…and so did she. She wandered through the halls while waiting for Carrie to find her, her trophy cradled in one arm, trying to make sense of her feelings without avail. The lights flickered due to a storm that had blown in during the tournament, reminding her that she had left the top down on the car and the seats would probably be soaked.

_Damn it! _Mai thought, mentally chiding herself. _Why didn't I remember to put it up before we came in here? Stupid! What a fun ride home that'll be! I am such an-!_

She stopped in mid-thought as she came to the end of the hall where it branched off into another. The voice of her final opponent could be heard along with those of what must have been his friends. She paused to listen to them only to end up wishing she hadn't. He felt bad for losing, but his friends reminded him that it wasn't against one of the big-namers and that his opponent had just gotten lucky. Mai didn't know if they were just saying it to cheer him up or if they really believed she had no talent, but it hurt to hear them say she wasn't someone to look forward to dueling like Yugi or Kaiba or Carrie. To them, she was just another duelist that should have been defeated. Even her opponent now seemed to regret losing to someone like her.

Upset, Mai threw her trophy against the wall and let the crystal shatter into millions of pieces before running away. Those that had been speaking about her heard the noise and turned the corner to see the mess. They put two and two together and realized Mai must have heard what they had said, but just laughed about it. They chose the wrong person to laugh about, for Carrie had seen and heard everything from the other end of the hall and did not hesitate for even a moment to make each and every one of them pay for talking badly about her friend. The old her, the one she had left behind in New York and that had only emerged one other time on Duelist Kingdom, came out to defend Mai's honor in a fury of fists and unrestrained rage that may have been fueled by her own anger at herself.

She did not leave that hall until all those that hurt Mai were lying battered and bruised and unconscious on the ground. Even then she brashly remarked that they had gotten off easy and spat at Mai's final opponent before walking towards the exit. Her green wig had fallen off during the assault, but she didn't care if anyone recognized her anymore. Justice had been served and that was all that mattered.

Carrie found Mai standing outside in the rain with her back against a wall, looking miserable and lost. Even though she knew her violet-eyed friend had been hurt by the words of those rude bastards, the green-eyed girl realized this misery and lost feeling stemmed from something else, something Mai was keeping hidden from her. Everyone deserved to have their secrets, so Carrie did not pry. She just made her way over to the woman and hugged her as tightly as she could in hopes that she might be able to reach Mai wherever she was. Mai did not return the gesture; she didn't even react to it.

Tears fell from both sets of eyes as they stood in the rain wishing to be free of their own pains if even for a moment.

The blinding light from the headlights on a couple of motorcycles hit them suddenly, waking Mai from her dazed state and putting Carrie on the offensive once more. She released her blonde friend and turned towards the possible threats, fists drawn in preparation for a fight. Two figures moved in front of her, one taller and more built than the other, both male, and they stood with their backs to the light. Despite the dark sky and the rain and their blocking of the light, the girls could see their features perfectly. Mai looked worriedly at the back of Carrie's head, remembering that she wasn't fully recovered and wondering how she would react to being cornered by strangers of the opposite gender.

_I shouldn't have let her come with me. Not now when she's still healing from what that bastard Carl did to her. She isn't even well enough to accept Yami back into the house. What was I thinking? _Mai thought regretfully.

"Hey, aren't you Mai Valentine?" the brunette man asked with a slightly heavy Australian accent. For someone who had cornered the girls, Mai found that he was speaking kind and softly. This was odd if he and his blonde friend intended to do bad things to them, but it wouldn't be the strangest thing she had ever witnessed. Hell, it wouldn't even rank in the top ten if she was to make a list.

"…Why do you want to know?" Mai demanded.

"I happen to be a fan of your dueling, dear. You are a fantastic duelist and you use those Harpies of yours like no one I have ever seen. I wanted to congratulate you on your victory over those chumps in there. They may not appreciate your presence in such a lowly tournament, but then, they are beneath you," he replied. Even if this guy turned out to be a thief or rapist or murderer, she couldn't help but be touched by his kind words. It had been so long since someone sincerely complimented her dueling ability, and after having been burned by those jerks in the stadium, Mai felt that such encouragement reached her better than it could have before. "My name's Valon, by the way, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Valentine."

"Nice story. I don't believe a word of it," Carrie stated bluntly. Her tone made Mai even more worried than she had been before. When did Carrie become so cold, so dark, so like she had been before Yami had come into her life? "If that was all you wanted to do, you and your boyfriend wouldn't have cornered us like this. What the hell do you really want to do with us? I need to know before I kick your asses."

Valon scowled at her remark. "I'll have you know that I'm not gay. In fact, I'm prolly the straightest man on the face of this world. And even if I was, I would be able to land me a better man than Rafael, that's for sure. Who are you to be making threats, anyway?"

"Does the name Carrie West ring any bells?" Carrie wanted to know, though her question seemed too angry to be anything but rhetorical.

It was the blonde, the man Valon named as Rafael, who dared to answer. "Ah, yes. The niece of Maximillion Pegasus who was once Queen of Games but lost her title to Yugi Muto in the final duel of the Battle City Tournament. You were once the top duelist, and then you were once the second-best duelist, but now I suppose you are just lucky enough to be considered a top duelist, considering you lost to Joey Wheeler and now rank beneath him and Seto Kaiba. Where has that talent gone? Have you just fallen on bad luck or do you just not have any talent at all? Perhaps you just don't care anymore. Or maybe, and this seems more likely, you're all washed up."

"Now, now, Rafael. There's no need to be that cruel to the poor girl," Valon commented as Carrie's anger made itself known on her face and in her tightly-clenched fists. "You know she ain't had it very easy these last few months. With so many problems in her life, it's no wonder her talent has started to slide." He turned his blue gaze towards Carrie before he spoke again. "We mean you no disrespect, Carrie, nor do we mean to harm either of you. We are merely here to ask for your help."

"Yeah, right," Carrie grumbled sarcastically. "How the hell do you even know anything about me? What gives you the right to patronize me?"

"Our master knows all about you and shared his knowledge with us about both you and Mai. We may even know you better than you know yourselves," Rafael told her.

"But such things are better explained over a friendly game of Duel Monsters, so why don't we play for a bit? Me against the great Mistress of Harpies and Rafael versus the former Queen of Games. If we win, you come with us to Master Dartz to save the world and yourselves from the evil within. If we lose, we leave as though we never came," Valon said, activating the strange duel disk on his left arm. Rafael copied his motion.

Mai stepped forward and rested a hand on Carrie's shoulder to get the girl to look her way. "What do you think? I'm for it…It wouldn't hurt to play a little card game…"

"These men are strangers, and they know too much for my liking. I don't trust them," Carrie muttered. "Besides, even if I wanted to play their game, I don't have my duel disk or deck on me. I left them in the car, and since we forgot to put the top up on it they're probably soaked through."

"That's where you're wrong, Carrie," Valon put in, catching the females' attention as Rafael withdrew her duel disk and deck from his billowing black jacket and tossed them to her. "We took it into our own hands to keep your vehicle dry and make sure you couldn't back out of this challenge. You have no excuses now."

"So what's it going to be, West? Are you going to show me that you're not washed up, or are you going to let Carl win after all?" Rafael challenged.

Carrie's brow furrowed. "You're gonna wish you'd never challenged me, you bastard!"

* * *

Carrie and Mai collapsed to the rain-covered ground, defeated by their opponents simultaneously but also mentally battered by what had been shared during their duels. Rafael had not lied when he said they knew everything about the girls, and their knowledge coupled with their skills had been the blondes' undoing. Rendered powerless by men once again, Carrie's mind recalled the last time this had happened with terror and the girl could not stop herself from shuddering. She rolled into the fetal position, hugging herself so tightly her arms went numb, trying to disappear into her mind as she had done once before but unable to do so.

**Let me loose, Carrie! Let me free and I'll save you like I could have that night! **Mirage pleaded, not wanting to relive that anguish or to watch Carrie suffer like that again when she was just starting to heal from the last time.

The blonde girl was almost tempted to give in to her darkness's pleas, but then she heard Valon offering to make Mai stronger to overcome her weaknesses while also admiring the skill she did have already. Having dueled alongside Mai in the presence of these brutal but intelligent men, Carrie had come to know what had been bothering her friend for so long. The guilt, the mixed feelings in her heart over Joey, the shame of not being recognized despite her struggles to prove that she was a great duelist…All of it had been revealed in a matter of minutes. Carrie had no idea Mai was carrying all that stuff on her chest before now. Mai had known Carrie's problems just fine—the whole world probably knew that—but Carrie had been unknowing of her this whole time.

Valon's words apparently reached Mai because she took his hand and agreed to go with him. Carrie could only stare up in awe as her friend promised her services to a power neither had ever heard of before today.

**Stupid mortal! What in the Shadow Realm is she doing?! **Mirage snapped, clearly unhappy with Mai's choice. **Do not follow in her footsteps, Carrie! The Orichalcos that mortal speaks of…I sense its presence on them and it is not as good as they would have you believe! It reeks of evil far older than even me! Do not allow yourself to be deceived like Mai! Do not fall for their lies!**

Rafael knelt beside her as Mirage continued to urge her to not go with them, but avoided touching her as best he could. It was almost like he knew her crushing defeat at his hand had sent her spiraling back to that terrible night, which considering his other knowledge of her wouldn't be surprising, and realized that contact with the opposite sex was the last thing she needed. He just knelt there looking at her with those gray eyes of his while Valon and Mai watched from where they were standing together, waiting for her to turn her dull emerald eyes up in his direction.

"Carrie," he said softly and kindly, speaking so for the first time since she had met him. "You don't have to live like this. Reliving that night whenever you are overpowered by a man or whenever words are spoken that he spoke that night…It's no way to live. Carl West was an evil man amongst evil men in this world filled with evil. This world is full of people just like him that are allowed to live normal lives because this dark world does not care for kindness. You know that firsthand with the hard life you have struggled to live that has been full of nothing but pain. Even when you were named the savior of the world alongside the Nameless Pharaoh, a so-called righteous route, the pain did not come to an end. That path is evil in disguise and you must break free of it. If you come with us to Dartz, the Orichalcos can free you from your suffering so that you may free the world from all the darkness it holds. You can save others from going through what you have gone through and be free from Carl West at last."

**He lies!** Mirage hissed.

"Will you accompany us to Dartz to save your soul?" Rafael asked, extending his hand, mirroring Valon's gesture to Mai just moments earlier.

**Do not do it!**

"**Carrie, Mirage speaks truthfully here. You mustn't go with these men." **

Uria's voice was more commanding than the dark spirit, but it did not convince Carrie in the slightest. Rafael had won her over…They all knew it at once. Mirage demanded for Uria to loosen his grip on her so she could take control and stop Carrie from doing something stupid, and for the first time since he was charged with keeping the dark spirit under control, the crimson dragon did just that. Knowing the dragon and the spirit would present her some problems, Carrie took a deep breath.

"…Give me a moment, Rafael. I have a problem to deal with in my head," she whispered before closing her eyes to him and slipping into a state of semi-consciousness.

Her spirit met Mirage's just as the immortal one was stepping out of her prison. She punched the bronze-skinned form of herself in the gut so abruptly that Mirage could not defend herself. With Mirage temporarily stunned, Carrie sapped a good portion of her power and forced the dark-eyed immortal out of her body for the second time, only this time around she actually looked like herself. Seeing how easily Carrie had dispatched of her darkness made Uria pause for a moment, but he knew he had to stop her—or at the very least, try to stop her—from going down the path of darkness. He charged at her, intent on overwhelming her with his size and strength that was just less than that of the Egyptian Gods, but she used her stolen magic to halt him in mid-flight. He could no longer move and thus could not stop himself from being forced out of her body just like Mirage had been.

Carrie rose from the ground as she maintained her hold over the massive Uria with her borrowed powers. Rafael, Valon, and even Mai were surprised by the strength and control she had hidden behind her pain; it wasn't just anyone that could hold a Sacred Beast in its place like that. She transformed him into a dragon tattoo that she forced onto the right arm of Mirage's newly-gained body, causing the immortal to scream because Carrie was actually burning the Duel Monster into her flesh without any holding back.

"You won't have it easy this time around, bitch," Carrie stated as she withdrew her hold over her darkness and the crimson dragon. "You won't be able to use your powers on any living thing other than yourself and you will be held back by the needs of a mortal body. You won't be able to stop me now. You may think the Orichalcos is evil, but then, who are you to judge? I'll let you live for now, but if you try and get in my way later, you will suffer for it." She stomped on the abdomen of the dark-haired woman once to emphasize her point. "Goodbye, bitch. Hope you bite the big one before I have to cleanse the world of your presence myself."

Writhing in pain from the torment inflicted upon her by Carrie and weakened by her new curse, Mirage could only watch as the girl left with those bikers and Mai.

* * *

_A/N: I had hinted at this in an earlier chapter, but it has finally happened. Carrie and Mai have gone over to the dark side. What do you think of that? Please tell me without being rude or the like. Thank you for reading._

_Also, if you wouldn't mind, I made a One-Shot for Mirage that sorta takes place some time after this chapter. It's called **End of the Innocence** and I would appreciate it if you guys would give it a look over. Thanks!_

_And on a final note, you may have noticed that I changed my name on this site. I used to be Dreamer of Memories, but now I am Thine Dreamer Doth Take Flight. I have changed my name many times in the past—just look at my profile to see all the different names I've had—and I felt it was time to change it again. I'm about to turn 17 on the 13th of this month, so I thought it was time for something a bit more mature-sounding. If I ever change my name again, I'm keeping the Dreamer part in it always, so if you'd like you can just call me Dreamer, okay?_

_Have a wonderful day, everyone. =D_


	76. 76 - Switching Sides

_A/N: I'm going back to school on the ninth of August, so that's going to eat up time now. Last year of high school, though, which is a plus. Too bad I'll still be 16 when I become a senior since my birthday isn't until the thirteenth…Ah well. Enough about me. Let's get back to the story. Please read on._

* * *

Chapter 76

Mirage gritted her teeth as she forced herself to her feet, in more agony than she could recall ever being in…well, in a long time. Her unnatural dragon tattoo of Uria steamed on her flesh like fire, still burning even now when Carrie had been gone for over an hour. The dark-haired immortal cursed her name as she clutched her arm and staggered in the direction she knew would take her to Carrie's home.

**This is completely absurd! **Mirage snapped. **How could Carrie do this?! Turning to a dark force stronger and older than me…This isn't right! She's supposed to be the good one! There isn't room in this body for two evil entities! **The immortal then reminded herself that this wasn't the body they shared—it was one Carrie forced into existence to rid her own body of Mirage as best she could while not freeing her darkness to do as she pleased. **Damn her! Damn this all! Just because she's in pain she thinks she can go off the deep end?! That little bitch doesn't know what real pain is! Let's have her go through it for six thousand years and then see what happens!**

She couldn't wrap her head around it no matter how much she tried. Sure, what happened to Carrie that night was terrible. But even so, she had been healing and working to move on. That was one bad event amongst many more decent ones. She thought Carrie was getting better and all of Carrie's inner feelings, though numb and dull, seemed to support that. After all, this was how Carrie had felt before moving past all her other terrible life events before. But then these strange men showed up with a so-called quest to cleanse the world of evil, brought her and Mai to their knees, and then offered her the 'chance' to 'save' herself and the world if she went with them. Somehow it had convinced the 'noble' but broken heroine to turn on everything and rip out anything that might interfere, including the dark spirit and Sacred Beast within.

The plus side to inflicting so much pain on Mirage was that her power was increasing. Her magic, directly linked to her curse, fluctuated depending on how much pain those living on Earth were experiencing. Carrie's curse may prevent her from using her power on other living things, but Mirage could still use it on her and thus was easing her discomfort as she went on her way. Since her own pain was in the mix, however, it didn't make things any easier. It actually made it harder to focus on healing or walking or anything else she needed to do at the moment.

**Bakura! Bakura! I need you, Bakura! **Mirage shouted mentally, but as she did so she doubted he could hear her. He also probably wouldn't be able to find her because she wasn't wearing the Millennium Puzzle and he could only locate a person if they had a Millennium Item on them. This also meant they wouldn't be able to find Carrie later since the blonde hadn't taken the Puzzle back. She might as well have dropped off the face of the earth; Mirage felt that she might have, too.

**I hate this! I'm free for the first time since that stupid virtual world, but it's not worth it! Damn it, damn it, damn it! I can't do shit like this! **Mirage slipped into a string of curses both English and ancient Egyptian, unable to hold in her anger any longer. She had every right to be angry, having been left like trash in the middle of the street with rain pouring, and that wasn't even mentioning the unjust attack. Now she was stranded in the middle of Tokyo without a way to get back to Domino City at present. With her ability to focus and hone her magic taken from her by her pain, she couldn't exactly summon a Monster or teleport herself there.

"**Your wicked tongue won't make our situation any easier, immortal one."**

Mirage paused in the middle of a particularly bad Egyptian curse when she heard the voice of Uria, Lord of Searing Flames, and glanced at the arm where her new mark had been placed. The orange dot that was supposed to be his eye looked back at her, but his mouths hadn't moved despite her having heard his voice. It impressed her a bit that Carrie had managed to use her own magic, which was powerless against Uria in her hands, to not only force the Lord of Flames out of the blonde's body but also to seal him away within a tighter confines. Mirage was almost jealous.

"We're always stuck with each other, aren't we? Our ironic fate just won't let us separate for long," Mirage grumbled.

"**It seems that way, immortal one. First the gods forced us together, and now Carrie has done the same. Our fate together is inescapable."**

"Yeah, and it damn well sucks," Mirage muttered bitterly.

"**I will not argue with you about that. However, we should not hold this against Carrie. She is broken and thus easily swayed by the powers of darkness. She is not like you and me. An immortal spirit like you and a Duel Monster like me cannot truly comprehend what she is going through. We are not mortal."**

"I was mortal once. Well…Actually, I was mortal three times if you wanna get technical. So yeah, I do know what she's going through…Maybe even more than she does," Mirage admitted, recalling scenes from her past. Particularly her time in the flesh as the pain-feeling girl that tried to take the Items of Power to end the world came to her mind, reminding her of when she had been broken enough to turn to darkness at an age not too far from how old Carrie was now.

"**Perhaps that is true."** He paused. **"You will not reach Domino City for three nights at this rate."**

"Tell me something I didn't know," Mirage growled. "You try living in my body with my curse and see how fast you go. I can't summon anything to take me, either, because of my damn curse kicking into overdrive, so don't even bring that up. I just wish that bastard Bakura could hear me and get his ass here to help me out. What kind of guy lets his woman walk in the rain alone so far away from home? Anubis damn it, now I'm shivering. Damn it all to the underworld…"

"My, my. Such a foul mouth you have, my dear."

"Bakura!" Mirage exclaimed, turning towards the nearest wall to find her white-haired lover standing in the shadows.

Thief Bakura smirked. "Your senses have weakened, love. I have been here as long as those mortals were, but yet you appear to have not known that. And correct me if I'm wrong, but you are not in the body of Carrie anymore, are you? It seems to me that you are your own person here."

"Duh, dumbass! If you've been following Carrie and Mai for all this time, you should know that!" Mirage snapped.

"I'm not perfect, Mirage. Without the Puzzle around her neck it's much harder to keep track of that girl. I lost them between Mai winning the tournament and you becoming what you are now. I only just realized something was amiss when I caught sight of Mai on the back of someone's motorcycle with another bike beside that. So don't get so snippy with me," Thief Bakura told her, roughly grabbing her by the arm with Uria on it.

In Carrie's body, or even when she had her own body while Iris was in the flesh, such an action would not have bothered Mirage much. But with Carrie's curse mingling with her own, the pressure of Thief Bakura's grasp hurt more than it should have. Mirage, unused to being physically hurt, let out a small cry of pain and cringed, shrinking away from the source of her pain. Thief Bakura cocked an eyebrow before he realized what was going on, and then his brown eyes widened in shock. He quickly released her arm, which she clutched even tighter than before.

"What has happened to you?" Thief Bakura demanded as the ancient spirit struggled to recover from her pain.

"…Long story…I'll explain later…," Mirage stammered through clenched teeth. "Just… Get me home quickly."

Thief Bakura got the memo and quickly summoned a Duel Monster. It was a dragon that had a name but Mirage couldn't be bothered to remember it at the moment; all that mattered was it could get her away from this place quickly and back to the familiar surroundings of Domino City. Her lord of darkness helped her up onto the creature before climbing up behind her, holding her in place with his arms wrapped around her waist. She leaned heavily against him, more tired than she could remember being in a long time, and as the dragon took off into the sky, she felt her eyes grow heavy despite her pain and knew it wouldn't be long now before she drifted off to sleep.

**Carrie, why the hell did you become the bad guy? **Mirage wondered before her mind entered the realms of dream.

* * *

Mirage awoke the next afternoon in a bed she didn't recognize in a room she didn't know in an apartment she didn't recall. Her clothes were still on, the dark Egyptian threads she had worn since her time as the pain-feeling girl six thousand years ago, thus telling her that Thief Bakura had respected her enough not to do anything stupid while she was unconscious. He was nowhere to be seen, but she knew he was about because his striped shirt was on the floor. Pushing aside the sheets, Mirage rose and strode out of the room, intent on finding him.

**At least the pain has faded. Was that his doing, or did it just happen while I was sleeping? Do mortals heal in sleep? I don't think so. Carrie doesn't get any better whenever she's hurting and goes to sleep. Ugh, why do I have such a hard time remembering what mortals do and don't do? **Mirage wondered, brow furrowed as she tried to sort it out.

The pallid man was sitting on the couch in the living room, unclothed save for the pants on his lower half. She spared him a momentary glance before looking away and taking a seat as far from him on the loveseat as she possibly could. It wasn't because she had anything against him, but more so that she had so much on her mind that she didn't feel like being close to anyone. He watched her all the while, concerned but not the kind to pry before she was ready to tell him.

"…How long was I out of it?" Mirage asked, holding her head in her hands.

Thief Bakura shrugged. "Maybe for fourteen hours. I lost track when I left you alone come sunrise. Whatever is wrong with you…It really knocked you down."

"Yeah, yeah, I can take a damn hint," Mirage grumbled. "You wanna know what's wrong with me? Well here it is. Carrie gave me my own body with the curse that I'm weighed down with all the hassles of a mortal body. It's different than just possessing someone because in this form, I actually have to sleep and eat and everything else that a mortal has to do to stay alive. That process in itself was…painful…more painful than most anything I've ever experienced." This admission was made with great reluctance as the immortal did not like to reveal her flaws. However, Thief Bakura had helped her and was her lover and thus deserved to know. "But more than that, my curse placed upon me six thousand years ago is stronger than before. If anyone else had gone through the attack Carrie put me through, I would have felt it like they had and it wouldn't have bothered me very much considering how much pain my body takes in during the day. But since it was my own body…The pain was magnified as it would be if Carrie felt it. More even."

"…No wonder you were so incapacitated when I found you. It's a miracle you were able to move at all," Thief Bakura commented. "And Carrie did this to you?"

Mirage nodded once. "She…has changed a lot, Bakura."

"Yeah…Ever since that night, she's been on a road to darkness greater than our own guided by her pain," Thief Bakura agreed.

"Now the question is…Can we turn her back to the light before someone other than us destroys the world?" Mirage asked.

"**That is a question we cannot answer."**

"Who just said that?" Thief Bakura demanded, glancing around for the source of the voice and looking everywhere except where the tattoo of Uria lay on Mirage's arm.

"It's that damned Uria. Carrie sealed him away on me to keep him from interfering," Mirage told him, bearing her right arm in his direction. "With us gone from her body and the Pharaoh with Yugi, the only voice in Carrie's head is her own…and that is perhaps more dangerous than having us there arguing."

"**Those men took advantage of her weakness and pain, but it was her decision to remove us from her body. She only had her voice there then. However, it is possible that their leader, Dartz, is now in her head. He could be manipulating her, turning her further and further to darkness under the premise that it is the righteous path meant to save the world from people like her father. If we do not act quickly, she may be lost to us forever."**

"…No. I refuse to believe that shit. Carrie is strong and the good one of us. She will come back to us. We'll bring her back even if it means we have to act as good people for once," Mirage stated authoritatively. "And once she is back where she belongs and this Dartz bastard and his men are defeated, we can return to our own plot to end the world."

Thief Bakura smirked. "This is a rather interesting twist of fate, isn't it? The hero becomes the villain and the villain the hero."

"**And the mighty Sacred Beast has become a powerless marking on the arm of she who he was supposed to be holding back."**

"Uria, you are such a downer," Thief Bakura muttered.

"That's what happens when you're stuck with the same lady for five thousand years," Mirage told him, smiling a secretive, understanding smile down at Uria. The way his exposed eye met hers made her think he understood, too. She quickly looked away before Thief Bakura could notice. "…Bakura, we have to save her."

"Yes…We have to."

* * *

"Do not fight it, Carrie. Give into the power of the Orichalcos."

Bluish-green fire surrounded the blonde girl, painful but not burning like true fire would. Her hand was outstretched towards a small stone that was slightly darker than the flames, trying to reach it but being held back by the power within, the power of the Orichalcos. If it denied her, it would take her soul. She would have to accept its strength completely to grab the stone and have it spare her soul so she could do its work. Mai had done the same thing before her, though not with as much difficulty. In this case Mai was stronger, more willing, more able than her younger companion. Carrie envied the woman's ability to receive this power that was fighting her at present.

Something was holding her back, preventing her from accepting the Orichalcos and its power in completion. She had no idea what it was specifically, but she had assumptions that irked her. It might be because she had fought for the other side so long, the side she had assumed to be the side of light, and thus had reluctance to turn on it. It might be because her friends were on that side and she didn't want to leave them behind to become their enemy. It might be because even though she desired strength to free her from the pain she had been in ever since Carl attacked her in the alley, she was still afraid of being hurt by the thing that was supposed to save her. She tried to push those thoughts out of her head, but they kept returning and thus she could not reach the stone.

"She's going to fail. She won't accept the Orichalcos," Rafael remarked as he and the other followers of the Orichalcos watched Carrie's struggle in the flames.

"Oh no," Mai gasped, and Valon wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Do not be so quick to judge her fate. Carrie may just surprise us," Dartz said calmly before calling out to the struggling girl. "Why do you resist, Carrie? Is it because of your friends? Your former loyalty? Your fears? Cast them aside! Your friends never helped you; they failed you when you needed them the most! You gave your life to them, gave everything to keep them safe, and what good did such loyalty do? They left you broken and defeated! Just look at what you've become! If they were truly as good as they claim, such a thing never would have come to pass!"

Carrie shut her eyes against the flood of tears as his comments brought back things she wished to leave behind. Rafael looked at his master with narrowed eyes, wondering why he would use such a dark tactic against an already weak person. It might just make her reject the Orichalcos further and thus lose her soul and ruin the plans Dartz had for the future. What the hell was he doing?!

"Accept the light of the Orichalcos and you shall never be that weak again! You will need no one who will betray you and know nothing but peace! Help us save the world, Carrie, and in turn we will save you! Push all doubt from your mind and take the stone in your hand!" Dartz urged.

Green eyes flashed open once again as she cleared her mind and moved closer to the stone, mere inches away from securing it. The fire burned brighter around her, more intent on either accepting or destroying her than before. Pain surged through her body stronger as a result—at this point, Mirage doubled over and collapsed on Thief Bakura's floor unexplainably as he helplessly watched her suffering—and she cried out in agony. Rafael wondered if she would make it and wished with every fiber of his being that she would. He knew he had it rough; they all had. But there was something about this girl, something that made him want her to live. He couldn't explain it, but it made him watch her with wide eyes and clenched fists, hoping beyond hope that she and the Orichalcos would unite just as he and the others had done before her.

The blonde girl, screaming, moved forward and managed to wrap her fingers around the bluish-green gem. The seal appeared on her forehead as her eyes flashed crimson for a moment, and then it disappeared along with the fire. Carrie briefly smiled, looking peaceful for the first time in a long time. It, Rafael decided, fit her to look this way instead of angry or miserable. There was no questioning why the Nameless Pharaoh had fallen for her. But that peace left as soon as it came, for the taxing ritual of accepting the Orichalcos had greatly weakened her. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor with a loud thud, the stone still clutched tightly in her right fist.

"Well, that lil' sheila is tougher than she looks. I'm glad she pulled through in the end," Valon commented, more relieved that Mai didn't have to be crushed by the loss of her friend than that Carrie had survived. "I think she even did better than you, Alister."

The effeminate red-haired male scowled. "If that's true, then you must be the weakest of us all, considering you did worse than me."

"Enough, both of you," Dartz interjected before an argument could really start. "Rafael, take Carrie to her room. The rest of you, leave me be. When I am convinced Mai and Carrie are ready, we shall begin the end of this dark world as it is known."

"And how long will that take? Another ten thousand years?" Alister demanded.

"Alister!" Rafael and Valon snapped in unison.

"Patience, Alister. You will have your shot at Seto Kaiba soon enough," Dartz assured him as the door to the room opened seemingly of its own accord. "Now go."

Rafael knelt beside the fallen body of Carrie. Her face, her expression, made it seem as though she was only sleeping. The only tense part of her was her right arm because she refused to release the object in her hand even in unconsciousness, but the rest of her was, for once, relaxed. He carefully lifted her from the hard floor, an easy task considering that she wasn't very heavy, holding her bridal-style though her body was more limp than any bride's should be. One arm supported her head while the other supported the rest of her body behind her knees. He carried her out of the room behind the others, silently questioning Dartz's methods and Carrie's desperation.

* * *

"Has anyone seen Mai or Carrie?" Jessica asked as she joined Serenity and Mako at the table at dinnertime. She couldn't recall seeing either blonde person since the previous night, and it was starting to bother the dark-haired girl quite a bit.

The copper-haired girl shook her head. "No, I haven't. But maybe they're at work or something. Mai is usually gone by the time we wake up, after all, and Carrie might have decided to go to Kaiba Corp. today."

"No. They weren't back this morning, either," Mako put in with a frown. "The car's been missing since they went to that tournament in Tokyo; it hasn't returned even once. They said they wouldn't stay out too late, but since they're still gone it doesn't seem like they kept their word. And they would have called us if something cut into their plans. I don't know…I think something bad might have happened."

"That's so like you, Mako! Whenever something involves Carrie and a disappearance, it automatically means something bad happened!" Jessica snapped.

"Well, what other explanation is there?" Mako demanded.

"…It did rain last night. In some places, the power even went out. Maybe Mai didn't feel like driving in the rain in the dark and they stayed in a hotel in Tokyo for the night. And then, when they woke up and realized the rain had stopped, they decided to head straight to work instead of driving all the way back home. Or maybe they just took the day off to explore Tokyo since Carrie hasn't really been there before. I'm sure there's a logical explanation for all of this that doesn't require anything bad happening to them," Serenity commented, trying to ease the tension before an argument or fight could break out.

"But Mai's work has a strict dress code. She would have needed to stop by to pick it up, regardless," Mako pointed out smartly.

"…And Kaiba wouldn't let Carrie get away with coming into work in anything less than professional dress," Serenity reluctantly agreed.

"You guys are overreacting. I'm sure they're fine," Jessica claimed.

"I think you're under-reacting. You're denying that your sister may be in trouble because you don't want to face that again. We have to think of all possible events without blocking any out for emotional reasons. You know that," Mako told her pointedly, knowing her reasons for trying to think positive but also knowing the chances of Carrie disappearing for things that were other than bad were slim to none.

Jessica glared at him before quickly turning away. "Fine. I'll call their cells. If they answer, you're wrong. If they don't, we're calling the police…Not that they're of much use or anything, but we can't be expected to do everything."

She whipped her cell phone out of her pocket and dialed Carrie's number. Once. Twice. Three times. No answer, and it didn't ring or go to voicemail. It just disconnected. The same thing happened when she dialed Mai's number. Her angry expression quickly turned to one of suppressed worry; Mako knew without her having to say a word the result of her calling the cell phones of the missing. She wasted no time in calling the police now, and it was all she could do to keep calm as she relayed the information to the authorities. Mako and Serenity could only watch and pick at their food with their forks as the pink-eyed girl realized her worst fears were unfolding again.

Five minutes later, Jessica put the phone down. She couldn't hold back the tears anymore nor could she keep calm any longer. Serenity moved closer and took the younger West in her arms, holding her trembling form as the dark-haired girl wept. Mako knew none of them would have an appetite anymore and began to clear the table to pass time so Jessica would get her voice back. He and Serenity had their places in these kinds of situations that they now had to fulfill.

Though choked up, Jessica managed to relay to them what she could. Officers would be arriving soon for more information while others began to look for their missing friends in the area where they went missing. She couldn't understand why this was happening again—none of them could, really—and feared the next time they saw Carrie and Mai would be in a hospital, just like that terrible day that just happened to be her fifteenth birthday. It was a valid fear, one that neither Mako nor Serenity could put to rest. Mako could only offer to face the police for her while Serenity moved Jessica upstairs to deal with her tears out of sight of those that might judge.

They had to deal with this again, but now two people were missing.

* * *

"I need…to go to Carrie's home," Mirage stammered as she finally managed to recover from Carrie's pain from within the flames of the Orichalcos.

"…Going there would be dangerous. Those there would not trust you. They may even think you are the reason Carrie and Mai are missing," Thief Bakura remarked, helping her to sit up now that she wasn't suffering.

"I am…aware of that. One look at me and they'll think…that I am in control of Carrie's body and that I might…have done something to Mai as well. But there's something…I need to do that…can't wait. Carrie has very powerful objects in her home that cannot be allowed…to fall into the wrong hands…"

"…You're speaking of The Winged Dragon of Ra and the Millennium Items," Thief Bakura assumed.

Mirage nodded. "…We can stash the Items here for now…but Ra should go with Yugi. He would be safer with the other Egyptian Gods than with us. If the good turns bad then the bad act accordingly. Bakura, a tiger might not be able to change her stripes…but she can dull or sharpen her claws when she needs to, and that's what we're going to do now. Our destruction of the world…It will have to wait awhile. Are you…Are you with me on this, or will I have to do this alone?"

"You need not ask such a foolish question, Mirage. I am with you til the end," Thief Bakura told her, taking her hands in his.

"The end is what we're trying to avoid."

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. I hope you liked this short chapter despite having to wait so long for it. What did you think of it? Please tell me. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day._


	77. 77 - Test

_A/N: Once again, I have kept you waiting. I apologize for that. Here's the next chapter, so please read on and enjoy. =D_

* * *

Chapter 77

Once Mirage had recovered from whatever the hell Carrie had gone through, she changed her clothes to look a bit more normal. If she was going to head out, after all, she couldn't exactly afford to stand out. That would be difficult enough as it was considering there were hardly any bronze people around here, but it would be made easier if she at least tried to dress like the natives. In place of her usual dark Egyptian garb she threw on a slightly revealing but long-sleeved lavender blouse and tan khaki pants along with a pair of leather boots. Thief Bakura did not approve of her outfit—he believed it was much too similar to that of the mortal Marik's usual choice of clothing—but Mirage didn't care. People dressed strangely in the modern world and the color scheme complimented her skin tone. He would just have to deal.

They left under the cover of the night sky, not needing the light of day to find their way to the home where Mirage's former host used to dwell. Unfortunately, going in was not as simple as just walking through the door. The house was swarming with the present-day law enforcement. Mirage knew this meant those still there realized Mai and Carrie were missing and had taken the necessary action that anyone would have taken to find them. After what had happened the last time Carrie went missing for an extended period of time, she couldn't exactly blame them for doing what they could to find her and the other blonde lady. If she was a weak mortal with limited powers, she would have done the same…

**Wait, I am a weak mortal with limited powers now, **Mirage reminded herself with a scowl as she and Thief Bakura watched the police from the bushes. **Because of my host who has turned to darkness, I'm cursed once more. My power cannot be used as I would like at all. Damn! Carrie, when we meet again, you will pay dearly for this affliction and such betrayal! I swear it!**

"How are we going to go unnoticed in this situation?" Thief Bakura asked.

"I'm thinking of that," Mirage hissed.

She then jumped out of the bushes and ran towards the nearest police officer without letting her lover know what she was up to, developing an impromptu plan that needed to be executed quickly because the quicker it was, the sooner she could leave this place. The immortal trapped within a shell of flesh punched the officer as he turned to look at her, knocking him down with ease while inflicting a little bit of damage to herself due to her curses. Having assaulted an officer, every member of the police force that was present in the house turned their attention to her. She glanced over at Thief Bakura to signal for him to stay put before turning on her heel and leading the uniformed men on a chase, not afraid of their weapons or their guns despite what a little bit of pain inflicted upon her person could do to her.

They had a hard time keeping up with her, but she intended to just stay within sight. If she wanted to, Mirage could use her powers on herself to increase her speed exponentially so no one could keep track of her. That was not the goal of her plan. She wanted to lure them into a trap so they wouldn't be in the way when she and Thief Bakura entered the household of the Tsunami, Wheeler, Valentine, and West family. Thus she kept them within sight behind her as she continued to run, thinking only of getting them out of the way in a fashion that would not really harm them or herself.

When she was far enough away from the house and chased down an alley with a dead end, Mirage figured this would be a good time to put an end to this. She focused her magic into the palm of her right hand, causing the eye of Horus and the tattoo of Uria on her arm to pulsate with an eerie light that made the pursuing officers halt as the light was bright enough to be seen through her sleeve. She slammed her palm flat on the blacktop, and moments later the ground beneath the police collapsed until they were scattered fifteen feet below with only minor injuries. Mirage glanced down at them with a smirk.

**You may have prevented me from being able to directly use my magic on living things, Carrie, but I can still find ways around that if I must, **Mirage thought before jumping over the pit and proceeding back towards the house.

Thief Bakura was waiting for her outside the door with his arms crossed over his chest as usual. She completely ignored him and leapt in a single bound up to Carrie's window, opening it with a flick of the wrist so she landed gracefully on the floor. The fluffy-haired man was right behind her there. The lights were out and the room was dark, but Mirage didn't mind. Darkness had been her companion for as long as she could remember—she required no light to see things anymore. She knew exactly where The Winged Dragon of Ra and the Millennium Items were kept and could probably find them blind. She gestured for Thief Bakura to watch the door as she located the Items, hoping the mortals still here wouldn't think of coming in while they were here. That would require too much explanation with too many accusing questions.

She hid The Winged Dragon of Ra in her brassiere and slung the duffel bag of Millennium Items over her shoulder. Mirage believed this to be going too well, but then her brown-eyed accomplice motioned for her to disappear just as footsteps became audible outside the door. There wasn't enough time to run back out the window, so she slipped into the closet without a sound. She could have disappeared easily with magic, but she didn't need to expend it unless it was necessary. Mirage didn't know where Thief Bakura hid; she didn't care to find out. There wasn't enough time for that, anyway. As soon as she even thought of finding him, the person was opening the door and stepping into the room.

The person who entered the room turned on the light, and through the crack in the door Mirage could see who it was in entirety. Carrie's kid-sister, the dark-haired Jessica, had chosen to come to the vacant room of the once again missing. She looked solemn, sober, depressed even, and she had no reason not to be. Mirage assumed such an expression and feeling stemmed from her bond with her sister, a bond put through trial and error time and again while they were growing up and it still came out in one strong piece. It was being put through more challenges recently with all the events that had happened since the Millennium Puzzle fell into Carrie's hands, what with everything that blonde wreck had been through since then. True, Jessica had not been involved in most of it, but because she loved her sister with all her heart, watching her suffer…

…**It hurts her just as much as it hurts me, **Mirage thought, taking note of the redness and wetness about the girl's pink eyes and the way she carried herself around the room. **Perhaps even more…she suffers than me.**

She removed the Egyptian God Card from its hiding place in her shirt and looked at it for a moment. The plan was to give it directly to Yugi—or rather, leave it for him to find—so it could be with Slifer and Obelisk where it belonged, but somehow that plan just didn't fit anymore. Somehow she felt that she should give it to someone else who was in a dark place who could eventually join it with the other Egyptian God Cards. Surely Thief Bakura would understand why she would change the plan here.

**Jessica West, I hope this helps you a little, **she thought as she made the card disappear from her hand. **Please keep hope and don't let your heart be consumed with pain. I will get Carrie back. I will do everything in my power to bring her back in the light where she belongs. She won't be gone from this house for long. I swear that to you.**

**I swear it.**

* * *

Jessica heard something softly hit the surface of Carrie's dresser, so softly even that at first she thought she had imagined it. Turning her eyes away from her sister's bed, she tried to find what she might have heard. A card that hadn't been there before lay face-down in the dust. Cards didn't just move on their own. The dark-haired girl moved to pick it up, wondering what the identity of the magically appearing Duel Monster could be only to find that it was The Winged Dragon of Ra, one of the three Egyptian God Cards. It was the one Marik had given to Carrie after she and Yami had cleansed him of his darkness and something Jessica didn't think her sister would ever leave behind, and especially not in the open like this where anyone could find it.

_Someone put this here for me to find, _she thought, glancing around the room for that person like they would materialize from thin air. _But who...?_

"Jessie, where did you go? Please come back! We can get through this together! Jessie!" Serenity's worried voice called from downstairs.

_I didn't think my absence would go unnoticed for long, _Jessica thought irritably as she released a heart-heavy sigh. Her eyes rested on The Winged Dragon of Ra in her hand and a smile graced her lips. _Well, maybe finding this card is a sign that things will work out. Carrie and Mai will be all right. They'll be found and life will return to normal. Maybe that's what it means._

_I can only hope, right?_

Looking back over her shoulder with the small hope that she might see the mysterious figure who had given her the card, Jessica turned off the light and closed the door behind her, heart not as heavy as it was before.

* * *

"What in the name of Zorc did you do?" Thief Bakura demanded as they walked back towards Ryou's home. Having used his own powers to blend into the air, he had witnessed Mirage's act of kindness and wasn't too pleased about it.

"I ensured Ra would join the other Gods, as we discussed beforehand, my lord of darkness," Mirage replied calmly without any tone of hostility in her voice as she looked up at the night sky, hands held casually behind her back. A tiny smile was on her lips, a result of having seen some of the sadness leave Jessica upon discovering the Egyptian God Card. The sister of her host's pain had lessened and this pleased Mirage more than she thought it would.

"It would have been better if you'd just given the damn thing to that spiky-haired runt and not that hyperactive sister of Carrie's. It would have made it a lot easier," Thief Bakura grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Mirage stopped and turned to face him. "Really? You think it would have been easier…to face that little mortal, who is also the Nameless Pharaoh's reincarnation, who is also the King of Games and able to conjure up Duel Monsters as easily as we do, while he is in possession of the Millennium Puzzle with the spirit of the Nameless Pharaoh within that just happens to be as damn powerful as you are, who is also a lonely man missing his lover, who is also not very fond of either of us and could easily attempt to Mind Crush us? You think _that_ would be easier than anonymously giving Jessica the card to hand over to him?"

"…Well…No…But…"

"You just wanted to battle him again, didn't you? Even when some other dark force is threatening to take over in our place, your shitty mind is stuck in the same place as usual," Mirage muttered, turning away from him again.

"What does it matter whose side we fight on or who we fight, anyway? The good isn't all that bloody good without Carrie on its side, and the bad can't be all that bloody bad with Carrie on its side. But that's beside the point. We are the strongest evil beings in the universe…behind the gods of the underworld and Zorc, of course. Whoever this Dartz is and whatever plan he has…He can't be stronger than we are. We could defeat him and the good guys with your hands tied behind your back. Why don't we just…kill two stones with one club or something?"

"Isn't the phrase supposed to be kill two birds with one stone?"

"I don't believe that you can compare the Pharaoh, or even this Dartz guy, to a bird. Birds aren't exactly the strongest of creatures, nor are they too bright," Thief Bakura pointed out bitterly.

"Not necessarily. Birds of prey, such as hawks and eagles, are powerful and clever," Mirage countered with a sneer. "Perhaps what you should have asked…is why we don't kill two hawks with one boulder."

"Yes. Why don't we, O Mighty Immortal One?" Thief Bakura asked.

"Because…Because I said so, and that should be reason enough," Mirage growled. The look he gave him made it obvious he wasn't convinced by such simple words, but explaining her reasons did not seem right on the streets of Domino City even under the cover of night. She just started walking again, but in a different direction than where the Bakuras lived.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"And where exactly is that?"

"Wherever I decide."

"Why can't you just give me a straight answer?"

"Because this isn't the time or the place for straight answers."

"Why are you walking away from me, Mirage?"

"Because you don't understand anything."

As the words left her mouth, the white-haired man moved forward and tightly grabbed her arm, keeping her from being able to walk any further without having to fight him. She spun around on her heel to face him and noted the anger in his usually emotionless brown eyes. Somehow what she had said had angered him where she had only thought it would irritate him. Her accusing him of not understanding, her vague responses, and her cool demeanor had gotten under his skin—this was a rare moment indeed. It was so rare, in fact, she wasn't completely sure how to react to it.

"…Do you understand…how long I've waited to seek my vengeance upon the Nameless Pharaoh? Why should I have to put off my plans just because another darkness has made its mark on this miserable planet and has taken Carrie under its wing? We have all but two of the Millennium Items in our possession, Mirage. We could put an end to all this pain and suffering and have my revenge in a matter of days. Why are we not doing that? We could get rid of the competition and the world at once. Why won't you agree to it?"

"…You agreed that we needed to save Carrie."

"Yes, and by destroying the darkness that's controlling her, we would be saving her."

"We'd also be destroying her."

"Better to have her dead than dark."

Mirage glowered at her lover, wishing for a moment that she could use her powers on him to make him think twice about questioning her as he was. "Bakura…Carrie doesn't need to die like this. She's broken and hurting and I will not have her this way when we destroy the world. You don't have the same connection to her that I do. You wouldn't understand why I want things this way if I tried to explain it. And don't you let your damn mind think that this only has to do with Carrie. There's more to it than just her."

"…Like what?"

"Like the Orichalcos and this Dartz bastard who took Carrie from us. When I was observing Carrie's duel with one of his lackeys and also while I was being torn from her mind, I felt a small portion of the power behind their strength." Mirage closed her eyes as she recalled the feel of the force utilized by the Swordsmen of Doma. "The Orichalcos… is no small threat. It is older, stronger, and has far greater power than even I have at my disposal. Even that…small burst I felt…rivaled my own strength." She watched as the emotions in his eyes and on his face changed in an instant upon hearing this information. "That's not the worst of it. In that moment of exposure to the Orichalcos, I felt that the power was coming from something much more powerful, deadly, ancient, and evil than anything you have ever known."

Thief Bakura said nothing, but he did release her arm at long last.

"The only beings I know of that come even close to such raw dark power…are the Earthbound Immortals and Zorc," Mirage continued. "To oppose it without the Pharaoh's help would be suicide, and even with the aid of him we still may not survive. Or rather… No one but me will survive. As long as pain exists…I will, too…And then I will be left to wander this world in this body that isn't mine…until death decides to take me. I will die alone in either case, but our chances of making it through this so that we can destroy this world on our own terms are greater with the Pharaoh. Do you understand, Bakura?"

"…Unfortunately…I believe I do." He hesitated before asking, "…How do you think they'll respond to us?"

"Not pleasantly, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that together, we will defeat this threat. Unless you decide that my plan is too humane…Then I will do it with them on my own without your help."

"Mirage, don't be foolish. You needn't ask such foolish questions when you know the answer. Of course I will fight by your side. Why would I do otherwise?"

"…Because you want to see this world destroyed by your hand as soon as possible."

Thief Bakura moved until he was standing in front of her and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. With his other hand, he softly cupped her chin and lifted her face so that he could look into it. She met his gaze with her unwavering dark one, surprised by the kind sadness she saw in those brown orbs of his. Calling it kindness and calling it sadness didn't exactly fit, but the only other thing that came close to that sort of mixture between the two was deep caring—love, actually—and though she knew him to say that he loved her, she wasn't completely sure that he could feel such a powerful mortal emotion. It was only in this moment that she realized what they felt for each other really wasn't lust; it was love in its entirety.

"Mirage, I wouldn't want this world destroyed if that would make you unhappy. Hell, if it wasn't for the Pharaoh, I doubt I would want this world destroyed at all. There was a time that wouldn't have been the case, but something has changed. When I awoke in this world, I never imagined I would meet someone like you, dearest Mirage. You and your twisted ways make this world worth living in. You have been…and forgive me if this is insulting…But you have been the light in my world of darkness. I would do anything for you. I would even work with my greatest enemy to save this world for you. Mirage, immortal spirit of darkness, I love you with all my soul."

"…I love you, too, Bakura…My only regret is that this is going to put off your plans."

"My plans have waited five thousand years as it is. They can wait a bit longer while we deal with our opposition," Thief Bakura assured her. "Now then…Where was I? Oh yes, now I remember."

"Bakura, what are you-?"

He cut her off as he pressed his lips against hers, forcing the astonished spirit into a kiss unlike any other they had engaged in before. Unlike their previous embraces, it was not rough and filled with a luscious desire for more than just an expression of affection. This time there was no want for sensuality or intercourse. It was strange to be wanted by Thief Bakura for reasons other than those. But the change was somewhat welcomed by Mirage, and she returned it with just as much gentleness and soft passion as he gave to her just to ensure that he could not call her selfish later. She pulled away a moment later and opened her dark eyes to be greeted by warmth in his brown ones.

Without any word or warning, he unexpectedly lifted her off the ground and held her bridal-style in his arms. She didn't understand his sudden expressions of affection—was this all because she had shown her mortal weakness about this situation, or that she had made him see things from another lighter point of view?—but wasn't about to turn it away. Both may like to think that they were heartless immortals above mortal emotions, but who were they really fooling?

"Come, dearest Mirage. Tomorrow, we turn from villains to heroes," Thief Bakura said.

Mirage smiled. "But tonight, let us be bad one more time."

* * *

Carrie's eyes fluttered opened the night after accepting the power of the Orichalcos, still feeling weak but not as drained as she had been when she passed out. She didn't recognize her surroundings, but because she had power now, she knew she was safe regardless of where she had been placed. The room was dark with only a thin ray of moonlight streaming in through a window she couldn't make out in the blackness. It hurt to move, but the girl didn't feel like lying still anymore and tried to force herself to sit up. She nearly collapsed, but a hand appeared from nowhere to steady her. The hand was strong, firm, but not threatening, so Carrie did not strike out at it or its owner. She just stared off in the direction of which it came from, unable to see any more than a silhouette of the person who was helping her.

The person seemed to realize that and thus turned on a lamp that had been hidden in the darkness, illuminating everything once covered by the abyss. It was Rafael, the blonde man from the Swordsmen of Doma who had defeated her and then brought her to a place where she could obtain power. His eyes were on her—how long had he been watching her?—and as gray as they were emotionless. She wondered what had caused his eyes to be so still, so lifeless…

_Could my eyes ever be like that? _Carrie thought.

"…How long-?"

"A few hours, that's all," Rafael replied, cutting her off. "You should rest a bit more. Accepting the power of the Orichalcos is-"

"I don't need any more rest. I'm fine," Carrie interjected.

Rafael didn't look like he believed her, but he said nothing of it. "All right. Dartz wants to see you when you're ready, which you claim to be. Place the stone upon yourself and follow me."

"Stone? What stone?" Carrie asked in confusion, masking that confusion with bitterness.

"The fragment of the Orichalcos Stone clenched in your hand," Rafael answered, gesturing at her right hand. Carrie unclenched her fist and looked at the bluish-green gem there as the man continued to speak. "You took hold of it and haven't released it since."

"Huh. Go figure," Carrie muttered. "Too bad there aren't two of them. I'd wear it as earrings if-"

The stone glowed for a moment, causing Carrie to trail off in surprise as she stared at the illumination. The light died down and where once only a single little stone had been now lay two in the form of the very thing the blonde girl had wanted them to be. She didn't know how it had happened, but what did it matter? As long as she could possess power so she could never be weak again, it didn't matter how anything worked in this crazy world. She removed the Gothic earrings from her ears and replaced them with the Orichalcos ones, tossing the others aside without a second thought. She then stood up, with some difficulty, and staggered towards the door without waiting for Rafael.

"…Are you sure you don't want to rest a bit more?" Rafael inquired.

"I'm sure. I don't need rest. What I need is a bathroom…More specifically, a damn toilet," Carrie grumbled bitterly.

"Down the hall, third door on the right," Rafael instructed.

Carrie stumbled out to the bathroom and returned a few minutes later, still looking frail but managing to carry an air of power around her. Despite his own judgment of her readiness, Rafael led her towards Dartz's chamber where the sealed souls were kept so their master could test her as he had tested them all before. She seemed disinterested behind the pain, but he knew that she was just as curious as they had all been in her place. That curiosity had eventually died in each person Dartz controlled and turned into simple loyalty, but in the beginning, curiosity about obtaining power so they wouldn't be weak anymore was a part of all of them. Carrie's progression was slow due to her weakness and stubbornness not to take the time to recover, so Rafael reluctantly slowed his pace to keep from losing her. She did not take this well with the dirty look she shot him, but that simply amused him.

They reached Dartz some time later, taking longer than they would have if Carrie was back to full strength. The bluish-green-haired Atlantean with mismatched eyes was dressed in a suit instead of his usual ritualistic garments, but it wasn't the first time he had worn something of the sort, so Rafael wasn't all that surprised. Carrie seemed highly outclassed in comparison wearing her Gothic ensemble from when she was in disguise, but of course she didn't care about that. She just looked at him from the doors, leaning against the jamb with her arms crossed casually over her chest.

"What's with the look of boredom, dear Carrie?" Dartz asked.

Carrie shrugged. "Excuse me for not being excited to see the effeminate man who's recruiting me to his team after obtaining power from him knocked me on my ass for several hours and weakened me instead of empowering me."

"Do not disrespect Master Dartz," Rafael warned.

"No, it's quite all right, Rafael. Carrie has the right to feel however she wants to feel and should be able to express it as she sees fit. It wasn't too long ago that you were just like her, distant and disinterested in everything I did. All of you start out this way." He turned his mismatched gaze to her. "Power does not come without price. Sometimes to become stronger, we must first become weak. Weakness can also be strength. You will need to learn this in order to become strong enough to save the world from the darkness within humanity."

"Great. Is that what you're going to teach me now, O Wise One?" Carrie sarcastically asked with a roll of her eyes.

"You're trying to irritate me, but your attempts only fail, dear Carrie. You are correct—I will be teaching you that lesson now. However, I don't think you will be prepared for this no matter how rested up you are or what you expect it to be. This will test you more than you have been tested in your life, and if you cannot make it through this, you will never be able to regain your sanity even with the aid of the Orichalcos," Dartz told her with a small smirk.

"You won't scare me with words, Dartz. I'm a very hard person to frighten," Carrie rebuked bitterly.

"Yes, I know. There was only one man who could do that easily, but he is long since dead and thus cannot truly be a threat to you anymore," Dartz recalled. Rafael saw anger mixed with fear flash in Carrie's eyes as she realized to who he was referring; it was gone as soon as it had come, but it had been there. Rafael didn't like seeing Dartz using such painful memories to manipulate people—he had never liked it—but he knew it was necessary in order to help her to come to terms with everything. Dartz caught his gaze before adding, "Rafael, why don't you join us? I have a feeling Carrie may need your support when this is all said and done."

"I don't need someone else's support," Carrie protested.

"I didn't need anyone's support," Rafael put in. "Why is it that with these women that you insist someone be there to support them? You made Valon go in with Mai when she received her Chaos Disk, and now you're forcing me to do the same with Carrie? What's going on, Master Dartz?"

"Do you think we're weak because we're girls? Why the hell are you babying us?" Carrie demanded, furious now over Rafael's reveal. The guys never had help, but here he was, handing out help to the ladies. He was supposed to be empowering them, but this…this was degradingly sexist. She punched a wall out of frustration, fracturing her knuckle in the process without even flinching, and glowered at her so-called savior as she shouted, "I am NOT weak! I'm strong, damn it! Now give me the fucking test already and stop treating me like a fucking child!"

Dartz smiled. "Fine. You will receive your test, dear Carrie. However, I want Rafael to come with us."

"…Why?" Rafael asked.

"I want you to observe our newest Soul Hunter obtaining her strength," was Dartz's vague reply. "Follow me, and I promise you will not be disappointed."

* * *

_A/N: This one is pretty short for such a long wait, but I don't want to unload everything at once. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me. Thank you for reading._

_NOTICE! I appreciate getting reviews…However, when the review is always __**"update!" "update soon" "I wanna read the ending" "update" "UPDATE!" **__it drives me insane! I know how long it's been since I updated! I have other things to do in life than update my fanfiction every day! I have school and a life and that keeps me from writing, okay? So if telling me to update is all you can do in a review, then don't even review. This makes me sound like an ungrateful bitch, but I don't think there's any person in the world who wants to read the same thing over and over and over again. You know who I'm talking to. And if you continue to bother me with such tedious reviews, I'll have no choice but to block them._

_Thank you for your time. Have a wonderful day! =)_

_And now…_

_An abridged form of this chapter!_

Bakura: Why are you dressed similar to Marik?

Mirage: Because you're gay for him and I want you to be gay for me.

Bakura: I am not gay for Marik!

Mirage: Yes you are!

Bakura: No I'm not! I like vagina! Yours specifically.

Mirage: Look at my tan midriff in this outfit and tell me you're not thinking of him!

Bakura: I'm thinking about Mari-uh, Mirage!

Mirage: Whatever. Let's move the plot along. Oh, look. The popo. Jessica must have thought she was Sakura and that Mako was Naruto and tried to kill him again. Boy, does that girl have issues…

Bakura: And you don't?

Mirage: Shut up, Binky Boy!

Bakura: What the bloody hell are you doing?!

Mirage: I'm going to do something that would be censored by 4Kids!

Bakura: …You'll have to be more specific than that!

Mirage: I'm gonna punch a cop!

Bakura: Well, how did that work out for you?

Mirage: Well, there are a bunch of cops chasing me at a really slow speed now. I think it's going pretty well. I'll just turn down this corner and…Damn! Dead end! Guess it's time to use my powers of pain and make a random hole in the ground that won't hurt anyone but me! HELL YEAH THE PAIN FEELS SICK! Ooh yes…Look how it made my skin glow! Look at it, Bakura!

Bakura: You're a freak.

Mirage: A freak that's good in bed. Don't you forget that.

Bakura: Whatever you say, Mari-uh, Mirage.

Mirage: Now let's go find a bed. That pain made me horny…and judging by the way you keep almost calling me Marik I need to remind you of a few things.

Bakura: Uh…Remind me of what?

Mirage: Just shut up and take off your clothes!

::::::::

Jessica: I hear a noise coming from Sasuke's room. Maybe he returned from Orochimaru on his own after realizing how stupid it was to chase him down for power.

Mirage: Bakura, you were too loud! Hide quickly!

Bakura: I need my pants!

Mirage: Forget your pants! Your penis isn't even worth covering, anyway!

Jessica: Sasuke! Uh…oh. He didn't come back…I must have just imagined it. There's no one here. There's only Sasuke's things…His Duel Monsters cards…His girly pajamas. His discarded lingerie and men's clothes and heart-covered boxers…Oh, how I miss him. Oh well…Guess I'll just take his Winged Dragon of Ra and go beat up Naruto and that annoying Konohamaru. His voice is so hard to understand, and that Naruto makes a good punchbag whenever anything goes wrong.

::::::::

Bakura: …You're right. That girl is crazy.

Mirage: It runs in the family. Why do you think I'm crazy?

Bakura: You're not related to her. You just inhabit her sister's body.

Mirage: Yes, but I was perfectly sane before I came into contact with her. I just wanted to destroy the world to end pain and cut off some heads. See? Perfectly normal. But after I met her…I started…feeling…the…feelings…and…craving…blood…and lust…but mostly blood…I lust for blood now, Bakura. I have succumbed to Carrie's lust for blood. There has to be a shorter way to say that than just saying lust for blood, though…

Bakura: It's called bloodlust.

Mirage: Bloodlust? That doesn't sound like a real word.

Bakura: Well it is.

Mirage: Maybe it's just another British word for drunk or gay…Since you said it, though, I think we can narrow it down.

Bakura: …

Mirage: …You're gay.

Bakura: All right, enough questioning my sexuality! Let's stick to the plot, okay?!

Mirage: Fine! It's your line, anyway!

Bakura: Why did you take the Millennium Items out of Carrie's closet?

Mirage: I like shiny things. Besides, if you weren't about to come out of the closet, something else had to. Pity these Items had to do it before you. I'm sure Marik would love to know that you swing his way.

Bakura: I don't care about Marik, Marik…Mirage! We have all but two of the Millennium Items now, so why don't we get the one from that useless Shadi and then kill Yugi in his sleep to take the other and then destroy the world already?!

Mirage: Because we're not allowed to do that.

Bakura: What?!

Mirage: Look, in this season, we're supposed to be good guys to save Carrie from Dartz. This means that, for some crazy reason that the author pulled out of her ass, we gotta put our plans for world domination on the backburner just to set her other kooky Mary Sue back on the track to normal Suedom. That also means we can't destroy the world or team up with the other bad guys to have this world die that much quicker.

Bakura: This is completely bollocks!

Mirage: At least this way you actually get screen time. In the real series, you had none at all during this season…and the next.

Bakura: Well, there is that bonus.

Mirage: How did you get to be the major villain of this series without me again?

Bakura: …I slept with Slifer the Executive Producer.

::::::::::::::::::::

Rafael: You should rest.

Carrie: *bleep* rest!

Rafael: You're weak.

Carrie: *bleep* weak!

Rafael: What's wrong with you?

Carrie: I need to *bleep*ing pee!

Dartz: Well, haold it. I have a teste fo yoou!

Carrie: Did he just *bleep*ing come on to me?

Dartz: Wut doo yoou meeen? I joust sed I have a teste fo yoou!

Carrie: Did you *bleep*ing say test or teste?

Dartz: Teste!

Carrie: Gee, thanks for *bleep*ing clearing that up.

Dartz: Cooom, beee redday, for I shoull teste yore verry seoul! Deeer Cairree, yoou shoull gane teh powah sew dat nuwon weell dafit yore dieck! Yore dieck weell beee de beest!

Carrie: I don't *bleep*ing have one of those!

Dartz: Wut? Donut beee seelly! Evireewon haas a dieck. I have a dieck. Rafeel haas a dieck. Mai Valentine haas a dieck. Yoou have a dieck.

Carrie: *Bleep* no! Me and Mai have vaginas!

Dartz: Nu, nut diecks! Diecks!

Carrie: …I don't see the *bleep*ing difference.

Rafael: No one really does.

Dartz: Diecks!

_Hope you enjoyed my attempt at being funny!_


	78. 78 - Facing the Demons

_A/N: I have nothing much to say other than thanks for the reading and reviewing and please read on. Oh, and beware, for there be language in this chapter along with a bit of a dark theme. Just WARNING you before it catches you off-guard._

* * *

Chapter 78

Startled out of a dream by the sudden ringing of a phone, Yugi fell out of his bed, falling uncomfortably with his chest slamming against the Millennium Puzzle. He knew such a hit would result in bruising later, but that didn't matter. What mattered now was answering that damn phone before Grandpa yelled at him to do it anyway. He picked himself off the floor and staggered down the stairs in his hurry to silence that annoying ringing so he could return to sleeping quicker. Yami, who didn't seem to have been sleeping at all, slowly followed him into the kitchen.

"Hello, Muto residence," Yugi said into the phone, rubbing his eyes with his free hand as he waited for the rude person to speak.

"Yugi, it's Jessie. Look, I know it's late-"

"Jessie, it's one in the morning. Really it's early, not late," Yugi kindly corrected her.

"No matter how you look at it, I know it's an unreasonable hour to be calling someone. I'm aware of it and I apologize for waking you," Jessica told him. There was sadness in her voice, an unmistakable melancholy, that even the desolate spirit of the Puzzle did not fail to pick up on despite her trying to hide it. "Yugi, if it's not too much trouble…Can we meet somewhere? I…I need to talk to you about something."

"…Uh…Sure, Jessie. Name the place and I'll be there as quickly as I can," Yugi replied.

"I'll meet you outside of the game shop. We can walk from there," Jessica mumbled. "One more thing…Please don't bring Yami with you."

The silence that followed her request was not intentional, but both Yugi and Yami were shocked by it and thus the boy could not form any words for a brief moment. If Jessica didn't want Yami present, it was because she had something to say about Carrie, something she didn't want the spiritual boyfriend of her sister to know about just yet. What had happened? Was Carrie all right? Yugi didn't know, but he wish he did so he could quiet the worried thoughts in his and Yami's head.

Instead of questioning Jessica's motives, he simply answered her with, "Okay."

"I'll see you in a few," the dark-haired girl murmured before hanging up.

Yugi slid the phone back in its cradle and climbed up the stairs to change out of his pajamas so he could meet Jessica, mind overflowing with questions that weren't just his. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at his incarnation's spirit, seeing his thoughts reflected in his crimson eyes. Yami did not voice his concerns—there was no need for that when he knew the boy was thinking the same thing—but Yugi was surprised that he wasn't protesting that he would be left behind. The boy removed the Puzzle from his person before sliding out of his nightshirt and into a day one, ignoring the bruise on his chest that no longer held any importance at this moment.

Fully dressed, Yugi turned towards the door, feeling the spirit's eyes on him always. He stopped at the door and glanced over his shoulder at Yami.

"Don't worry, I'm sure everything is fine," Yugi tried to reassure him, smiling somewhat forcefully. "I'll tell you everything when I get back, okay?"

"…All right. Just be careful. The streets of any city are dangerous after dark. You never know what could be lurking in the shadows," Yami warned him.

"Jessica is like Carrie. She can handle herself. I'm sure I'll be fine," Yugi said.

"Still, it would be wise to be on your guard," Yami advised.

"I'll be fine. You just try to get some sleep while I'm gone, all right? The last thing I need is to have a grumpy spirit in my head. I get as little sleep as it is, but with your insomnia on top of that…It's a wonder I haven't gone insane yet," Yugi commented.

Yami smiled. "Perhaps you are and you just haven't realized it."

"You may be right," Yugi conceded reluctantly.

"Good night, Yugi."

The spirit faded from Yugi's sight, returning to within the confines of the Millennium Puzzle. The spiky-haired boy hoped the spirit would find some rest before his return. The information he would receive from Jessica did not seem to be on the light side or else his crush's sister wouldn't have cared if Yami tagged along. Both he and Yami knew this, but it was pointless to worry about something they knew nothing about yet, and he hoped the spirit would know this as well and at least try to not panic himself into a state of frenzy where nothing but panic attacks would be possible. Yugi left the room and headed downstairs for the second time that day, wishing he could keep his own mind quiet of these troubling thoughts about the fate of his best friend.

Jessica stood outside, leaning against the wall of the building. It seemed that she had been there for awhile—perhaps she had even been there when she called him. The girl who usually flaunted her body in various revealing styles was not that way tonight. Her clothes were very conservative and dark; a black long-sleeved shirt, loose-fitting dark jeans, and normal sneakers with her hair pulled back in a sloppy ponytail. Her pink eyes were surrounded with redness and from just looking at them, Yugi could see she hadn't slept well this night if she had slept at all. She noticed his arrival and flashed him a forced smile, a terrible forced smile that wasn't even halfway convincing. She didn't even seem to care if he believed in her smile. She simply turned on her heel and started walking without looking to see if he was following. With little hesitation, he went after her.

The dark-haired girl was silent for a long time. Yugi could see she was struggling to put her thoughts into words, unsure of where to begin. She fidgeted, crossing and uncrossing and re-crossing her arms, something the violet-eyed boy couldn't recall ever seeing her do before. Her ways of displaying nervousness and confusion weren't normal, but then, nothing about this girl came close to ordinary. She did her best not to let him see these things on her face, but she couldn't hide anything from someone as perceptive as Yugi. Carrie had tried ever since they met and even she still failed. If one awkward sister couldn't hide her feelings from him, the other was doomed to fail as well.

"…Yugi…I know you and Mako are Carrie's best friends. He already knows what I'm going to tell you, but I figured since you're so close to her, you should be the first person I tell anything to," Jessica muttered. "I do know that Yami is the closest person to her, but he…He's too close. This would devastate him, and…I don't wanna be the main deliverer of bad news, you know?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I understand."

"You know how Mai and Carrie went to Tokyo for that duelist tournament yesterday? They…Well, they didn't return. At first we thought they might have stayed in Tokyo because of the storm that rolled in…but if that had happened, one of them would have called us. Then there's the fact that they didn't come home to change for work. They haven't been home at all since their departure. We called the police, there aren't any leads…I don't know what's happened to them," Jessica admitted, uncrossing and re-crossing her arms over and over again. "But…Since it concerns Carrie, we can…only assume that…whatever happened to them…"

"It can't be good," Yugi concluded.

"Right," Jessica said after a moment. "…I…I tried to think of other things…but it can't be much else. Nothing else makes sense. It's only been twenty-four hours, but we both know it doesn't take long for something bad to happen to Carrie…"

"I get it, Jessie, I get it. You're probably right, but…We shouldn't give up hope so soon. Things may turn up yet. Don't worry yourself sick over this when there's so much we don't know, okay? Everything's going to turn out all right, no matter what," Yugi told her, trying to sound as positive as possible though he wasn't in the greatest of spirits himself due to the little information she had revealed. He could only imagine how Yami would have reacted to hearing that Carrie was missing again.

Jessica nodded hesitantly. "I believe that, really. I even received a sign that points in that direction just a couple of hours ago when I went into Carrie's room to mope. I have it here for you…I figured it would be safer in your hands than just lying around our house." The younger West reached down her shirt and withdrew a Duel Monsters card from her bra. Yugi blushed, but tried not to let the location of the card get to him too badly. She turned it so he could see it, revealing it to be The Winged Dragon of Ra. "Carrie wouldn't just leave this lying around, now would she? Ra derives from Amun-Ra, god of the sun… or something like that. The Winged Dragon of Ra is the strongest of the Egyptian God Monsters. Therefore, I take this to be a sign that Carrie and Mai will be all right, no matter what happened to them after they disappeared or will happen to them before they are back where they belong. Is that…Is that ridiculous to think?"

Yugi shook his head. "No. It's not ridiculous at all. I mean, sure, some might see it as reading too much into a card, but I don't see it that way. It's hoping when you have no real reason to do so. It's nothing to shun or be ashamed of. If I hadn't held on to such hope, I never would have gotten the friends I have. You keep holding onto your hope, Jessie, no matter what tries to take that away from you. Okay?"

"Okay, Yugi."

"Nu-uh. Don't just say it. Promise it. Vow it. Swear it."

"On what?!"

"Swear on The Winged Dragon of Ra that you will never give up hope on your sister."

"Fine. I swear on this Duel Monsters card that I will never give up on Carrie, no matter how hopeless the situation seems. There. Does that satisfy you, Yugi Muto?!"

Yugi smiled at her irritation as he took Ra from her hand. "I suppose it will do. Let me know if you hear anything, okay? I'll find a way to break it easy to the others so you don't have to…you know, be the constant bringer of bad news."

"Thanks, Yugi." She hesitated before adding, "…When you tell Dark about Carrie… Could you…Could you please tell him that I'm sorry? And could you also tell him not to give up hope like you told me? He…He is the one person in this world…who cares about her more than I do. If hearing that she has gone missing brought me to tears and devastated my heart…I can only imagine what it will do to him. So…Be there for him and help him realize he should never let go of the hope he holds for her. Can you do that for me, Yugi?"

"Of course, Jessie."

Without warning, the young West girl stepped forward and encompassed the spiky-haired boy in her arms. Yugi was surprised by the tight embrace, but that didn't stop him from returning it. This girl was hurting, as she always did when something happened to Carrie, and thus she needed the touch of another human being. Even if he wasn't a close friend of hers, they were still friends and friends help one another whenever it's necessary and sometimes when it's not. It didn't matter how close they were—all that mattered was she was a friend in need.

"Try to get some sleep, okay? We don't need you worrying yourself sick," Yugi told her as she pulled away.

Jessica smiled. "…Yeah…"

_Now…How am I going to break this to Yami? _Yugi wondered, his smile fading away as he watched Jessica walk off into the night.

* * *

Dartz had transported the group to a desolate place covered with fog and where clouds blotted out the sky, unleashing angry rain and monstrous bolts upon the world. No one but the green-haired man knew where they were, but Carrie didn't seem to care, believing this to be a meaningless waste of time. Rafael watched her stagger forward, having nothing else to do because he had been through this before. He had to go through it again, but this time, he wasn't the one being tested. He had to watch another be tested just as he had been before. He wondered how she would fare in this compared to him and the others. Would she be broken just as easily, or would she hold out longer than they had in her place?

The fog thinned enough for this place to be distinguished as a graveyard. Carrie noted this with a scan of her eyes over her surroundings, as disinterested as before. She failed to notice the tombstone in front of her and tripped, losing her balance. Her weakness from the previous test made her reaction time slower and her ability to regain her balance was thrown off. Rafael quickly reached out to help her, catching her around the waist a split second before her face would have collided with the hard surface of someone's gravestone. The name on that engraved rock was mostly covered by dirt and leaves, but the last name was still visible. It was the same as Carrie's, which was probably why she paused in standing up and then knelt on the damp grass-covered ground to clear the tombstone the rest of the way. After the name was fully revealed, Carrie's eyes widened and her body tensed.

_Carl West, _Rafael read, eyes narrowing. _So this is the test he has in mind for her. How unnecessarily cruel. It's one thing to make someone face dead loved ones. It's another thing entirely to make them face the person that caused them so much pain and misery that still haunts them to this day. Dartz, what are you thinking?_

"Here lies the man who caused you such suffering in life," Dartz stated, standing in front of the blondes without displaying any kind of caring or sympathy for the girl. "Your darker half, that immortal pain-feeling spirit who desires to destroy this world, took it into her hands to avenge the wrongs he committed unto you. It was the only decent thing she has ever done."

"…Yeah…She killed him after making him suffer for hours on end. She showed me the whole thing once upon the time…I made her stop just before she killed him," Carrie murmured, shivering as though she was standing in the midst of a blizzard. She hugged herself in hopes of easing the panic rising inside of her. "He's dead. He's gone. He can't hurt me anymore. He can't hurt anyone anymore."

"You're wrong, Carrie. Carl West is dead, but he is far from gone. Mirage locked him away within his body for all eternity. His spirit remains trapped within the decaying shell, unable to leave for the fires of the underworld—your hell, if you'd rather—because of the one good thing Mirage has done in her existence," Dartz told her.

"…What…? His spirit still exists…in this world? But…But why? Why? Why would she keep his spirit here? It makes no sense," Carrie stammered.

"She didn't want him to have such an easy way out. The torture and the painful death wasn't punishment enough for everything that monster did to you, so she dealt him the worst destiny she could. Doomed to remain in his body even when his body no longer exists, he would go mad as he deserves for what he's done," Rafael explained.

"That's correct, Rafael. The immortal one desired to repay him for a lifetime of misery with an eternity of insanity. A fitting punishment, but one that is no good for you," Dartz remarked, glancing at Carrie out of the corner of his mismatched eyes.

"And how the hell is his eternal suffering not good for me?" Carrie demanded bitterly. Her fiery anger had returned—Rafael realized that receiving the power of the Orichalcos had brought out the old Carrie he had heard of, the one she had abandoned after moving to Domino City to escape the man whose grave they now stood on—and she wanted answers. He doubted she wouldn't try using her fists on Dartz to get them if she deemed it necessary.

Dartz sighed. "It's simple, really. If his spirit remains, you will never be able to overcome the evil he has done to you. Even trapped as he is, he will maintain hold over you. He will forever be in your mind, in your heart, and in your soul…infecting it all with his darkness. To put it simply, if his spirit stays in this world…He will always be inside of you, never to leave you in peace no matter how much you wish it to be otherwise."

Carrie shrugged, trying to keep a brave face though it was obvious his words had fazed her a little. "…So what? I'll live on and I'll cope. It doesn't matter."

"Oh, but it does. Carrie, you know that he remains inside of you even now, don't you?" Dartz asked, but the way he asked it indicated that he meant in a different way than the ways he previously mentioned.

"What do you mean by that, Master Dartz?" Rafael wanted to know.

He was purposely ignored; Dartz only had eyes for Carrie now. His stare unnerved the angry blonde, so much so that she turned her back on him vehemently. This did not put off the Atlantean at all. Rather, it seemed to fuel him greater than any of her other responses had thus far.

"…Carrie, when was your last period?"

"Master Dartz! That is completely out of line!" Rafael exclaimed, jumping to her defense because now he knew exactly where his master was going with his questions. Carrie spun around and looked at the both of them, shocked and yet unsure of to whom she should direct her shock. Her hands came to rest over her belly, as did her eyes, as reality dawned on her, taking away all of her anger and animosity in one shot. Rafael saw only despair in its place; he would have preferred to have her angry again. He might have given anything to see that despair gone if he had anything to give.

"…It's been awhile. I…honestly don't remember," Carrie admitted, tears in her eyes.

"You know why this is, don't you? You may not have realized it before due to all you have had to endure since that night. You were in the hospital for a long time, and then of course you gave yourself over to Mirage so she could exact revenge. After that you disappeared for awhile and let Iris live your life, which nearly cost you yours in the process. Then there was the trouble with that Noah kid. But now that you are free from the responsibilities of being the 'heroine' of this world, you know you cannot escape the reality of your situation. You know the truth, and that everything I've said thus far is nothing but the truth." Dartz actually looked a bit sympathetic as he let his words hang in the air like knives around Carrie.

Rafael watched as Carrie's despair took over, heart wrenching as she opened her lips and unleashed a terrible cry. Tears fell, endless rivers, from her green eyes as she cried out. Her body lost all strength and collapsed onto the damp ground, curling itself into a ball as she released her inner anguish. Unable to stand the sight and barely able to tolerate the sound, Rafael cast his gray gaze in another direction. He had believed he had seen her at her weakest when he had recruited her to their side. Now he realized how wrong he had been. She could be broken further…

_Why did he have to drive her this far? If he pushes much harder, she may go beyond where anyone else can reach her. What is he thinking? _Rafael wondered as Carrie's cries continued to fill the air. _Does he want to lose her forever?_

When he finally had the heart to turn back towards her, the man discovered that something was emerging from the ground. It seemed too ethereal to be anything living, so Rafael assumed it was a spirit, a certain soul with a form even he recognized despite never having personally met the man. Carrie, in her despairing, failed to notice him, but the gray-eyed man doubted that would hold true for long. He wore not what he had died in—rather, he donned the outfit Carrie was most accustomed to seeing on him. A dark suit and tie, this man appeared to be distinguished and dignified, a true gentleman.

Oh, how deceiving looks could be…

He was nowhere near what he appeared.

His ethereal form stood over Carrie's anguished form, seeming almost triumphant in that moment. A smirk sinister as the devil's appeared on his mouth. Rafael, upon seeing this, clenched his hands into fists, wondering how any 'father' could ever be that happy to see how he had destroyed his daughter's life and wishing that man wasn't just a spirit so he could make him pay for such evil. All the gray-eyed man could do was stand there in anger, watching Carrie cry and the spirit stare. Dartz had summoned the spirit from the body for a reason. Rafael only hoped it wouldn't be a reason that would destroy the girl.

"How do you think your sister will react when she finds out? Will she be happy or sick?" the spiritual man asked, gathering the broken blonde's attention even through her pain. She looked up at him with wide tear-filled eyes, shocked to see him there in any form. The shock only further fueled his grin. "I told you that I'd make it so you would never forget me. I will always have power over you."

"…You…You made this happen on purpose?" Carrie whimpered.

The spirit shook his head. "No. It was an accident. I only wanted to hurt you back then and never intended to do anything else. After all…You're not worthy of being in that sort of position. Your mother barely qualified to be so, but you are of even less worth than her. You're shit, Carrie Alyson West, and that's all you and anything you touch will ever be in this world."

Carrie's bottom lip quivered, but she found enough fighting spirit to weakly retort, "Takes shit to know shit, and you made me…and you touched me. Therefore, by your logic, you are shit as well."

"Such big words coming from someone shuddering like a damn leaf below me," he commented with a dark chuckle. "Maybe I went too easy on you then. If you have the fucking strength to talk back to me, I must not have done enough. Perhaps I should put you through that misery again, huh? Would you like that, you fucking bitch?!"

"Shut up, you heartless bastard!" Rafael shouted, drawing the attention of the spirit away from the cowering girl and towards him. He didn't care if Dartz was testing Carrie with this—he wasn't about to stand there and watch an innocent girl be raped by anyone for anything. If Carrie wasn't so shaken by that bastard's threat, she would have been looking at him just like the other two people in this area. Both Dartz and the spirit seemed slightly amused by his input, but he could care less. He ran forward and put himself between the spirit and the girl, not caring that the ethereal one would not see him as an obstacle. "I will not allow you to lay a hand on her! Not again! You'll have to get past me first, fucker!"

"And who are you to stick your nose into my affairs? This is a family matter," the spirit claimed smugly.

"You're no more family to this girl than you are family to me, Carl West! Beyond blood, you have nothing to claim hold of that can even come close to being a family! No man should ever do to a girl what you have done to Carrie, and especially no father! You, bastard, are neither a man nor a father! You are just a damn piece of shit that must destroy everything good you ever had!" Rafael bellowed, wishing for just a moment that the spirit wasn't dead so he could hit him just once. Just once and that was all he needed.

"Oh? What good did I have?" Carl wanted to know, looking oblivious.

"You had a loving wife who would have done anything for you who only slipped up and cheated because you used and abused her. You had a beautiful biological daughter who spent the first seven years of her life thinking you were the greatest man in the world. You had an equally beautiful sister to that daughter who might have grown up knowing love instead of hatred for something she couldn't control. You had a good job and a good life that you just threw away because you allowed your heart to become tainted by darkness. That is what good you had, and if you dare say that they were nothing more than bitches in your life to be used and not hurt, you're dead wrong," Rafael asserted.

Carl simply regarded him in frenzied silence. The quivering girl on the wet ground shakily glanced up at Rafael, and he could tell by just looking in her pain-filled eyes that she didn't understand why he was defending her. In all honesty, he wasn't completely sure, either…But she didn't deserve to be treated like trash by this bastard for anything. He wouldn't be like his master and stand by while the worst thing happened to her again. He wasn't that kind of man.

She murmured his name, barely audible, and, trembling with every movement, moved towards him, reaching out for some sort of protection. Carl's dark green eyes narrowed when he observed this and he made to grab her with his spiritual hands, forgetting for a moment that Rafael stood between them because he thought in his form that nothing solid would pose a threat.

That was his mistake.

Rafael posed more of a threat than he could have imagined. As Carl attempted to reach through him to get to Carrie, a hand reached through the blonde man's chest and grabbed him roughly around the wrist. Carl was simply stunned as Guardian Eatos made her presence known, materializing outside of her master's body to protect him and the trembling form he was defending. His shock only lasted a moment as he looked upon the pale blonde Duel Monster in Native American wear and broad white wingspan, however, for it was quickly replaced with anger and fierceness. Other Duel Monsters, covered in darkness, appeared around him, ready to combat Eatos in his stead. Rafael didn't know how he had managed to bring about those Duel Spirits though he bet Dartz had something to do with it, but that mattered little. His other Guardians came to stand with Eatos, and he knew their strength would prove a force regardless of their number.

The Guardians engaged the silhouetted Duel Monsters, destroying many while only taking minor damage. Every blow they did manage to receive hurt Rafael as much as it hurt those that took it, but he didn't doubt their power. They had managed to keep him sane when he had been stranded on that island for all those long years. Surely they could defeat a bastard and his faceless creatures that may very well not even be his.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Carrie watching him, eyes wide whenever he took damage. He had no idea what was going through her mind, but he just hoped that she would stay out of this. Carl wanted to hurt her, and if she put herself in a position to be hurt, no doubt that bastard would take advantage of that.

_Don't you worry, Carrie West. I won't let him touch you, _Rafael mentally vowed, cringing as a handful of those faceless Duel Spirits managed to hurt Elma before being destroyed by Eatos and her Celestial Sword.

Dartz had other plans.

"Is this how you want to continue to live your life, Carrie? Always having to rely on others to protect you from things you cannot face? Will you allow yourself to crumble and watch others be hurt when you have the power to save yourself? You can destroy Carl forever and use his soul to cleanse this world of people like him so no one hurts like you have been hurt. Do not let Rafael and his Guardians suffer for your weakness. Stand up and rid yourself of that monster who had the audacity to call himself your father once and for all," Dartz urged.

Carrie looked from the Atlantean to Rafael to the monster, mind reeling as she tried to make a decision. The Orichalcos sign appeared on her forehead and her eyes became crimson, proving her decision had been made. On shaky legs she stood, but her face no longer showed any sign of her despair beyond a few remaining tears. She moved in front of Rafael as all of the Guardians took hits and faced Carl without fear for the second time in her life.

"Die, you fucking son of a bitch!" she bellowed as the Seal of Orichalcos appeared around his spiritual form as well as those of his Monsters.

He faded from the world, screaming in agony, and his Duel Monsters went with him. The Guardians, no longer needed, disappeared as well. Carrie collapsed and would have once again hit the ground if Rafael wasn't quick enough to catch her around the waist and hold her upright. She was still conscious this time, if just barely, but at least her sadness was finally gone. She whispered her thanks as she regained her standing, trying to assure him that she was fine now. Even so, Rafael refused to let her go. She didn't fight him and just looked at Dartz, who was smiling or smirking—Rafael could not tell the difference.

"Well done, Miss West. Your Chaos Duel Disk is awaiting you, buried just beneath where you stand now. Unearth it and your test is complete," Dartz told her.

Carrie wriggled out of Rafael's grasp despite her remaining shakiness and reached for her deck. She brought forth Beast King Barbaros to help her reach her new duel disk. He used his red drill-lance to dig into the ground. The black Chaos Disk lay in the dirt a few feet down, glistening in the pale light filtering through the darkness and rain. Carrie dismissed the Duel Spirit and pulled the disk out of the ground. She slid it on her left arm where she usually wore her regular duel disk and put her deck in place. In the Field Card Zone lay a card that hadn't belonged to her before. She removed it from its place and read its name.

"The Seal of Orichalcos."

"With that card in your hand, you shall remain so strong that nothing will ever stand in your away or make you feel weak again," Dartz stated as he transported them back to his domain. "Use it wisely, my Soul Hunter, and take any soul you desire so that this world can be saved from itself."

The doors to the soul room opened of their own accord, proving that Dartz was finished with them. Carrie and Rafael were both soaked through from their little outing and were in need of some different clothes. The girl had nothing else, but that would be no problem. Dartz had clothes stored for such a time when he recruited people that she could use just as the rest of the Soul Hunters used them. He gestured for her to follow him, which she did without a word, shivering in her wet clothes that clung to her form like a second skin. Nothing was really hidden underneath them anymore, and it was now slightly more obvious what Dartz and Carl had been talking about before. Around her belly was a slight rounding, a little largeness that didn't quite fit.

_That bastard…He got off too easy for what he did to this girl and her sister, _Rafael thought bitterly, trying not to stare.

Carrie caught his stare and crossed her arms, covering her abdomen as best she could.

"…Sorry," Rafael apologized.

"…What are you apologizing for? You know what happened to me…and what lied within because of that night. Dartz made that all too obvious with his questions," Carrie murmured. "I…I wouldn't worry about it. There isn't anything to worry about anymore."

"But you are so young and burdened enough. And now you're-"

"No I'm not," Carrie interjected quickly.

"But you just said that…" Rafael trailed off, realizing what she must have done using the power of the Orichalcos when she destroyed Carl beforehand.

"The problem…has been eradicated," Carrie admitted as a single tear rolled down her face in memory of the life that never was and never should have been.

* * *

_A/N: This wasn't a very long chapter for me, but it covered some pretty dark stuff. In case I didn't make it clear enough, Carrie was pregnant after that incident. She had been subconsciously aware of this for awhile, but hadn't wanted to face the reality of her situation. Also Carl threatened to rape her again even though he was nothing more than a spirit. Rafael stopped anything like that from happening, of course, because I don't think he's the kind of guy that would watch someone be hurt if he could stop it. And the ending…Well, I think that's a bit clearer. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me kindly. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day._


	79. 79 - Rebirth

_A/N: I'm going back and forth on something I mentioned in the last chapter and whether I should change it or not, but that won't keep me from updating when I can. Thanks for sticking by me even when things get really dark and controversial, readers! Here's the next chapter. Please read on and enjoy!_

* * *

Chapter 79

"You didn't really get rid of it…Did you?" Rafael asked as Carrie chose her new clothes from the assortment available in a large closet within Dartz's place. He had tried to let it slip from his mind, but he couldn't picture someone like her doing something that drastic in any situation. He just couldn't wrap his head around it no matter how hard he tried.

Carrie sighed and looked at the ground. "I…I don't know. I thought…I could use the power of the Orichalcos to eradicate the last of the bastard from me…But…" Her free hand came to rest over her rounded stomach as she hesitated to continue her response. "…I can still feel a heartbeat, a kick…or something along those lines."

"I understand why you would want to rid yourself of that which was created in a way it shouldn't have been, but is it right to punish the child for the faults of the father? As terrible as you feel, should you really end the life of your child before it even has a chance to know what it means to live? You're a believer in the Christian God, aren't you? What would He think of what you plan on doing?" Rafael inquired.

"…You talk a lot of morals for one of Dartz's heart-hardened thugs," Carrie muttered, glancing out of the corner of her green eyes at him. "Why do you care so much what I do? Why did you protect me against Carl's spirit? Why would you risk getting hurt for me when I have done nothing for you?"

"I don't like seeing innocent people hurt. No one has to do anything for me to earn my protection as long as they have kind hearts. Underneath this hard exterior you present to everyone and beneath the pain you've been forced to endure for as long as you can remember is a girl with a soft soul who needs strength, her own as well as that of those around her. Here you can find both of those strengths. Those who follow Master Dartz are like family. Many of us lost the true family we once had and thus are unwilling to lose our new one so easily," Rafael explained. "For that same reason, I want you to reconsider your decision about that life inside of you that is not your own. You shouldn't destroy it—it is as close to you as your sister, Jessica. Could you destroy her as easily as you desire to end the life of your child within?"

"How dare you ask such a damned question!" Carrie snapped, meeting his gaze vehemently for even suggesting such a thing. "These things are completely unrelated! Jessica is my sister! My flesh and blood! I could never-!"

"But that child inside of you is also your flesh and blood. Even more so than your dear sister," Rafael interjected. "And unfortunately, in a way, it could also be your sister or brother…due to the circumstances of its creation."

Carrie gritted her teeth. "…Rafael…I don't want to think of that. I don't want this child. I know it's wrong, but I…I can't accept it. God forgive me for this, but I cannot bear to carry and birth the offspring of my father. It would…just be too painful. Do you understand that? Family means a great deal to me…even though the only blood-family I have is my half-sister Jessica…I had built a new one around me, a family of friends, of which I have turned my back on because I must save the world from them now. Family is everything—but sanity means just as much."

"You need not keep the child. Put the child up for adoption. I'm sure some nice family would take care of it," Rafael suggested.

"Listen to us talk of the future. If we follow Dartz's plan, there won't be any world as we know it anymore. We're cleansing the world and destroying humankind. I'll be damned if there are any humans left after the Orichalcos and the Great Leviathan get through with it," Carrie reminded him.

"But-"

"Rafael, can we talk about this more later? I'm still soaked and I would like to change into something warm and dry before I get ill," Carrie grumbled.

He agreed and granted her peace for the time being. She disappeared behind a folding screen much like those used in many Asian countries to change, leaving a small trail of water behind her. Rafael went behind another one, mirroring her departure from the spot with a similar water trail. He changed into something just like what he had been wearing before—a gray muscle shirt, dark pants, the usual—and left his soaked articles on the floor. Dartz's other help, the lesser servants that were not Soul Hunters, would take care of it later. He stepped out about the same time Carrie did and took a moment to observe her in her new garb of choice.

Because of how she had been for some time, Rafael had expected her to be conservative in her clothes. He should have known better than to expect things from her because it only led to him being surprised. She had chosen to wear a blood-red low-cut shirt with long billowing sleeves that exposed her midriff as the material split an inch or so under her bosom before extending to her navel. Along with this she donned a pair of black pants with cuts on the sides that exposed some of her hips and much of her thighs before cutting off with flair just below her knees. Black biker boots and knuckles gloves completed her look, as well as the dark Chaos Duel Disk on her left arm. Though the clothes she had been wearing since Rafael had met her had been part of a disguise and not really her, the gray-eyed man could honestly say he hardly recognized the girl standing before her as being the same Carrie West that had gone behind that screen.

_Maybe she has changed since having to confront the truth. She's no longer that hard-exterior-soft-interior fighter from New York or the big-hearted friend-defender she was in Domino City. She has become someone else entirely, _Rafael thought. _But…Will such a change be good for her? Or will it just be a mistake?_

_Has she become something she'll regret? A monster? Only time will tell._

She walked past him, not even giving him a glance out of the corner of her eye, going to head somewhere even though she didn't know the layout of Dartz's domain in the slightest. Rafael followed her out and eventually took the lead without exchanging a word with Carrie. He took her to the room Dartz intended to be hers and she entered silently. From within the door she beckoned him inside—she had not let their conversation slip her mind as she might have before and intended to finish it. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, and remained standing there, feeling no need to come any closer to her if she had no need for him to be close. She plopped down on her bed; Rafael averted his gaze when he noticed a couple of more obvious things bounce as warmth crept onto his face where none should be. She either didn't notice this or didn't care.

Carrie remained silent for a moment, and though he didn't want to stare, Rafael's gaze came to rest over her rounded stomach where a life was forming. Or rather, may have been forming. Carrie had said before that she had eradicated that life, but even she admitted to not knowing if it had worked. They would need to see which was the truth and then she would have to decide what to do about it. Dartz would probably prefer her not to have the child in her way, much like Carrie would prefer not to have the reminder of Carl's rape with her to bring back the pain. Rafael knew this, but it didn't feel right to punish the unborn for crimes it hadn't been responsible for. Its creation may be a crime, but it wasn't a criminal. If only he could make Carrie see that…

"There is no future if we win, is there?" Carrie asked.

Rafael shrugged. "Dartz has never said what will become of the future. He only claims the world will be cleansed of evil as the Great Leviathan devours darkness. If the world is consumed by darkness, it is possible that that will mean the Great Leviathan must devour the world and thus there will be no future, but…We cannot be certain. Then again…No one really knows if they have a future. Our future is at risk with every breath we take. This is no different."

"That's true," Carrie conceded, shifting her position on the bed so that she was now lying down with her back propped up by pillows. She crossed her legs and arms, considering what else to say. "…What would you have me do with the monstrosity inside of me, Rafael? You claim a nice family would take it in, but what human would want to raise something that resulted from incest-rape? Humans turn their back on things they can't understand, and my child is one of those things. It'll only be viewed as a freak, shunned and outcast more than I ever was. When I think of aborting, it's not just me I'm thinking about. I'm thinking about the life the child will have and how difficult it will be."

"Who but the ones who adopt it and the agency who raised it will know of its origins?" Rafael inquired.

"Children who result from incest…are usually deformed in some way. If the child isn't adopted and lives in an orphanage or whatever, the other kids will torment it because the adults in the agency would whisper about the reason for it not being adopted, making life unbearable for the poor little kid. I don't want it to go through a life worse than the one I have lived. I barely made it through mine—I can't imagine it making it very far into its before it would give up or turn cruel," Carrie replied with sad eyes. "I don't want it to suffer because of the monstrous hearts of children or end up becoming a monster itself. That's the kind of thing we're fighting to end, isn't it? Wouldn't it be counterproductive, then, to spawn something that might be a catalyst to what the Great Leviathan is going to destroy?"

"Perhaps, but why should you constantly assume the worst?"

"Because humans are, by nature, the worst."

"If we win, that won't hold true," Rafael reminded her. "_When_ we win, if there is still life to be had on this planet, the people that survive won't be evil or dark or cruel. They will simply be. In a world such as that, your child could live a normal life."

"Maybe," Carrie reluctantly agreed. "But…It's still really risky."

"Why don't we check to see if you're still pregnant before we continue this conversation? There's no use talking about something if it's not even possible," Rafael suggested.

"But I already told you that-"

"You could be imagining it out of guilt from destroying an innocent life," Rafael interjected. "Think of _The Tell-Tale Heart_ by Poe. That isn't based off of nothing. It's better to be safe than sorry."

Carrie silently agreed and reached for her deck. Removing a card from it, she summoned Gyakutenno Megami to the room. The tall, slender Fairy with green hair and tinted skin turned to face the blonde girl, emerald dress swirling about her as she moved gracefully towards her mistress. Her pale jade hands rested on Carrie's exposed stomach as the red jewel on her forehead glowed along with the various marks on her skin and she closed her eyes, focusing on the task at hand. Rafael noticed the girl tense up under the touch of the Duel Monster and realized she was afraid of what Gyakutenno would discover. She hid it well, but her tenseness coupled with the look in her eye revealed all. He turned to lock the door so he wouldn't have to perform guard duty against those that might be eavesdropping and or would enter unannounced and then stepped over to the side of the bed, not understanding why he was doing so, but knowing that he had to do it.

For a moment, Carrie's green eyes met his gray ones, and something clicked.

Gyakutenno Megami's dark eyes held the answer before her lips could speak it. She pulled her hands away as the glow faded from her skin, leaving behind darkness, stillness, emptiness that hung in the air like an unwelcomed guest. Carrie released a sigh heavy as stone as sadness crept into her eyes again. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them, hugging them close to her as if that might help things. Rafael placed a hand on one of her shoulders and Gyakutenno did the same with the other, towering figures hoping to reach out to her in her time of need and confusion on what decision she should make.

"…I…I don't want this child…," Carrie stammered.

"All life is precious, child, even that which has not yet lived. If you do not want it, I could take it from you and raise it in the Realm of the Duel Spirits," Gyakutenno offered.

"That would not be wise, Megami. The Great Leviathan will be looking in both this world and yours for dark souls and raising it there would put it in great danger. Even you being there would be hazardous since I don't know the condition of your heart," Rafael warned.

Gyakutenno scowled. "I would like to discuss the reality behind this farce the mortal Dartz is pulling you into, but that is not important right now, child. Carrie must decide what to do with the little girl forming inside of her before your dark master makes that decision for her or something just as dark befalls her. If the child must perish, I would much prefer for it to be by Carrie's decision, not a darker force."

"I don't want to be responsible for an innocent death, but I also don't want this child, this daughter who is also my sister. I don't want to have to carry her anymore, either. It sickens me that I'm carrying my own sister because my fucking father wanted to hurt me," Carrie admitted.

"I can take the child from you prematurely, but it would require magic. Ultimately, Carrie, it is your decision. I will not act against your wishes," Gyakutenno said. Rafael knew the protector of the innocent desired to protect the life within Carrie, but she understood her mistress's reasons and would not argue with them no matter how much it would go against her beliefs. This Fairy was loyal to her, much like the Guardians were loyal to him, and that was something he had to admire her for. She pulled away from her mistress and walked away, giving the blonde girl room to consider her choice.

Carrie looked to him now. "…Rafael…What do you think I should do?"

"You know what I think already, Carrie. My thoughts align with those of Gyakutenno Megami. It's up to you to make the decision you think is best for you and the child you're carrying," Rafael replied, straightening and walking away just as the Fairy had.

Just before he was out of reach, Carrie grabbed hold of his wrist. He stopped and glanced over his shoulder at her. No emotion showed on her face, but plenty was revealed in her eyes. Fear, sadness, loneliness…Her body concealed so well what her eyes couldn't hide. Her grip was so tight, tighter than she probably intended, the only other indication of her inner struggle. He did not fight it—there was no point in that. He didn't want to fight one who had fought enough already and who was fighting herself presently.

"Please…Don't leave me alone…," Carrie practically begged.

Rafael sat on the bed beside her against his better judgment, but she still didn't release him. A girl who had felt alone most of her life and in reality had been alone most of her life would not lose such a feeling so easily. Having turned her back on those who had managed to take away that lonely feeling and being surrounded by strangers on a path so unfamiliar while facing a dark reality brought these feelings to the surface anew, causing her to cling to the only thing she had any familiarity with that just happened to be him. Mai may have been a better choice, but she wasn't nearby. Carrie hadn't seen her since they received the power of the Orichalcos—Rafael had been in sight even more so than that blonde woman. He had protected her when she needed time to discover her own strength, and for that reason, she clung to him as she might have those she once called her friends…or even the Nameless Pharaoh himself.

"You're not alone here, Carrie. You'll never be alone again," Rafael assured her. He gently pried her fingers from his wrist and then took the girl in his arms to comfort her, a gesture she did not resent or reject. He caressed her back as she pressed her body against his and said, "We're family, and family stands with one another through the good and the bad. No matter what you decide, I'll stand by you."

"…Why did this have to happen to me?" Carrie asked herself, looking at her stomach like it might hold the answer.

"We may never understand why things happen to us, but it doesn't change the fact that it has happened. There is nothing you can do about it. But you can do something about how you react to it," Rafael told her, moving his hand from her back to her exposed belly. "You can see this unwanted pregnancy as an ugly curse…or…" The little girl within kicked at him and he smiled as he felt it. "You can see it as a beautiful gift."

"But…Rafael…I don't want her. That sounds so heartless, so cruel…but it's the truth," Carrie reluctantly admitted, placing her hands over his on her belly. "She doesn't deserve to die…I know that…But I…still don't want her as my own."

"You have the option of giving her life without having to raise her," Rafael reminded her as his eyes met those of Gyakutenno Megami who had turned to look at them when she realized the blonde man was still with her mistress.

Carrie looked in the same direction as him and understood his implications. "…All right …Gyakutenno, let's get this girl out of me. But if we do this, you have to take care of her here in this castle or whatever the hell it is. You're less likely to be taken if you're where the Soul Hunters are because the Great Leviathan won't risk devouring our souls as we are serving it. Rafael, will you show her a place to stay with my…uh…the child that Dartz isn't likely to notice? I'm not sure how he would feel about this if he knew, but frankly, I don't care enough to find out."

Rafael nodded. "I'll do my best."

"Good. Your decision is made," Gyakutenno said, stepping towards them. "Before I use my magic, though, I suggest we go to this place where Dartz will overlook us. What I shall do with my powers will, in essence, speed up the creation process. What would take four months to do in completion of your pregnancy will be done in mere minutes. This means that once I am finished, you will immediately go into labor. No part of this will necessarily be pleasant, but at least you will be relieved of the burden you see this child as quicker than you would if you allowed nature to run its course."

"Unpleasant? My whole life has been that word, and that word is a huge understatement. I can handle it," Carrie declared, removing the Chaos Disk from her arm in preparation for what was to come. She kept Gyakutenno Megami's card in hand but set everything else aside. "I have to dismiss you until we get there. Rafael and I will just get a few things and then we'll get this over with."

"What will we need?" Rafael asked as both he and Carrie stood.

"Well, for starters, something else for me to give birth in. You think I wanna get these clothes nasty? Ya gotta be shitting me," Carrie replied.

Despite her crude words, Rafael couldn't help but smile. To hear her talking like that meant she was returning to normal.

_Once this whole ordeal is dealt with, perhaps she'll be herself once more, _Rafael thought.

* * *

A scream of pain echoed throughout the soul room as Dartz's Orichalcos soldier sliced through the pallid skin of the violet-haired woman attempting to dodge the attacks of the monsters. The blue-green-haired man sneered as he watched her tremble, falter, fail when confronted with such power that opposed her own. Her dark, pupil-less eyes flooded with fear, but there was still such defiance in them. Pity she still believed she had a fighting chance here.

"I knew you would come. Still trying to protect her even though you've failed to do a decent job thus far and she sent Bakura to reject your help, but look what good that's done you and her. You should have stayed away, done nothing like you always have for Carrie. Instead of being wise, you decided to come here, a place that would weaken you, and try to destroy me in order to save your watch. You won't leave this place alive, foolish little Matron-Watcher. In fact, you won't leave this place at all."

"Vile beast! You are nothing without your Monsters!" the Matron-Watcher retorted, launching attacks at the Orichalcos soldiers that normally would have destroyed them all but due to the effects of being surrounded by dark hearts, it only destroyed a couple. The others sent their weapons into her flesh, something she could have dodged if not for the dark hearts combined with the injuries she had already received. She screamed once more and collapsed on the ground, bleeding and gasping her final breaths.

"That may be true," Dartz conceded, "but at least having these Monsters has resulted in your defeat, Violet."

Violet snarled. "You are lucky…that the one who used to watch over…Carl West is no more or else you never would have obtained the heroine of the world…He would have stopped you…"

"Ah yes…What was the name the humans gave him? Hercules, I believe it was. At least, that's what he told me he was called before I had him destroyed just as you will be," Dartz said.

"…_You_ killed Hercules?! It was _you_?!" Violet exclaimed, horrified.

"Yes. It was about ten years ago when he came to this world to help set Carrie's father's heart back on the right path. He barely had time to assume a physical form before I set my soldiers upon him. The father of your son, the one that has been named Jaden by Joseph Wheeler, died swiftly, and with his death Carl was consumed by darkness, thus setting Carrie on the path to me," Dartz boasted.

"You bastard!" Violet shouted, finding new strength with her rage. She gritted her teeth against the pain and forced herself to her feet, chanting a Matron spell that she had forbidden due to how much energy it required. That didn't matter anymore. Her life, long as it was, was near an end, anyway. The Orichalcos soldiers attacked her, but the wounds did not slow her down.

Dartz scowled and moved forward, not intending to let her finish that advanced spell of the Matron race because he knew that even in her weakened state that it would be devastating to him and his soldiers. Before she could utter the last phrase of it, he clamped his hand over her mouth and used his other to cut off her air supply to silence the spell in her throat. Her eyes widened in shock and fear as he thwarted her final attack. Seeing this, Dartz's smirk returned and he forced the dark-eyed Matron-Watcher to her knees on the ground as his Orichalcos soldiers surrounded her.

"You lasted longer than Hercules, I'll give you that," Dartz told her, turning his back on her and walking away while his soldiers raised their weapons for the final blow. "But in your attempts to finally help Carrie, you were too little too late. Say farewell to this life and hello to the next, Matron-Watcher leader."

One final scream filled the air…

And then there was silence.

* * *

Mirage stumbled up the stairs to Bakura's house, supported around the waist by little Ryou and the railing clung to by her right hand. The pain was gone from her now, which meant Carrie was no longer in pain. The pain felt familiar, something she had felt before when Sianara, the fourth life of Iris, had her two children. As far as she knew Carrie wasn't pregnant, but she had been distracted by several events in the young blonde's life as well as her own and could have overlooked that with ease. Even so, it didn't make sense that she would be giving birth now when the blonde mortal hadn't ever participated in the act of sex…and that terrible night where she was raped hadn't been anywhere near nine months ago. It didn't make sense.

**What the hell is going on over there?! What is Dartz doing to her?! **Mirage wondered, bitter that she may never know the answer to those questions.

Ryou helped her inside the house and led her over to the couch where she could deal with her weakness a bit better. The white-haired hikari remained standing, fidgeting and shifting his weight awkwardly, unsure of what he should do now. Mirage groaned and patted the seat beside her impatiently. Hesitantly he sat down. His hesitance made her roll her eyes though she understood the reason behind it.

"…My darker half…He wants to know how much longer you intend for me to remain in control of this body," Ryou said quietly after a few moments of silence passed.

"Well, you can tell Bakura that until I tell you to get out of my sight, you're staying in it," Mirage declared, crossing her arms and propping her booted feet up on the table with a huff. Her bronze legs were more exposed as the crimson skirt responded to her action, but it was still long enough to keep the goods covered. "If that bastard wants to get jealous over my simple curiosity in your innocent life, then he's a fool."

"He's not jealous…Or at least that's what he says," Ryou murmured, casting his gaze away from her politely.

"Yeah, and he's full of bullshit," Mirage growled.

**But if he wants to play that game…I can always best him, **the immortal spirit thought with a smirk. **He wants to be jealous…Fine. I'll give him a reason to be jealous.**

"Didn't you want me to take you to Yugi's?" Ryou asked as Mirage moved her legs from the table to his lap. He did his best to ignore how much of her leg was showing, but even he couldn't stop himself from blushing. Her skirt fell back to reveal a great deal of her thighs, just barely covering her where it was necessary to be covered. His discomfort amused Mirage. "Why did you change your mind and ask me to bring you back here instead?"

"I figured I might want to overcome my pain entirely and compose myself before I face those who wouldn't trust me as far as they can throw me," Mirage replied. She laid on her back on the couch, keeping her exposed legs poised on Ryou's lap, and folded her hands behind her head. Her crimson halter top revealed more of her chest than any person should be comfortable with, and lying down made her breasts harder to keep in place. This furthered the embarrassment of the pure-eyed, evident by the tint of pink on all of his pale flesh.

"…Uh…That was…smart thinking…," Ryou stammered, trying to look away but always finding that his gaze wanted to turn back to Mirage.

**Wonder how much Thief Bakura is yelling right now, **Mirage thought proudly.

She was just about to take this charade to the next level when suddenly the windows in the living room were destroyed, shattering into a million shards of glass in one instant. Mirage immediately went on the alert and tossed Ryou behind the couch before rolling to dodge an array of bullets sent her way by helmeted goons. They came in through the destroyed windows from seemingly nowhere. There was no motive behind this attack known to the duo, but the dark-haired one could assume who was responsible for it. She didn't hesitate to use her magic to create a forcefield between her and Ryou and the goons with their bullets. The metal projectiles disintegrated upon impact with the shield, but that did not deter the attack. She then melted their guns in their hands, forcing them to drop the hot metal lest they be seriously injured.

These people should have known better than to attack her.

"Bakura! Get out of here!" Mirage ordered as the white-haired Brit popped his head up from behind the couch. She could handle these guys and protect him, but she'd rather not risk his safety here. It was clear these people were sent by Dartz to eliminate the two powerful wild cards that might try to take Carrie back from his evil. They would do whatever it took to destroy them, and that meant trouble for Ryou.

The goons would not have either of them running off, it seemed. When Ryou ran over to the door and forced it open, it revealed more of the gun-wielding servants of Dartz ready to blow his head off. Mirage extended her forcefield just in time to prevent him from getting a face full of bullets and melted the enemies' guns once more. Ryou came closer to Mirage, the source of his protection and the only way he would stay alive now. Mirage wondered how they would escape this together. She could leave any time she pleased, but her magic would not work on anything living besides herself. She would not leave the body of her lover and his hikari behind, no matter what.

They ignited the building, attempting to smoke out the duo by destroying Ryou's home. The pure-eyed boy cried out against it since it was the place he had called his own filled with belongings of his family, but he was powerless to stop it. Mirage pitied him and called forth from the flames what she could, keeping these things from burning, but only able to get what was most important to Thief Bakura's hikari. A framed picture of his family, including his mother and dear sister Amane, came through the forcefield to Ryou's hands, along with his duel disk and deck. He murmured his thanks as he placed the disk on his arm and slipped the frame inside his jacket to keep it safe. She also called the duffel bag containing the Millennium Items to her, but doubted they would do much good at present.

**What to do…What to do…What the hell am I supposed to do?! **Mirage thought vehemently. **Duel Monsters…I need to summon some! Yeah! …Damn it! I don't have a deck! Shit! Now what?!**

"_Answer the call," _a distant female voice whispered. _"Release the dragon and save us."_

**The hell?! What are you talking about?!**

"_Free her...Free us."_

Mirage blinked and was instantly transported somewhere else. She was floating inside of a castle where four dragons stood encased in ice or crystal with swords sticking out of the clear substance. The dark-haired immortal found herself forced in front of one of these dragons with its sword within arm's reach. The dragon appeared to have white scales and crimson eyes with a snake-like pupil, and its build was slender yet powerful. This magnificent creature appeared to be some sort of Duel Monster, but Mirage didn't recognize it from all her battles against the kind.

**How did these dragons come to be here? Who sealed them? And what the hell is with these swords?**

"_Grab the sword. Free her from this imprisonment she has been in longer than you have been trapped. Wake the dragon," _the female voice, sounding much closer now, beckoned, echoing throughout the castle.

"Whatever you say, annoying little voice," Mirage grumbled, grabbing the hilt of the sword with both hands and jerking up. The sword refused to budge at first, but with a bit more effort it began to slide out. It wasn't long until the sword was out all the way and the crystal imprisonment shattered. The mighty white dragon roared and set its gaze on Mirage. "Now what?"

"_Bond with her. Call out her name. Lysis!"_

"Lysis! Come to me!" Mirage exclaimed.

Her vision was consumed by a blinding light before being replaced by the scene she had been in before that annoying voice called out to her. However, there had been a change. In her hand lay a card she hadn't had before, the very same white dragon she had just freed in that strange place. This provided her and Ryou with a way out.

"Wing of Lysis, I summon you!" Mirage called, holding the card up.

The card glowed brightly and from it emerged Lysis. The helmeted goons were taken aback by her arrival in the flames, not expecting that legendary Duel Monster to be here, or even to exist at all. Lysis knocked them all down with a mighty gust of her wings and proceeded to destroy them with a blast of ice from her mouth. Those that survived made a run for it to escape with their lives. Mirage climbed on the back of the white Dragon and helped Ryou climb up behind her before Lysis took flight, breaking through the burning roof of the house with ease. She set her sights on those that remained of the attack, those that were trying to escape in their helicopters and on their motorcycles. They were attacked with a blast of liquid nitrogen, freezing them in place. A gust of wind from her wings and they were no more.

"Where did she come from?" Ryou asked in amazement as Mirage directed Lysis towards Grandpa's game shop.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling we're going to find out," Mirage replied.

* * *

_A/N: What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me kindly. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day._


	80. 80 - Coming Together

_A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner. School, holidays, and family stood in the way. Good news, though—I got accepted to the college I've been wanting to go to for awhile now. =D But enough about me. A little FYI, that scene with Mirage and Ryou was supposed to take place after the One-Shot __**End of the Innocence**__, making that thing canon. If you want to know what happened there, go read it! For now, please read on and enjoy, my friends, and Happy Holidays!_

* * *

Chapter 80

Tea stood leaning against the counter in the game shop, glancing at Yugi as he worked the cash register in boredom. Joey and Tristan were competing at video games in the living room again while the Muto men ran the game shop for the many customers that came through for Duel Monsters cards and or to meet the King of Games. None of her other friends had come around to light up her day, but there wasn't much that could be done to change the melancholy that had taken hold since her arrival this morning.

A tired-looking Yugi had the unfortunate task of telling the gang that Carrie was missing again, but this time Mai was also gone without a trace. Joey took it hard, having been Carrie's first friend in Domino City, and his feelings for Mai just made things worse. Tristan was slightly better and thus was distracting his friend with games. Yugi was working himself sick despite being tired; Tea was afraid he was going to drop any second. She wasn't sure how she felt about all this, but her friends were suffering and she didn't particularly like it. Watching them suffer just upset her.

"Yugi, you need to stop. You can't keep working like this when you're tired and your best friend is missing. You need to rest," Tea insisted after Yugi messed up on giving someone change three times in a row before getting it right.

The spiky-haired midget shook his head slowly. "I'm fine, Tea. Besides, even if I wanted to sleep, I couldn't. I'm too…" Yugi yawned. "…worried to be tired."

"Yeah right. That yawn is really convincing," Tea muttered, crossing her arms. "Look, I know you're worried about Carrie and Mai. We all are. It might be worse for you since the Pharaoh is in your head and is probably the most worried out of us. But worrying yourself sick and not getting any rest won't make anything better. You need to take care of you, too. Carrie would say the same thing if she was here."

"No, she wouldn't. She'd throw me over her shoulder and take me to bed without letting me argue," Yugi admitted with a small smile.

"Tea's right, Yugi. You get your butt to bed. I won't have my only grandson working himself into the grave before me," Grandpa commented.

"Fine," Yugi conceded, coming out from behind the counter.

"Give me the Puzzle, Yugi. You don't need the Pharaoh with you to sleep," Tea said.

_**I wasn't going to keep him up, Tea. I have been trying to keep my thoughts from entering his head since he told me of this. I'm not an ignorant man who wants to keep Yugi from doing what he must, **_Yami thought as the Millennium Puzzle changed hands and found its place around Tea's throat. He materialized beside her, not looking much better off than his reincarnation, though he still had enough energy to get snippy with her.

_Yeah, but it's better not to risk things. You have a habit of placing blame for everything that happens to Carrie on yourself, and Yugi doesn't need to deal with that right now, _Tea told him bluntly. _Grandpa's closing the shop now. Let's go to the living room with Tristan and Joey. If we're going to be glum, we might as well be glum together._

Just as Tea stepped into the living room, the wall behind the television blew in, throwing everyone back on their rears. A white dragon growled for a moment, sticking its head in the house, and two figures slid down its neck to the ground. The dark-haired one held up a card and the dragon disappeared. With a flick of her wrist the damage done by the dragon became no more, but the drop-offs remained all too vividly. The fluffy-haired one went unnoticed because he was good. The dark-haired one was not so lucky.

Joey tackled her to the floor, slamming her head against the hard wood without restraint as he also grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. His anger was practically fathomable.

"What the hell did you do to Mai?!" he demanded.

"I didn't do anything, you dumbass! Get off of me!" she growled, struggling under his weight and grip.

The blonde teen didn't care enough about the fact that she was a woman to keep himself from punching her in the face, something that shocked all that stood within that room. They understood that Joey cared deeply for both people that had gone missing, but this was a bit much. Even if the one he attacked was known for being evil, he shouldn't jump to conclusions and forget to act like a proper man.

"You're obviously controlling Carrie's body, Mirage! How else would you be out here?! We're not stupid! You managed to get past Carrie's defenses and took control of her like you've done before! That ain't a surprise! But that doesn't explain anything about what you would want with Mai! Now start talking before I hit you again!" Joey shouted.

Mirage spat blood on Joey's face as her body shuddered with pain. "I can see…why she left you. Who would want to be in love with a woman-beater, anyway?"

"I don't beat women! You're the only female I could ever think of hitting!" Joey countered vehemently.

"Joey, please calm down. Mirage had nothing to do with what happened to Mai and Carrie. She isn't even in Carrie's body right now," Ryou insisted.

"What do you mean she's not in Carrie's body? She's a part of Carrie's mind and can't switch bodies as easily as Yami or Bakura can. How could she be in control of someone else?" Tristan asked.

"I'm not in control of anyone else…That little bitch you call Carrie threw me out of her in my own shell of flesh with all its downfalls and cursed me. She did the same…to that damned Sacred Beast, Uria, who is now in the form of a dragon tattoo on my right arm. She didn't want us to interfere…as she went over to the dark side with Mai," Mirage grunted, forcing the angry Joey off her and staggering to her feet.

"You're lying! Carrie and Mai would never go to the dark side! You and that spirit in Ryou's Ring are the evil ones! Just be honest already and tell us what you did to them!" Joey exclaimed. Tristan and Grandpa moved to hold him back as he was about to attack the dark-eyed immortal once again. "Damn you, Mirage! Damn you! Return them to us!"

Mirage brushed the dirt from her clothes casually, no longer fazed by what Joey had done nor what he was saying now. She scanned the room for someone, but when she didn't find him, she instead looked for the Item that had last been with that someone. Her dark gaze came to rest upon the Puzzle at Tea's throat, and when the brunette girl realized where she was looking, she immediately gripped the chain. If Mirage wanted the Puzzle, she doubted she could stand against that much power even with Yami's help. Even if the two of them did have a fighting chance, she didn't think Thief Bakura would let them defeat his lover and would take over Ryou to oppose them in an instant. Yami glared at their supposed foe from his place beside Tea, seeming to be as on edge as she was.

"I didn't come here for a violent grope-fest with Joey. I came to talk to the Nameless Pharaoh about impending danger to the world that has claimed two his friends with one of them being mine as well," Mirage said without moving. "If he would be so kind as to make his presence known, I'd gladly begin being the bringer of bad news."

"Let me take over your body for awhile, Tea. At least until we're sure if we can trust her," Yami requested.

_No. I want to be here to help if something goes wrong._

"What other way can she know I'm here if I don't control a body?"

Tea removed the Puzzle from her throat without answering the Pharaoh and forcibly threw it around Joey's neck. The blonde boy put up a front for a moment, not wanting to be suppressed when he believed the one responsible for Mai and Carrie's disappearance was standing right in front of him, but Yami won control. Joey's brown eyes turned crimson and a voice deeper than his usual assured Tristan and Grandpa that he no longer needed to be held back. Yami crossed his arms and looked at Mirage, who smirked in amusement at their solution to the irrational blonde.

"Talk," Yami commanded.

"I didn't hear a please, Pharaoh," Mirage taunted.

"Talk or I'll allow Joey to attack you once more, only this time you won't be getting back up again so easily," Yami warned, venom seeping into his voice.

"Zorc, you're so pushy when you don't have Carrie," Mirage muttered. "Fine, I'll talk. There's a new power-player in this tug-of-war for control of this world that you've been having with Bakura and all the other evil-doers in this world, but this time he's going under the guise of a savior. His lackeys got to Mai and Carrie after that tournament in Tokyo concluded, dueled and broke them, and then convinced the two to join their cause. That was when she stole magic from me, forced me out, and sealed Uria into my skin along with a curse of her own. I cannot use my powers on any living thing besides myself and I must heed the needs of mortal flesh just like everyone else who walks this planet. This curse interacts with my original one in this way—if I experience pain, it is amplified as much as it would be if Carrie were the one in pain. It's quite a nuisance, let me tell you, to get a simple punch to the face and then feel like you've been punched in the face by a truck…"

"Who are these people who took Mai and Carrie?" Yami wanted to know.

"Wait. Yami, you don't actually believe her, do you? I mean, to start with, how likely is it for someone to defeat Carrie in a duel? And it's not like she and Mai are easy to sway about anything. Just try arguing with either of them. You always lose," Tristan pointed out.

"Mirage isn't lying. Remember how guilty Mai felt about what happened to Carrie and how confused she was over her feelings for Joey? She was weak in the mind, just as Carrie was broken by certain events. In their states they could be brainwashed all too easily," Ryou put in quietly.

"Ryou makes some good points. Besides, we all know Mirage isn't the kind to lie when it comes to Carrie," Grandpa agreed.

"Can I go on and answer the Pharaoh's question now?" Mirage asked, exasperated. When no one raised their voice in objection, she continued anyway. "The guys that lured Carrie and Mai away were named Rafael and Valon. They're not the real threat. They work for some guy…Dartz was what they called him. Alone he's not much trouble, but he employs the powers of an ancient force. His lackeys called it the Orichalcos. As they dueled against your friends and when I was removed from her, I felt this power. Let me tell you, it's not often that I encounter power greater than mine, but this Orichalcos is not something to be taken lightly. It may even be more powerful than that of the Millennium Items, the Egyptian Gods, and Exodia the Forbidden One combined."

"Whoa-whoa-whoa. Wait a second here. How can anything be that powerful and we not know about it until now? Something that strong should have made itself known a long time ago," Tea commented.

"Not if it didn't want to be noticed. I went years without Carrie noticing me and I easily could have gone longer. This power is older than both the Pharaoh and I, so I'd say it's been patiently waiting to make itself known when it believes the time is right," Mirage replied.

"That's not all. Dartz sent some of his minions to attack us while we were at my house. Mirage saved us with what magic she could use, but they burned it to the ground. He didn't intend for us to escape that place with our lives. Mirage could have left at any time, really…She stayed to help me," Ryou admitted with a small smile in her direction. She just rolled her eyes and looked slightly irked. "Somehow she managed to summon this dragon I've never seen before…Wing of Lysis I believe she called it…and that's how we managed to survive to be here."

"May I see this dragon?" Yami asked.

"Sure, whatever." Mirage removed the card from her cleavage and presented it to the Pharaoh, showing it to be the same Dragon she had rode into the shop. "She packs a pretty powerful punch for a Duel Monster. Even Uria seemed to be surprised by her strength, though he would never admit it."

"Where did you get that card? It looks like no Duel Monster I've ever seen," Grandpa said, referring to its blue color when it wasn't a Ritual Monster or a Spell Card.

Mirage shrugged and returned the card to its hiding place. "What do I look like, the holder of all the information you don't know? I'm not even sure where she came from, not completely. All I know is some annoying voice spoke to me while Ryou and I were in peril, I was transported to some castle that's probably in the Realm of Duel Spirits, and there were four Dragons trapped in crystal with swords in them. Lysis was one of them and that voice told me to free her, so I did."

"There are three other Dragons like that one? Does that mean three other people will be chosen to free them as well?" Tea asked.

"No. I'm going to have to free those three as well," Mirage replied sarcastically. "Of course three other people are going to free them. That was a stupid question, you mortal wench."

Tea scowled severely but did not dignify her sarcasm with a response. "Do you believe these Dragons are meant to oppose the power of this Dartz guy and the Orichalcos? If so, who is going to free those other three Dragons? Whoever they are, they've got to be better than the choice for Lysis."

"Unless it's Kaiba," Tristan muttered.

"We'll figure that shit out later. There is still time for that to be revealed," Mirage grumbled, pushing through the people to stand before Grandpa. "Old man, I need to build a deck now, so allow me to go through your cards."

"Sorry, Mirage. This is a business. You've got to pay, regardless of who you are and what abilities you might have. No exceptions," Grandpa told her defiantly.

Mirage scowled. "You only talk like that because you know I cannot hurt you. Fine." She twirled her wrist and hundreds upon hundreds of yen appeared above Grandpa's head, floating there like a wealthy cloud. "Would this be enough to buy all of your immediate stock of Duel Monsters cards?" Grandpa nodded a little too eagerly and Mirage allowed the money to drop on his head before walking past him into the shop. Tea, Tristan, Yami, and Ryou rushed forward to see if Grandpa was all right, but the old man just popped out of the money looking happier than he had seemed in a long time.

"You couldn't even tell that he just had a lot of weight dropped on him," Tristan grumbled, sweat-dropping along with the others about Grandpa's reaction.

* * *

Gyakutenno Megami held a bundle of life in her arms as she sat cross-legged on the floor, watching Carrie leave the room as if nothing had happened. The blonde girl had given birth in a little storage room with Rafael at her side, grasping his hand tightly as she pushed out the babe created against her will. The mess had been cleansed, the after-pain eliminated from the mother, and the card that brought the Fairy to this world now was in the Duel Monster's possession. Carrie had returned to her other clothes and left without saying a word to anyone, perhaps hoping to distance herself from the result of that terrible night once and for all as quickly as possible.

Rafael did not leave with her. He remained standing before the green-haired Fairy, looking down at the little girl with tuffs of golden hair and big emerald eyes in her arms. Her crying had ceased at the soothing sound of Gyakutenno's chanting, but her occasional whimpering proved to them both that the babe wanted to be with her mother, who she knew wasn't a giant Duel Monster with wings or a big man with a gruff voice. She may not be able to see very well, but the little girl knew her mother.

_She probably even knows that her mother doesn't want her, _Gyakutenno thought sadly, attempting to soothe the little girl to sleep with Fairy songs in hopes that rest would quell the aching in the babe's soul. _What a terrible burden for one so young to bear..._

"She looks so much like Carrie already," Rafael commented, kneeling beside the Fairy to look more closely at the babe.

"That is because most of her genes are identical to Carrie's due to her unholy creation," Gyakutenno reminded him. "She and Carrie have the same father, and since that is true, the genes of Carl West are doubly presence within her. It explains why she has blonde hair and green eyes…Both of her parents had them. No recessive gene could overpower that combination."

"It's a shame that something so beautiful could be created from something so terrible," Rafael said.

Gyakutenno agreed. "Yes, and now this little one must suffer abandonment for that terrible creation. Her father, damn his soul, is dead and her mother wants nothing to do with her. At least the gods were kind enough not to deform her. She looks as normal as any other human child I have ever seen. I just wish that seeing such a lovely child would have changed the heart of Carrie. My heart aches with not knowing if this girl will ever experience love."

"Do not worry about her. She'll be fine," Rafael assured her.

The Fairy narrowed her dark eyes. "Your words prove nothing. You follow a dark man under the false pretense that you are doing good, child, and you have pulled Carrie and Mai under his allure as well. If not for you and that Valon person, neither of them would be here. I would not be here. We would be at her home on the righteous path as we should be, not in the dwelling of a dark being wishing to bring forth a creature that nearly destroyed our worlds ten thousand years ago. If you cannot even keep my mistress from becoming evil, I cannot trust you about this little girl and her future."

"Regardless of what you think of me and Master Dartz, you can trust that I will personally see to that girl's happiness," Rafael vowed. "Whether the Orichalcos wins or not, you have my word that she will be raised by me as though she was my own flesh and blood. Carrie may not be willing to take her in as family, but I will. Beyond the people in this building, outside of these walls, I have no family."

The Duel Monster stared at him for a moment before lowering her gaze and sighing. "All right, child. When this is all over, if you are not destroyed and I am still around, I shall see if you are worthy of raising this little girl. If I do not believe you are, she shall return with me to the Realm of Duel Spirits…or what remains of it if your side wins. Agreed?"

Rafael nodded, gray eyes still transfixed on the sleeping babe in Gyakutenno's arms. "She deserves a name beyond simply calling her what she is, don't you think?"

"Yes, but I know nothing that would suit a human that is not ancient."

"How about…Sonia?"

"If you believe it fits, then that is what we shall call her. Will she have a last name, too?"

"We'll just keep that West in case Carrie ever changes her mind. Sonia West. And if she wants a middle name, that can be of your choosing."

"I see…You are giving her something from each of those responsible for her life still being in existence. If you insist, then her full name will be Sonia Reverie West. Reverie shall encourage her to dream big no matter what obstacles she must overcome…such as a post-apocalyptic world."

"Let's hope the time you spend here in secrecy will change your view on the good we're doing. I'll see you later."

_No amount of time shall ever cloud my judgment, Rafael,_ the Fairy thought as the blonde man left, locking the door behind him and surrounding her with darkness. In the palm of her hand she created an orb of dull illumination so she and Sonia wouldn't be in the dark and allowed the orb to float above them as she cradled the sleeping babe against her chest. _Your master is evil. If only you and Carrie could see that..._

* * *

Rose stood amongst the other Matrons within the Realm of the Duel Spirits as They received the news of the death of Their Leader, the one that the humans called Violet. Jaden was in tears, crying over the death of his Mother while the Council of Matrons inducted him as the new Leader of Matron-Watchers. The Council of Matrons was made up of all the different branches of Matrons with Watchers being just one of those branches. There were three members from each of the five branches, and one of the three members was always the Leader. This meant Jaden was now Leader and Council Member for the Matron-Watchers, a heavy burden to bear with his Mother's murder being the reason for it all.

_Everyone is here, _Rose morosely observed. _Matron-Monarchs, Matron-Knights, Matron-Guardians, Matron-Heralds, and Us Matron-Watchers. No one is missing. There are even some Duel Monsters about to bear witness to Our Leader's burial. Is this how it is for every Matron that passes, or is it only for the Leaders? I wonder...Will I ever know? I don't believe any other Matrons have died…The last one was his Father, the one the humans called Hercules, who was also murdered by the same human responsible for Our Leader's death, and I wasn't around then. I was still forming in the womb of my Mother, a process that takes years to start and then accelerates quickly. Even he did not know his Father…Did They give him a proper funeral?_

"Are you all right?" Gun asked, taking her hand in his and pulling her from her mind.

"Oh…Yeah," Rose murmured, forcing a smile on her lips. The look on Gun's face had her erasing it in a heartbeat. "I was just wondering if Our Deaths will be meaningless compared to that of Our Leaders, like We could die in droves and have no commemoration of it and just one of Them die and all of Our Kind show up to Their funeral."

"Don't be silly. We all matter. We all have a purpose. There are funerals held for all Matrons that go to the gods. We just haven't been around long enough to see any one but this," Gun told her. "…I'm afraid my darkness has rubbed off on You. You were never so morbid before."

"No, Your ways have not rubbed off on me. I have had dark thoughts before, like any other mortal has on occasion. I just never had anyone I wanted to share them with before," Rose admitted.

"Come forth," beckoned the Leader of the Matron-Monarchs to Rose.

She knew it was her that He spoke to, as there was no second-guessing in this world where names were not needed unless one was a Duel Monster. Exchanging a momentary glance with Gun, she released his hand and stepped towards the Council of Matrons. They were in physical forms just like Rose, but only the Matron-Watchers looked close to human. Matron-Monarchs took the forms of lions and other large cats with bat-like wings on Their backs. Matron-Knights took the forms of harpies, only appearing more birdlike than Their Duel Monsters counterparts and bearing more armor. Matron-Guardians looked like the mythical unicorns with claws on Their front legs and three large catlike tails. Matron-Heralds were like dragons with hooves instead of talons and a feathered tail. These other four branches of the Matron race hardly ever came to the human world because of this difference in appearance, but Their rare instances on Earth spawned many myths that inspired humans for centuries.

"We need You to go to the human world to finish what the former Leader of the Watchers started. Someone must help the human Carrie return to her True Path and help her to decipher Her Message," the purple tiger Leader of the Matron-Monarchs said as the blue-feathered female Leader of the Matron-Knights handed Rose the repaired green amulet Violet had once delivered to her charge.

"'The past holds the key to your future,'" Rose read aloud. "…All right. When do I set out to the human world, Council?"

"Immediately," bellowed the crimson Leader of the Matron-Heralds, whipping his yellow-feathered tail around impatiently.

"Go forth with the others of Your age. They shall help the human world while You meet with Your charge to help the Nameless Pharaoh to bring Carrie back to the True Path intended for her," the black female Leader of the Matron-Guardians stated.

"Would that not be dangerous, Guardian Leader? The dark forces of the Orichalcos and the Great Leviathan, which threatened our world and that of the humans ten thousand years ago, are coming into play once more. If You send Yours out into that world, They may never come back," Empress Judge, one of the Duel Monsters that came to pay respects, put in.

"We are aware of that, Empress Judge. But since this is the truth, We are no safer here than We would be there," the Leader of the Matron-Knights replied. "Just as it happened ten thousand years ago, a rift will appear between this world and the human world, and the Great Leviathan will feed on the souls of humans and Duel Monsters alike. At that time, all Matrons shall retreat to Our Realm, a place between the human worlds of life and death. We cannot be touched by the powers of the Orichalcos there, just as We were not touched when first the Great Leviathan tried to devour the human world. Even those of Us called to combat the darkness will be beckoned to Our Realm. It is then Their choice if They will come."

"Wait. You said I am to meet with My Charge. That is against Our Law, the rules created by the Twenty-First Leader of the Matron-Watchers. How could I possibly break this rule?" Rose asked.

"Easy," Jaden sniffed, stepping towards his childhood friend. "It's no longer one of Our rules. You can go to Our Caretaker without fear of backlash, and I shall go with You."

"But…But You are Our Leader. We cannot allow You to risk Your life with Us," Rose insisted.

"I'm not giving You the choice. Everyone Our age is needed. My Mother, the Leader Joey called Violet, gave Her life trying to make up for failing to keep Carrie on her True Path. I will not let Her death be for nothing," Jaden declared through the tears. "Now let Us argue no more. To the human world We go."

"Be careful, all of You," the Council of Matrons urged as Siren, Roxas, Axel, Glimmer, and Gun joined Rose and Jaden in front of Them. "We do not desire to meet about more of Our Kind passing prematurely."

A portal opened and with it, the former Matron-Watcher children disappeared.

_Joey, here We come again,_ Rose thought with a small, grim smile.

* * *

_A/N: All right, who can honestly say they saw that last part happening? I didn't think I'd bring the Matrons back so soon, but hey, They're like my kids. I missed them. And Carrie's daughter has a name, but it's not just some random name. Her first name, Sonia, is the name my teacher gave me for my Spanish 2 class and since the spelling of Rafael I use is the Spanish one, I figured it would fit. Reverie is the name of Dan Green's baby girl, so this is kinda a little tribute to her as well. Just saying. _

_What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me kindly. Hey, and before I sign off, I've got a little trivia question for you. As of this chapter, how many different people have had their bodies controlled by Yami/the Pharaoh? If you get it right, kudos to you! If you can name them all, I'll include one line of dialogue __**you**__ come up with in whatever chapter I happen to be working on at that time with whatever character you want to say it, no matter how ridiculous it might seem. Sound fun? No? Oh well. Have a wonderful day!_


	81. 81 - Timaeus

_A/N: I don't expect you to answer the trivia if I haven't posted the chapter it's in yet. Blame my internet being gone for that. If you're wondering what trivia I'm asking about, wait until you get to the end of the chapter where I'll explain it again. Until then, please read on and enjoy._

* * *

Chapter 81

Summer faded into fall without any sign of the Orichalcos or the gang's missing friends in Domino City. Even with Mirage and Thief Bakura using their powers to try and search out Carrie and Mai or even traces of the Orichalcos, everything only led to dead ends. There were no further attacks on the dark ones by their rivals, but knowing that something like that could happen kept everyone on their guard. No one wanted to be blind-sighted by the enemy should they appear, however unlikely that seemed at the present with the lack of activity from the evil organization.

School was in session once more, taking them away from the safety of their homes and placing them in public where anything could happen. It felt strangely empty without Carrie with them, especially in the physical education class when she was at her best the days she had been there. Bakura came with the group at Mirage's beckoning in case the Swordsmen of Doma decided to strike while they were separated from her. He helped to fill the gap since he was partially their friend, but nothing could ever replace Carrie. Mirage knew that, so she didn't even try where Iris had once upon a time.

Yami watched them go about their lives from within the walls of the Millennium Puzzle, uncomfortable with the still the followers of the Orichalcos had left after seizing two of their own and trying to kill two others. Whenever an enemy retreated into territory where they could not be followed, it meant they were building up their resources and formulating plans for their next attack. Preparations were surely being made for the Orichalcos to take down the true followers of the righteous path. The Pharaoh wanted to be prepared for that time when the enemy would attack, but that was difficult when different events in his friends' lives pulled them away from one another.

_The enemy has the advantage here, _he thought bitterly, casting his gaze towards the sky as Yugi walked home from school. _And they have Carrie…_

He shook the depression from his mind before it could take hold, harshly reminding himself that he could not think who would be amongst his opponents. He could not save her if he let himself get weak over the thought of facing her on the battlefield. It would take much more than that to bring her back. He had to be stronger than ever before.

_The minions of the Orichalcos may have their advantages, but we have ours, too, _Yami recalled. _We have the Egyptian God cards, the Millennium Items, and Exodia. We have Carrie's Guardians and the Ishtars. We have each other and faith in one another. We have a belief in the heart of the cards. But what's more…We have the aid of our Matron friends._

Rose, Gun, Jaden, Glimmer, Siren, Roxas, and Axel had returned to the human world on the same day that Mirage and Ryou had arrived at Yugi's. The gang was surprised to learn that Violet had been killed by Dartz and Jaden was the new Leader of the Matron-Watchers, but Joey seemed more amazed by the fact that Rose could actually show Herself to him considering he was Her charge. She explained with Violet's death the rules had been changed because both the world of humans and the world of Duel Monsters were in danger. Jaden, Glimmer, Siren, Roxas, and Axel had been dispersed after all was explained, sent to different parts of the world to combat the Orichalcos and keep a rip from forming between the two endangered worlds, while Rose and Gun stayed to help protect the heroes. When the time came, all seven of the Matron-Watchers would stand with the heroes to take down Dartz with his Orichalcos and Great Leviathan. Jaden made that vow in the name of His Mother and that was a vow he couldn't turn on.

Still, even They admitted the power of the Great Leviathan and the Orichalcos was beyond Their scope. They could only hope to stall it while Yami and the others destroyed it with their strength…somehow.

_At least we have learned more about this threat thanks to Professor Hawkins, _Yami thought with a grim smile.

Arthur Hawkins, Grandpa's old friend, and his daughter Rebecca had made their temporary return to Domino City to meet with their friends—or in Rebecca's case, gush over Yugi—as well as discuss the professor's most recent discovery. He believed he found the location of the lost city of Atlantis, a legendary place with advanced technology that many didn't believe actually existed. He found numerous carvings amongst these ruins depicting a battle that destroyed the city and caused it to sink beneath the waves, a battle with a great beast only represented by a large yellow eye. Rose and Gun looked at the photos the professor brought with him and determined this beast was the Great Leviathan that Empress Judge had warned Them about before Their departure. This meant the very thing that destroyed Atlantis was now trying to destroy the modern world at Dartz's command.

The professor had also discovered fragments of a glowing blue-green stone still on strings, as if they were necklaces, in this place and brought one with him to show to the gang. Mirage had abruptly taken it from his hand and observed it with harsh eyes. Realizing what it was, she tossed it to the ground and stomped on it, much to Arthur's dismay. She announced that it was a fragment of the Orichalcos Stone, the source of the newly discovered evil, and the very thing Rafael and Valon had been wearing to give them strength in their duels against Carrie and Mai. When she raised her boot, they discovered the fragment had not even cracked under her weight—it wouldn't be so easily to destroy. She tried to cast it into oblivion with her magic, but the stone reacted to that by burning her hand so she'd toss it aside, swearing all the while about how a hundred years could make such a difference in magic use.

The Orichalcos was from this lost city, or at least had been there, and that meant it was older than the Pharaoh and even Mirage. In her case, it was a small margin of a hundred years between the age of the oldest fragmented soul in her and the evil, but for Yami the bridge was greater than that by a factor of fifty. Facing something so old, how could they win with things millennia younger and with less power?

Answers lied with the Legendary Dragons, referred to by both Mirage and Arthur, one of which was in the possession of the immortal one. Arthur found a single carving of four Dragons combating the Great Leviathan, one of which looked similar to the Wing of Lysis and thus proved their identity. If she was one and unlocked by Mirage, it raised the question of who would unlock the other three.

Arthur and Rebecca had returned to his residence in San Francisco to further study his findings, leaving the gang to look into things on their own and to find more questions than answers. Yami tried not to worry, believing that all things would come to light in the end, but could not always quell the concern in his mind when it came to the enemy. Even now as he considered what good they did have, thoughts of the faces among the darkness and the power they possessed stirred, trying to entice fear to take over him. He would not allow it, not when he could not afford to be afraid.

Yugi stepped into the game shop alone. Grandpa was working on his business as usual, but unlike in the past he had help from some spiritual mortals. Gun manned the cash register while Rose assisted customers in finding the right thing to purchase by discretely using Her powers to determine what cards were in what booster packs to entice the customer to buy them just to see if She was right. Grandpa had less to do than ever before, so he merely went about keeping his shop in tiptop shape, glad to have young people of any species helping him. Yugi greeted all three before continuing on his way home in the back of the store.

Mirage and Thief Bakura, who had managed to come here quicker than the spiky-haired kid, were in the living room practicing with her new deck again. Yami had watched her go through all the cards she had purchased from Grandpa, trying to put together the right deck to defeat the enemy. She had never needed to make her own before because she had always used Carrie's, but the blonde girl was gone and with her had gone her cards. With that absence, the immortal one had to fend for herself. She dueled pretty well and her build wasn't too bad, but working with other duelists helped her to tweak it for the best outcome, especially since she didn't know the full potential Lysis had and wanted to test it as much as possible.

Carrie's Guardians were seated in the room in view of the duel that used no dueling technology, curious to see how this would play out. They still didn't trust these dark beings to bring back their mistress, evident by the way Ja-Kal still had that silver ankh that was Mirage's only weakness, despite Uria assuring them he would not allow the immortal one to betray them. Rath, Armon, Nefer-Tina, and their leader came here in normal street clothes, but they also had their battle armor and weapons with them, ready for the worst to happen at any given moment. Many claimed they were being paranoid, but those like Joey and Yami were glad for those not so trusting of the duo that would be their enemies once Dartz was taken out of the picture.

"Hey, guys," Yugi greeted, setting aside his backpack before taking a seat beside Armon, who was busy devouring leftovers from the Muto fridge.

"Greetings, Yugi," Nefer-Tina said with a smile. "You are alone?"

"Yeah. The others will be here later when they're finished with their homework," Yugi told her. "Where are Marik, Ishizu, and Odion?"

"They returned to the museum. It is their job, after all, and avoiding it won't exactly get them paid, now will it? They are also looking into the history of our land, trying to see if there is some weapon we can utilize to aid us in defeating those bastards that stole Carrie from us," Rath replied. "They should be back later as well."

"We're going to have a full house again, it seems. I suppose I should run out to get some more food since Armon here ate all that you had," Nefer-Tina murmured, elbowing the large mummy in the ribs playfully.

"Can I come with you?" Armon asked eagerly.

"No. You would just end up eating everything on the way back," Rath claimed. "Nefer-Tina, I'll accompany you to the food market. I have been meaning to get out of this place for awhile and helping you is the best opportunity I have at present."

"Whatever, Rath. You're just sour that the Ishtars didn't let you go with them," Armon muttered as the smart mummy and the female mummy stood.

"We'll be back soon," Nefer-Tina promised before she and Rath took their leave.

"Is that loathsome Pharaoh still being reclusive in the Puzzle?" Thief Bakura asked offhandedly without looking over at Yugi as he continued his duel with Mirage.

"Yes, _Yami_ is still in the Puzzle," Yugi grumbled.

"I would like to duel him after I finish off Mirage," Thief Bakura said smugly.

"Ha. How optimistic. Too bad I am the one who is going to win," Mirage countered.

"I can't duel. I have to finish homework," Yugi declared.

Before he could grab his backpack to start on said homework, Mirage casually flicked her wrist. The zipper flew open and all of Yugi's homework flew out into the air but did not move afterwards. His homework was suspended there for a moment or two. He was left to watch as the work magically completed itself, guided by the dark powers of the immortal pain-feeler. Then it all fell into his lap in a neat little pile, almost as if he had done it himself. Even the writing seemed to match his. Magic never ceased to amaze him.

"There. Now your tedious homework is done," Mirage stated, bored, as she took the rest of Thief Bakura's Life Points. "Now…As for my duel with the Pharaoh…"

She tried to use her magic to pull Yami's spirit from the Puzzle into a physical manifestation like Carrie had done to her twice now. The Pharaoh felt her dark powers tugging at him as they had every other time she tried, but he wasn't threatened. She only meant to do good by giving him his own body, at least at the moment, and there was no need to be afraid now that she was on their side. He watched Ja-Kal as Mirage continued her attempt to 'free' him, seeing the leader of the Guardians loosen and tighten his grip on the silver ankh but make no move to stop the dark spirit from using her magic. The first few times Mirage had done this Ja-Kal had leapt at her, brandishing the ankh in her direction with every intention to drain her dry of her powers. Thief Bakura and a shield she constantly had around her had kept him from succeeding, and with Yami's reassurance Ja-Kal accepted that Mirage wouldn't try anything. Yami still appreciated him constantly being on the alert even when others were telling him there was no need.

After failing to accomplish what she wanted to do for a few minutes, it was obvious the strain that using so much magic at once was putting on her body. Sweat clung to her like a second skin and she looked as though she might fall unconscious at any moment. Thief Bakura called out to her, but his plea fell on deaf ears. He had to use his own powers to slip through her shield and touch her to bring her out of her trance and stop the unleashing of magic.

Yami felt her magic leave him as she collapsed in the arms of her lover, and though he would never admit it, he couldn't help but feel a tad bit jealous of those two. They were always on the same side, never forced to be against one another, and could actually touch bodies. He and Carrie argued more than these two ever seemed to, they were going to be enemies, and the only way he could ever touch her with a body was when he controlled someone else. Oh, what he wouldn't give to do with Carrie what those two could do at any time they wanted…

_**Kami, you need to get laid, **_Yugi teased.

_Quiet you, _Yami snapped.

_**Do I need to leave you alone for a few minutes so you and your hand can-?**_

_Who are you to bring up masturbation when just talking about sex makes you squirm?_

_**Hey, in the mind, everyone's a pervert.**_

_Ra, I hate you sometimes._

_**No you don't. You love me.**_

"Yugi, can you hand me the Puzzle?" Mirage asked once she had regained her breath and could once again sit on her own. "If I'm going to duel the Pharaoh, I would rather do it with both of us in the same body."

"But what if one of you has to activate a facedown on the other's turn? That might pose some issues," Armon pointed out.

"No it won't. Just trust me and give me that bag of Fritos. I just wasted a shitload of magic and need to refuel," Mirage growled.

"There's no need for that foul tongue to strike at Armon," Ja-Kal muttered as Armon tossed her the potato chips to the bronzed girl.

"And there's no need for you to be so distrusting of me, but you're still going to do it," Mirage countered, tearing into the bag like she had never tasted food before. "Now Yugi, about that Puzzle…"

"All right," Yugi conceded. _**I don't know what she really wants from you, but have fun.**_

_Not likely._

**Pharaoh, we need to talk, **Mirage stated as she took the Puzzle and Yugi's deck from the boy with tri-colored hair. **I figured it would be easier this way where no one can hear us so we can be open with one another.**

_Oh Ra, what are you going to do to me?_

**Get your head out of the gutter, you pervert! I don't really like you like I used to anymore. Bakura has long since filled that void in my heart where I once wanted you…as well as a few other things.**

_You sicken me._

**You know, Carrie used to say the same sort of things. Anubis, I miss that pesky little mortal girl with all her problems. Living in her head hated…Ah. Those were the good old days.**

…_Indeed._

Mirage shuffled both their decks and set them against one another appropriately then proceeded to deal out their respective hands. She allowed for him to go first, so he was granted the chance to be in control of her false body. Her eyes became crimson as he drew his card and made his first move. Control was quickly returned to her, as this was a duel that required quick moves and even quicker thinking on the parts of the duelists. If one of their facedown cards needed activating to counter the move of the one whose turn it was, they would be alerted and thus would flip over the counter card accordingly.

_This must be interesting to watch, _Yami mused. _A woman dueling against herself. An entertaining spectacle indeed._

**I did not ask you over here to get your opinion on how it would look for you to duel me in my body. As I said before, we need to talk privately. This duel is just a cover, though I do fully intend to kick your ass in this.**

_Keep dreaming. What is there to talk about?_

**I…have something to admit that I cannot even tell Bakura.**

_Don't tell me…You're pregnant._

**What? No. Hell no. That's not it at all.**

_Well, what is it then?_

**This body Carrie forced me into…I think it's starting to fail.**

_What? What do you mean?_

**I cannot explain it, but I feel like…I'm starting to fall apart. This body is not a natural one created in the way that human bodies are made. Much like the other body I had in the time that Iris was among us, this body was made from nothing to hold something too real…me. I didn't notice anything like this last time, but then, I was only in that body for less than a month and I was too focused on killing to care. That and I wasn't cursed with the limitations of real flesh. It was just like possessing someone indefinitely. My pain wasn't magnified like Carrie's by my eternal curse, either. But now…Now things are different. Things are…falling apart.**

_Mirage, what are you trying to say?_

**Nameless Pharaoh, I'm saying I'm dying.**

Yami was so startled by this statement that he dropped his hand in full view of everyone. He quickly picked up the dropped cards, offering no explanation despite the questioning looks from the others, and tried to regain his composure as best he could.

**Smooth move, Spiky. No way I'll see that Mirror Force coming now.**

_I'm sorry. Was I supposed to act like nothing's wrong with you telling me that you're dying? Kinda hard to do when you're supposed to be an immortal spirit._

**It's not me who's dying, not exactly. It's this body I was put in. The flesh, the organs, the blood…Everything is unnatural. I know it and it knows it. That's why it's starting to fail, like any unnatural organism does after a certain amount of time. It might have lasted longer for any other soul, but with my now numerous curses, the failing is being accelerated by a factor of twenty, if not more.**

…_What will happen to you?_

…**When the flesh dies, my soul made of three shall have no vessel. It will not be attached to any soul any longer. I may just float around endlessly, hoping to find a way to go back to where I belong. That's if I'm lucky. Otherwise the gods might just separate me and send my fragments where they belong, either in the afterlife or the underworld. If they really hate me, they might keep me whole and just shut me down in the underworld and keep my curse alive as they torture me and the other evil beings burning in the flames of the underworld. No matter what happens, it will be a sad, lonely existence for me.**

_We need to find a way to stop this._

**Why? I thought you would be glad to be rid of me.**

_Why would you think that?_

**I don't know…Maybe because we're always arguing, I'm evil and you're good, I'm a murderer, I annoy you, I take advantage of Carrie, I have a cursed cycle with Iris's reincarnations that may end with Carrie dead sometime this year or next, I contradict you at every turn, I want to destroy the world with Bakura…Take your pick.**

_You are part of Carrie. It wouldn't be the same without you. And besides…You have your days when you're useful._

**I'm so feeling the love, Pharaoh. But you'll have to get along without me. The only way I won't suffer a lonely existence is if I reabsorb into Carrie's body, and that's only gonna happen if she comes back over to our side. Considering what side she's on now and how powerful it is, I'd say the chances are pretty slim.**

_That's no reason to give up hope._

**Who said I was going to give up?**

"Hey, everyone!" Joey called as he walked into the room with Tea and Tristan. "What's going on?"

"Mirage and the Pharaoh are having a duel," Armon replied.

"With the same body? Weird," Tea commented.

"I thought you guys weren't going to come over until later," Yugi said, confused as the gang took seats to watch Mirage seemingly battle herself.

"We couldn't focus on our homework. The thought that evil is out there with our friends kinda got us all distracted," Tristan explained. He noted the finished pile of papers still sitting on his friend's lap with a raised eyebrow. "…I figured you would be in the same boat as us…"

"Oh. I am…Don't get the wrong idea. Mirage did this," Yugi told him.

**Our best chance is having more Legendary Dragons on our side than just Lysis. If you and Yugi could unlock another, then we could start fighting back. If one of your other friends unlocked another, we could begin to move from defensive to offensive. And if another of them unlocked the last, we just might be able to defeat the Great Leviathan and the Orichalcos.**

_How could we unlock one? We haven't been called to that castle you described._

**Oh, I'm sure that annoying voice will be reaching out for you soon. You're the Nameless Pharaoh, the Hero of Time. Of course you're gonna be chosen to release one of the Legendary Dragons intended to save the world from the ultimate darkness that is the Great Leviathan. Then later you'll fall to me, Bakura, and the Dark One and the world will end on our terms.**

_Yeah, right. Keep dreaming._

"Hey, look at the sky," Tea said, looking out the window at the dark sky that had been bright just moments ago. There were also lights similar to the Aurora Borealis amongst the darkness. "What do you think that's about?"

**That last part aside, I am certain you will free one of the Dragons. I also have ideas about who might unlock the other two.**

"The weather had no forecast of storms today, and I've never seen anything like that around here before," Joey put in as those not dueling gathered around the window to see what Tea was talking about.

"And hey, aren't those Duel Monsters coming out of that light? It looks like they're being pulled towards something," Ja-Kal pointed out.

_Who would that be?_

"What _is_ that thing?" Thief Bakura demanded.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look good," Armon replied, speaking of the strange stone in the sky that seemed to be absorbing the Duel Monsters.

**Well, to be honest, I think Kaiba will be forced to free one of them. As for the other, I have a feeling that either Jessica or Joey will free it. You know…Since they both have something at stake on the other side of the battlefield.**

_Why Kaiba?_

**I dunno…It just always seems that he gets pulled into these kinds of things somehow even if it doesn't seem like he should be involved.**

_Good point._

"Mirage, snap out of it!" Thief Bakura shouted, taking the Puzzle from around her throat and abruptly cutting off their conversation as he tossed the Item at Yugi. "Something's going on outside! It may have something to do with the Orichalcos and the Great Leviathan!"

Without another word or a conclusion to the duel, everyone inside Grandpa's residence ran outside. Duel Monsters went over their heads in the sky into this stone, being absorbed upon contact. People stood staring or ran around screaming, unsure what was going on. Then the stone fell away to reveal a large yellow eye eerily similar to the one depicted in the Atlantean carvings Arthur had shown them. It sent a blast of air strong as an F-5 tornado down towards the gang, a gusting attack that would destroy whatever it touched. Everyone but Yugi started to run for it. Yami urged his reincarnation to get out of there, but the boy found himself rooted to the spot.

His friends and former enemies alike yelled his name, but it was useless. He was going to be consumed by the attack. Not even Matron magic could protect them now.

Both Yami and Yugi closed their eyes as to not see the end, but when they did not feel the destruction, they forced them open to find they were no longer in the way of danger. They found themselves within the very castle Mirage had described being in herself with three crystal dragon 'statues' standing before them. Duel Monsters from all over the Realm of Duel Monsters stood within the castle's walls, perhaps seeking protection so they would no be pulled through the rift into the human world only to be absorbed by the Great Leviathan. Among them was Dark Magician Girl, their faithful Duel Monster.

She flew up to where they were hovering. Wasting no time with formalities, she said, "You must free Timaeus. Quickly, before you are destroyed and the rift is opened again. Take hold of the sword, both of you, and remove it from the crystal. Then call out his name and merge with him. That is your only hope, and you are our only hope."

Yami and Yugi grabbed the hilt of the sword sticking out of the crystal above a turquoise dragon, and with their combined strength, they slid the sword out and cast it aside. The crystal shattered, freeing the legendary beast from his prison.

"Come forth, Timeaus! Join with us!" Yami beckoned.

"Timeaus, I choose you!" Yugi chimed in.

They were consumed by a blinding light, and just hoped they weren't too late.

* * *

_A/N: A chapter that has no dividing in it, huh? That's pretty rare for me. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me kindly. Also, in regards to the trivia I spoke of in the above Author's Note, I posed a question last chapter. How many people has Yami been in control of? If you can tell me the number, you earned yourself an internet. If you can tell me name __**and **__number, you can feed a character a piece of dialogue to use no matter how crazy it sounds. Of course Mirage doesn't count since I asked the question with the last chapter and she's also not in her own body, but everyone else does. But anyway, thank you for reading and have a wonderful day!_


	82. 82 - Nevermore

_A/N: Been busy with life and school, sorry guys. Here's another chapter. Also congrats to __**VampirePrinssess**__ and __**xXChaoticOrderXx**__ for getting the trivia right. Carrie, Yugi, Tea, Jessica, and Joey have been controlled by Yami, making a total of five. __**xXChaoticOrderXx**__ has told me what dialogue to use in this chapter, but I have yet to hear from __**VampirePrinssess**__. Tell me what you want whoever to say and I'll make it happen, okay?_

_Thank you all for reading! Please read on and enjoy!_

_WARNING: Language ahead. Mirage drops the F-bomb quite frequently, my apologies._

* * *

Chapter 82

Just before the wind could destroy Yugi and the Nameless Pharaoh, Mirage witnessed the summoning of the second Legendary Dragon. A large teal beast with a scar over one eye, the Dragon forced the attack away with a single gust of his wings, returning it to sender. The golden eye flinched but would not be so easily thwarted. Timeaus flew at it, going on the attack, to rid the sky of its ugly intrusion, though he probably knew he wasn't strong enough to destroy it forever. Mirage felt Lysis responding to the Dragon's summoning in the Muto's home and called the card to her hand. A moment later, two Legendary Dragons were in the air, attacking the eye of the enemy with all their might. In time it dissipated, but no one was foolish enough to believe the threat was gone for good.

The Dragons of teal and white disappeared, but what had just happened could not be erased as easily. The Great Leviathan had opened itself eye to the world and absorbed souls from the Realm of Duel Monsters and possibly this world. It had threatened Yugi's life as well as the safety of the Millennium Puzzle. For this to have happened, it could only mean one thing.

The followers of the Orichalcos were starting to make their move.

Rose and Gun sensed something going on at the game shop, something that felt like intruders and darkness. Armon and Ja-Kal ran back towards before the others could catch up. Mirage didn't understand why; she was the one who could get there the quickest if she wanted. They might be warriors and faster than most of the mortals with her, but it made no sense for them to go speeding towards danger without knowing what it was. Did they think they had to prove themselves for failing to keep their mistress from falling into darkness? Did they believe this might make things better? She didn't know. She didn't really care to know, either.

When the gang reached the game shop, it was too late. Armon and Ja-Kal lay lifeless on the ground with cards scattered on the ground all around them, looking like the mummies they were supposed to be instead of the living dead Guardians they really were. Rose knelt beside them and confirmed what they already feared—the Guardians had lost their souls. The door to the shop was broken and three silhouettes moved about in the darkness, looking for something. Gun sensed their motives and felt their power which led him to infer that they were responsible for what happened to their friends. He also informed them that those within were servants of the Orichalcos, meaning they were the enemies that took Carrie and Mai away.

Tea and Rose remained with the fallen mummies while the others charged forth into the shadows to confront these monsters. They must have realized they were no longer alone in the shop, for in the living room there was the shattering of glass and then nothing more. One of the windows had been broken, allowing the thieves to escape to their waiting motorcycles. They were gone in a flash of light, disappearing into the cover of the awaiting darkness caused by the one they served. Mirage moved to follow them with her magic, but pain shot through her body, causing her to collapse onto the floor in the fetal position, gasping through gritted teeth and allowing them to get away.

**Damn it! **Mirage swore as Thief Bakura helped her to her shaky feet. **Did summoning Lysis cause my body to become weaker? Or is this the deterioration of this false shell making itself known? Whatever the reason, it's very inconvenient!**

"Mirage, what's wrong?" her lover asked, concerned.

"…It's nothing. Just Carrie being emo again," Mirage lied with a grimace. "Let's get those soulless mummies inside before someone sees them…and then…pursue those bastards. That's what they want, I'm sure of it…"

"How do you know that?" Tristan wanted to know.

"They left a trail of Orichalcos power behind. If they didn't want to be followed, they wouldn't have done that," Gun replied, sensing exactly what Mirage was talking about.

"Why did they break into the game shop, though? They knew exactly where we were. If they wanted us, shouldn't they have just come at us? Why did they come here?" Joey wondered.

"They wanted something…" Grandpa mused, glancing around his shop for a moment. He spotted something that was amiss and his eyes immediately went wide. "Yugi! The Egyptian God cards! They're gone!"

"What?!" Yugi exclaimed as he rushed around the counter to look at the place where he had been keeping the cards since he was given Ra. The glass was broken and all three of the most powerful Duel Monsters were gone, taken by the enemy. He had thought they would be safe in that box behind the glass…How wrong he had been. "If they're gone, then that means-!"

"The Swordsmen of Doma have them," Thief Bakura interjected. "If I cannot have those myself, I'll be damned to allow them to fall into the hands of someone else. We've no time to waste. Let's go after them right now. Leave the mummies where they lie—they're just dead weight. It's not like they're going anywhere anytime soon, anyway."

"No, Bakura. We cannot just leave them like this. I'll move them in here for the time being, and then…We can go after those thieving bastards," Mirage said.

"Whoa. Isn't that calling the kettle black there, Mirage?" Joey teased.

"Shut up, Wheeler," Mirage grumbled bitterly.

With a weak flick of the wrist, the immortal one used her powers to call the lifeless bodies of her once-enemies to the couches in the living room. Armon and Ja-Kal floated slowly past the gang, corpses rather than the animated living dead they should have been. Seeing them just reminded everyone how everything was different, everything was screwed up, nothing seemed normal anymore. Carrie and Mai were evil. Mirage and Thief Bakura were good. Mirage had her own body. Two Guardians were pretty much dead. Life was falling apart at the seams and needed to be fixed before it ended at the hands of the Orichalcos, or else their lives would end in a mess of destruction caused by ones they loved. No one wanted that.

Tea and Grandpa chose to stay behind, claiming they wouldn't be of much use in the pursuit and takedown of the Swordsmen. The others returned to the outside, equipped with Duel Monsters and duel disks and ready to track down these fools to make them pay for their numerous crimes. Mirage, though knowing summoning Monsters might further weaken her, went against her better judgment to call forth Hyozanryo so they could go after the target faster. She kept herself from looking frail through willpower and magic just to keep them from worrying about her—otherwise she probably would have lost conscious right then and there. All climbed aboard the white dragon with Mirage taking the lead at the neck, Thief Bakura behind her, then Rose, Gun, Yugi, Joey, and Tristan.

Hyozanryo opened her wings and took to the sky, letting the cool air of night assault her passengers head-on. The pricking of it on the immortal one's skin reminded her of knives, an unpleasant feeling but one she wasn't willing to give up even when Rose offered to encase the whole of the group in a bubble that would keep the coldness out. She wanted to feel, wanted to experience simple pain, in this temporary shell of flesh before it was too late. She had been away from mortality for too long. Controlling her hosts' bodies wasn't the same; when they died she always lived on. Being stuck in the form of a video game character in a 'body' wasn't the same, either; she still hadn't been weighed down by death then. This was much like the three separate times her fragmented souls were alive. She could feel emotions again. She could feel things touching her again. She could _feel_! True, it had been a long time since any of this came to pass so she was still getting used to it all, but it made her want to live, to thrive, to survive, for the short time she had left.

**Is this feeling what drives mortals that know they're going to die to do anything when their time draws near? **Mirage wondered, looking down at the world as the wind ripped through her hair and occasionally knocked it in her face. **Can they truly work through the pain and inevitability of no longer existing to enjoy facing fears and feeling weak pain to live their lives to the fullest? Was I ever like that in any of my three fragmented lives? I wonder…What can my mortal existence teach me? Is there anything to be learned from such a temporary thing as life? So much I have lost touch with…**

**But that doesn't matter right now. Why am I letting myself be distracted? Soon we will be facing those bastards that convinced Carrie to turn her back to the light and leave me in this weakened form. They have taken too much from the side of good, damn them, and forced Bakura and me to switch sides to balance it out. I will not let them get away from me this time.**

**I WON'T!**

"**Let us attempt to return things to their natural order." **

Uria made himself known to her once more, speaking only loud enough for her to hear. She glanced down at her arm to see his orange eye looking up at her. He knew how she felt, knew all her secrets, and something in the way he met her gaze made her think that he felt the same way about this situation. For once, they were on the same side.

The Swordsmen of Doma stopped on a cliff in the distance, awaiting their arrival. Mirage directed Hyozanryo to speed up towards them while also preparing to breathe fire upon the lot. This made the others riding on the Duel Monster hold on tighter lest they fall off, but it affected Mirage very little. Her sights were only on those that had caused her to be further cursed and took her host away to the dark side. The Egyptian God cards would survive the flames—they were God Monsters and thus could survive anything—but she wanted to be sure the Swordsmen would not. Adding her power to Hyozanryo's fire, the immortal one commanded the majestic dragon to attack the enemy. She complied as she was obligated and opened her mouth.

A black fireball larger than the dragon shooting it emerged from her, heading straight for the Swordsmen and their motorbikes. The backlash from shooting off such a powerful attack jolted Hyozanryu's passengers, which in turn caused Yugi, Joey, and Tristan to fall from her back. Rose reached out to them with her Matron abilities, slowing their descent and allowing them to land softly on the ground beneath the cliff. They were safe, but could the same be said for those engulfed by the deadly fire conjured by a Duel Monster and a pissed off immortal spirit in flesh?

The fire and smoke dissipated to reveal that nothing had been destroyed by that attack. The three men and their mounts were untouched and unfazed by what Mirage had just attempted. The reason for this was realized when the gang took in the mint-green shield around the enemy, a force-field of sorts that kept them from being directly harmed in such a manner. They used the Orichalcos to keep themselves safe. Mirage swore under her breath, damning them for still existing, but had little time to act before something destroyed Hyozanryo without making itself known. Hyozanryo screamed and shattered into millions of pieces, leaving those that were still on her back to fall. Rose once again saved them with her Matron powers, slowing the descent and whatnot, but they were now unable to reach the Swordsmen as easily as before.

**I can still get up there,** Mirage thought.

"**They will thwart you. You should not push yourself."**

**Don't tell me what to do!**

"**Mirage, if you continue to use your magic so carelessly, you will not be around to save anyone, especially not yourself."**

Mirage growled, irritated, but she knew he was right.

"Who are you?!" Joey shouted, though they all already knew the answer.

"Oi, that's an easy one, mate. I'm Valon, and these blokes are Rafael and Alister. 'Course, to put it in simpler terms for ya, Wheeler, you could say…we're your worst nightmare," the brunette Aussie replied with a smirk.

"We are the Swordsmen of Doma, but thanks to the dark one and her squeeze, I'm sure you already knew that," Alister grumbled.

"Return to us what you have unrightfully stolen. The Gods, and our friends," Gun demanded with much anger.

"That is not possible, I'm afraid. In order to cleanse this world of the ever-growing darkness, we need those things. The Egyptian God Monsters will prove to be the perfect fodder for the Great Leviathan. And your friends…Well, they shall help us to provide more souls for the Great Leviathan to devour in order to become strong enough to save the world," Rafael stated, brandishing the three God cards because he knew they could not retrieve them at present. "The Soul Hunters are much too useful to be cast back into the darkness, and they do have their uses in other areas…"

"Enough!" Yami exclaimed, taking control of Yugi's body at the mere mentioning of Carrie being used like a tool, clearly pissed. "What have you done to Carrie?! Return her to us at once or else!"

Rafael sneered. "I have done nothing to Carrie that she didn't want done. And I doubt she wants to return to you, Pharaoh. You are the embodiment of evil, you and your friends. When she needed you to save her, you were nowhere to be found. She was left weak—"

"Silence!"

"—broken—"

"No!"

"—raped—"

"Shut up!"

"—on the ground, without her so-called hero or friends to save her from the suffering."

"SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH! DON'T YOU THINK WE FEEL FUCKING BAD ENOUGH ABOUT THAT AS IT IS?!" Mirage boomed before the devastated Pharaoh could respond. She was trembling with rage and sadness, both of which caused tears to pour from her eyes. "You damn manipulators…know nothing of that night! I tried to save her…but she wouldn't let me! Damn it! I begged her to allow me to save her, fucking begged and pleaded, but she thought I was darker than the thing that was happening to her! As if a murderer could be worse than a fucking incestuous rapist! You claim no one tried to save her! That's a damn lie! I TRIED! Mai tried! Hell, even Keith tried! And if the Pharaoh had been there, you can bet your fucking ass that Carl wouldn't have gotten to lay even a FINGER on Carrie! So don't go running your fucking mouth about this like you know everything! You don't know shit, you little fucker!"

"…Mirage…," Yami murmured. He clearly had no idea the dark one felt so much about her host.

Thief Bakura simply grabbed her hand and let her squeeze it tight to get out some of her rage, though it hurt him quite a bit since she had such a vise-like grip. The Swordsmen of Doma just looked down at them in silence, neither amused nor hurt by Mirage's furious declaration.

For the longest time, no one said a thing.

"You're right, dear. You and Mai did try, as did that bloke Keith that you brought back from the dead," Valon conceded with indifference. "And again, you're right about us knowing little of what happened that night. However, you are wrong about us knowing nothing…"

"Mai and Carrie have told us all we need to know about you. That is all we want to know about the enemy," Alister muttered.

"You lie! Mai and Carrie would never betray us!" Joey shouted, in denial.

"Joey, you know they have switched sides. We talked about this before, remember? They were hurting; these guys took advantage of that. Our friends are on the side of evil this time around," Tristan reminded him, grabbing his sleeve before Joey could attempt to do anything reckless.

"I'd listen to your friend, Wheeler. He seems to know what he's talking about," Rafael commented.

"Why did you leave a trail for us to follow you? What do you want from us?" Rose wanted to know.

"We just wanted to leave a message. We are hunting for the most powerful souls in existence now. That includes those of the newborn Matron-Watchers, the Pharaoh, Seto Kaiba, the immortal one, and you, Wheeler. We will be seeing each other again very soon," Rafael told her bluntly, glancing at Joey as he did so. He then turned his gaze to Yami and Mirage and added, "Perhaps next time, Carrie will be amongst our ranks to greet you."

"Where the hell do you think you're going?!" Yami exclaimed as the Swordsmen of Doma mounted their motorcycles and revved them up.

"Mirage! Do something! Stop them!" Joey commanded.

"Back off, you wanker! She's used too much magic today as it is! If she uses much more, she'll hurt herself! Besides, their power is older and stronger than hers! She cannot stop them!" Thief Bakura chided, glowering at the blonde teen for his insolent demand.

All they could do was watch the enemy drives off into the darkness, unable to follow or inhibit their departure.

**Will everything ever be set right again?**

* * *

"Hurry up, Rath! We cannot keep our friends waiting!" Nefer-Tina called, looking back at the slow Guardian trailing behind her. She was loaded up with six bags full of groceries while he only had four, but even so he was acting like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. They had had to go shopping for the Mutos, their friends, and Armon, hence why they had purchased so much food. "If you don't pick up the pace, they're going to be starving by the time we arrive!"

"You reminding me that every five minutes is not going to make me go any faster," Rath grumbled bitterly, but he did try to walk a bit quicker despite his heavy load. "Why couldn't we just take the Volvo? It would have been easier and quicker than this."

"Because the chariot is out of going power and we need the exercise," was Nefer-Tina's reply.

"It's not a chariot. It's a _car_ that runs on _gasoline_, not going power. And we do not need the exercise. We're mummies, for Ra's sake! We gain no muscle or weight! Therefore, exercise is completely pointless!" Rath argued.

"Saying that is like saying as mummies, we cannot gain knowledge. Therefore, reading or trying to learn is pointless," Nefer-Tina countered with a smile.

"Knowledge and body are two completely different things," Rath muttered.

"But they are linked. How can one become smarter if they have no body?" Nefer-Tina pointed out.

"I'm not going to continue this pointless argument. You're not going to concede anything no matter how wrong you are, I'm not going to concede anything no matter how right I am, so let us just get back to the Muto household and be done with this," Rath suggested tiredly. "Ra, arguing with you is worse than arguing with Armon. At least he knows when to stop because food distracts him…"

"Perhaps you need more practice arguing with women. We do, after all, win all arguments," Nefer-Tina teased.

The two mummies came upon the game shop, expecting nothing to be wrong. The first sign of their naivety was the broken door on the ground in the front. Fearing someone was lying in wait for them, Nefer-Tina and Rath put the grocery bags on the ground next to the door and withdrew their weapons from their secluded places. They snuck into the shop silently, looking for a possible intruder or enemy, with Nefer-Tina hold her whip and Rath holding his sword in preparation for attack.

The only things they found were Tea and Grandpa and the fallen bodies of their friends.

Ja-Kal was lying on the couch closest to Nefer-Tina, Armon was on the couch across from him. Both appeared to only be sleeping, but their fellow Guardians knew better than to assume that was all. The looks on the living's faces wiped away any doubt. Rath was too shocked to say or do anything. Nefer-Tina was the opposite. She dropped her whip and fell to her knees on the ground beside Ja-Kal, rivers flowing down her face as she looked upon the peaceful face of her leader and secret crush. Her hands grasped his shirt and she allowed her face to fall forward onto his chest, trembling as she sobbed.

"…What happened? Who did this?" Rath asked when he finally found his voice again.

"…Swordsmen," was all Tea could say.

"The Swordsmen of Doma stopped by for a visit. They took the Egyptian God cards …and the souls of Armon and Ja-Kal," Grandpa clarified for her.

Rath's hands clenched into fists as anger began to take hold of him. "Those bastards! They will pay for this!"

"…Rath…They took it," Nefer-Tina whimpered, gaining his attention. "They…They took the silver ankh…They have…Mirage's weakness…"

"As if things couldn't get any worse," Tea said.

* * *

Jessica and Mokuba continued to work on Kaiba Corp. computers while Kaiba dealt with the seeing of Duel Monsters throughout the world that was being blamed on his duel disk technology, knowing they would be of no help to him there. They had heard about it and seen it outside of the Kaiba Corp. building since the outer wall was pretty much just windows, but there was nothing they could do about it. Kaiba told them to stay put while he went off to some press conference. Mokuba did what his brother usually did and Jessica scoured the web for any sign of AI and Noah, having not forgotten them despite all things that had gone on since then as she watched Kaiba's stocks. Because of this incident, many people were selling their claims to Kaiba's company and the price was going down drastically. Things didn't look too good.

After having watched the downward trend for several minutes, Jessica observed something strange. Suddenly all the stocks that were for sale were being bought up by one person, someone with a lot of money. Even though the stocks' worth was going down, it didn't mean they were cheap. Before she knew it, that person had bought up half of Kaiba's company. She alerted Mokuba to this information just as Kaiba returned, making his bad mood even worse in a heartbeat. He demanded to know who had bought up that much of his company, but before Jessica or Mokuba could look up that information, he received a call. Fuming, he answered the video phone only to find Pegasus looking at him from the other end.

While he dealt with her crazy uncle, Jessica went back to looking for Noah and AI. Checking her email for the millionth time since beginning this search, she headed to her overly crowded spam folder and decided to clean it out. Most of it was the usual junk that always managed to worm its way into everyone's email, ads and porn sites and whatnot. A few were misplaced emails that should have been in her inbox but weren't for some strange reason. There was one that she was about to delete as it looked like junk…

But then, what junk mail said this in its subject line: **We never forgot. Did you, Jessie?**

"Mokuba," Jessica whispered as Kaiba yelled at the phone behind them. "I found them."

"Who?" Mokuba asked, forgetting for a moment the reason Jessica came to Kaiba Corp. in the first place.

"Your brother and his friend. I found them," Jessica told him with a smile, opening the email to confirm what she already suspected. They had left a message along with two downloads, both fairly large but that made sense since these were lives in the form of computer content. "We can finally do what we said we would after that fight with the Big Five. We can give them life."

"Yeah, but do you think it's good timing for that? With the rise of the Orichalcos and what's happened to Mai and Carrie, do we really want their souls wandering around here to be at risk of being stolen?" Mokuba pointed out.

"That…is a good point," Jessica agreed. "Still, I'm at least going to download them to Kaiba's computer system. Their life files are much too large for my computer…It's amazing they even managed to fit on a single email. Seto won't mind, will he?"

"He promised to find a way to give them life if they were ever found. I'm sure he won't," Mokuba replied.

"Yeah…That and he's a bit busy at the moment with whoever bought up half of Kaiba Corp.," Jessica reminded him as she downloaded Noah and AI to a remote corner of the mainframe where they couldn't be deleted and wouldn't be found by those not looking for them. "Wonder who it was?"

"Your damned uncle, that's who!" Kaiba exclaimed, slamming his phone onto the desk despite the other end having already hung up.

"What? Why would he do that?" Jessica asked.

"Apparently he believes this issue is bad for both of our businesses and he wants to talk to me, but this was the only way he could get my attention," Kaiba growled.

"And if you don't meet him?" Mokuba inquired.

"He'll buy up more of my company until he owns more than me, and at the rate the stocks are going, he has a damn good chance of doing that," Kaiba remarked vehemently. "We have to go to Duelist Kingdom to see him tomorrow at noon in order to keep that from happening."

"We?" Jessica raised an eyebrow.

"He's your uncle, so I'm holding you responsible for what he does until I can hold him responsible for it in person," Kaiba declared. "What were you two talking about while I was on the phone?"

"…Noah and AI," Mokuba admitted, and they waited to gage his reaction.

Kaiba didn't seem angry anymore. He simply smiled and said, "Those two have peculiar timing, don't they?"

"I downloaded them to your mainframe. They were in my email, and well…You promised to help them to live if we ever found them…" Jessica trailed off, unsure how to go about explaining her actions even though Kaiba was fine with it.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. I'm not going to disregard you for holding me to my word. It's actually a good thing that you found them. That's one less thing I have to worry about," Kaiba assured her. "On that good note, I say it's time we go home. It's late and I don't want to go to Pegasus in any mood but my most alert. Jessica, will you be joining us again tonight?"

Ever since Carrie and Mai had disappeared, Jessica had a hard time sleeping in their house and usually stayed the night at the Kaiba mansion. At first Kaiba had been adamant about his brother's girlfriend not staying the night, but after several nights he finally accepted her need to be away from a painful place. Occasionally she would spend a night or two at her home, but those were always sleepless nights that did nothing for her. The young businessman understood and now always had a room ready for her like she was a part of the family.

"Yeah…If you don't mind."

"If I haven't minded after this many nights of having you over, what makes you think I'll mind now?"

* * *

Carrie sat on the roof of a building, staring at the setting sun. It was beautiful, pure, unlike those people who walked this earth. She and Mai, the Soul Hunters, had taken many of those monsters' souls from this world. They now carried soul cards in their pockets. Carrie's victims included Megan, Alyssa, and many other beasts who deserved an early destruction and whose souls would be good fuel for the Great Leviathan. She pulled out their soul cards and smiled before quoting a famous poem:

"_Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,  
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.  
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,  
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore-  
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"  
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."_

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,  
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;  
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being  
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door-  
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,  
With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only  
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.  
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered-  
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other friends have flown before-  
On the morrow

_he__ will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."  
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."_

_Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,_  
_"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,_  
_Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster_  
_Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-_  
_Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore_  
_Of 'Never- nevermore'."_

_But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,_  
_Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;_  
_Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking_  
_Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore-_  
_What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore_  
_Meant in croaking "Nevermore."_

_This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing_  
_To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;_  
_This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining_  
_On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,_  
_But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,_

_**She**__ shall press, ah, nevermore!"_ (The Raven – Edgar Allan Poe)

"Nevermore shall I feel weak to those that have evil in their heart," Carrie murmured as the sun dipped below the horizon. "Nevermore."

* * *

_A/N: I finally have this chapter done. Yay! What did you think of it? Please tell me. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day!_


	83. 83 - Nightmare

_A/N: School sucks, end of story and explanation for not updating sooner. Here's the next chapter, please read on and enjoy._

* * *

Chapter 83

Jessica awoke at the crack of dawn coated in a cold sweat that stuck to her like a second skin, screaming from a nightmare that seemed too real to be just a dream. She silenced the sound in her throat, but she knew it was too late. There was no telling how long she had been screaming, but it was definitely long enough for someone to have heard her. It was only a matter of time until one of the Kaiba brothers came to check on her. Mokuba would be clingy and concerned; Kaiba would be grumpy and indifferent. She kicked the fancy silk sheets off her body and sat up in anticipation, allowing one foot to touch the floor while hugging the other knee to her body, thinking about what she had just experienced and trying to make sense of it.

A familiar voice had been calling out to her. _"Jessie. Jessie. Jessie, I see you." _Then a shadowy version of Carrie had come into view in her dream world, a version that seemed real yet unlike the sister she knew and loved. She sneered wickedly at Jessica as the Seal of Orichalcos appeared on her forehead. _"I'm gonna get your soul, Jessie. You will be with me again. Your soul will be with me. Your soul will be mine. Jessie. Jessie. Jessie. You're gonna die, Jessie."_

The dark-haired girl trembled, remembering how in the dream it had changed to where she was chained above the ground with Orichalcos Stone with the seal around her, suddenly getting smaller. As it shrank, it felt like her soul was being tugged, like it was going to be removed. Carrie stood below her, sinisterly grinning while holding a card that had Jessica's image appearing on it. On the floor were other such cards containing images of everyone else they knew, cards holding their souls. Blood was on the floor in drops beside and on them, giving it an even creepier feel than before. In the darkness behind Carrie, a giant golden eye opened with glistening teeth coated in red beneath it.

In that moment, Jessica had known that she was going to lose her soul and be devoured by that horrible monster.

"_You'll be a part of us soon, Jessie," _the thing that wasn't truly her sister taunted as the monster opened its maul. Its tongue wrapped around the woman's body and slowly dragged her into its mouth. _"Jessie. Jessie. Jessie. We'll be together soon, Jessie."_

Jessica then had to watch in horror as the thing that looked like Carrie was devoured. That was when she had started screaming. The blonde head was the only thing that wasn't eaten—instead, it fell to the ground and rolled to a place where it was just staring right up at Jessica, still wearing that creepy smile. The lips opened one last time.

"_Jessie."_

Then she woke up in that terrible state.

"Jessica, there had better be a good reason for you screaming at this time of the morning," Kaiba muttered, coming into the room in a dark blue tank and white boxers with a slight case of bed-head. "You'd better have fallen out of bed and broken something or started your period or something like that."

"Screw you," Jessica growled, glancing around for her shirt she had thrown off before going to sleep, feeling a little uncovered in her gray bra with a pink star pattern and pink booty shorts. Kaiba found her gray tee on the floor near the door and threw it at her, which she quickly slipped on so he wouldn't see any more.

"Well, I don't see blood or misplaced bones, so what explanation do you have?" he asked.

"…N-Nothing. Not anything that concerns you. I'm sorry for ruining your sleep. I'll try not to scream again…I'm sorry," Jessica grumbled while keeping her eyes away from the rich brunette.

"You know that I'm a professional liar, right? I can tell that you're full of shit and that something is bothering you, so you might as well tell me now while I'm up or else I'll just get it out of Mokuba later," Kaiba remarked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"…I just had a nightmare, Seto. That's all."

"That's not all. What happened in that nightmare that made you scream for five minutes?"

Her pink eyes widened and she let her other leg drop to the floor. "Five minutes?!"

"Yeah. Five. Fucking. Minutes," Kaiba said, purposely emphasizing each word.

Jessica sighed. "It was…stupid, really. I was in a field at night, and then Carrie appeared but it wasn't really her. She kept saying Jessie and crazy things, and she had this evil look on her face. Everything about her was just…evil. This sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

"If that's all it was, then yes. It was very stupid."

"Haha. Smartass. No, that wasn't it. The scene…It changed to some old castle or fort. I was suspended and restrained on a wall by some glowy blue-green stone…I think it's called the Orichalcos Stone. There was also a seal…and it was sucking my soul out. Carrie was watching with that evil look, still being creepy. She was holding a card with my image…You know, a soul card like the one you and Mokey were put in by Pegasus, and there were cards like that with everyone else's souls lying on the floor with splatters of blood everywhere. And then this giant eye opened with a mouth full of teeth, and the mouth opened and its tongue took Carrie in. She said I'd be a part of them and we'd be together soon as she was being eaten. That's when I started screaming. It bit her head off and the head rolled over to me and was staring at me with that creepy look on her face and said my name again…I don't know. It just seemed like I was pulled into a horror flick and I didn't like it. Ugh…"

"Sounds kinda like a horror movie."

"Gee, aren't you helpful?"

"Nightmares happen for a reason. They are your greatest fears unearthed by your mind when you are unable to fight them off. I suppose this nightmare of yours reflected on your fear from what you have been told of Carrie by those idiots you call friends. You're afraid of losing everyone to darkness and being helpless while you lose your sister as well. That's a somewhat honest fear. No one wants to lose those close to them."

"What about that monster I saw?"

"How the hell should I know? It's probably just something your mind conjured up to deal with that fear. Just be glad it wasn't something you could run into, like clowns or dolls or whatever."

Jessica shuddered. "Clowns are just…ugh…Let's not talk about those guys."

"Do you think you'll be able to get back to sleep now, or should I expect to hear screaming again in about an hour?"

The West girl shrugged. "I…don't think I can."

"Try. We have a busy day in a couple of hours and I don't want you snoring in my Blue Eyes jet when it starts."

"Yeah…" She recalled how her uncle had bought up half of Kaiba Corp. and was forcing the blue-eyed man to meet him at noon. The clock in her room blinked five thirty, so she only had a couple hours until she would have to get up and get ready to leave for Duelist Kingdom. Two hours could make a huge difference in how alert she would be at the encounter. Still, after that scare, she doubted she'd be able to sleep. "…I doubt I'll ever sleep again."

"…Go take a bubble bath."

"Excuse me?"

"Trust me. It'll help. Go into the master bathroom. I'll have my staff fill the tub for you. Get in that water, relax, and take as long as you need. You may not get to sleep, but it's just as beneficial. Just make sure you don't doze off and drown. I don't prefer there being a dead body in my bath. That's my tub."

"…You haven't…done anything in it…have you?"

"…It's been cleaned."

"That's reassuring."

"I'll send some people to get it started. You can take it or not. I don't care. I'm going back to bed to get as much sleep as I can before eight. See you then for breakfast."

Jessica watched Kaiba leave, and then allowed herself to sigh. She had to admit that she had been tense ever since Carrie was attacked by that bastard Carl, feeling that she couldn't fully relax because her sister needed her. The closest she ever came to lowering her guard was when she was either alone or with Mokuba, and even then, she wouldn't let herself lose all her tension in case that, in a moment's notice, Carrie was in trouble and she would have to come to the rescue. She wouldn't tell Mokuba that because she felt that would be unromantic to admit that while they were making out and the like, she was still worrying about what might happen to Carrie at any given moment. That would just be a buzz-kill and a confidence breaker.

She dug around in the dresser and picked out her outfit for the day, reluctantly making up her mind to take up Kaiba's offer. The dark-haired girl then wandered in the direction of his personal bathroom, the one that was closest to his room that he used the most with the largest bathtub in the mansion and the biggest Jessica had ever seen. That was saying something, considering she had been in Pegasus's castle and he _loved_ taking bubble baths in his huge tubs. It was ready in preparation of her arrival. White fluffy towels and wash rags, water bubbly water, and even lit candles lay there for her, very inviting even to a stressed teenage girl like her. She locked the door and stripped out of her nightwear, ignoring the mirrors about the room as she dipped into the water.

_Here's to fighting off nightmares, _Jessica thought with a smile as the warm bubbly water began to melt her tension away.

* * *

"CARRIE!"

Mirage shot up from the couch in the Muto living room, completely filled with terror from her own nightmare. She was being held in place by Thief Bakura's vise-like grip—she was grateful for it because she had no idea what might have happened if he wasn't. Even so, they were floating above the couch, suspended by the subconscious release of magic by the plagued one. This suspension might have been the reason the fluffy-haired thief had gripped her so tightly. She released the magic so they could lie flat once more since the power was easily cut off compared to the fear coursing through her veins.

Before Thief Bakura could ask questions, Mirage forced her way out of his arms and made herself leave the area. Grandpa, Yugi, and the remaining two mummies had heard her screaming and were about to encroach on her. She rematerialized on the roof of the game shop, allowing the warm sweat to meet the cooler air and take away some of the effects of the nightmare. She sat down on the slanted surface and closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths as the air caressed her trembling bronzed skin, not even daring to think back on that terrible dream that was anything but dreamy.

"**What could make the immortal one tremble?"**

"…You don't want to know, Urine Breath," Mirage muttered, listening to the commotion in the house caused by her.

"**It must have been worse than Hell to make one like you quiver in terror."**

"You have no idea."

"**Will you tell me?"**

"…No. Our sanities could not withstand reflection on it. I don't want to remember it and I'd die before I'd tell anyone."

"Mirage! Mirage! Mirage!" those within shouted as they spilled out of the building, looking for to where she wandered off.

"Mirage, where did you go?! What happened?!" Yugi called.

"Come back here, immortal one, or so help me Zorc—!" Thief Bakura exclaimed.

**Aw, he does care, **Mirage thought with a small smile as her lover ranted about what he would do to her if she didn't return to him this instant. She let a ghostly ribbon trail from her fingers down to the people, allowing them to find where she had gone so they wouldn't have to scream for her anymore. Now they would scream about how she got up there and for her to get down. With a sigh she complied, letting herself float down to ground level to stand before them, rather reluctantly, and let fate come to her.

"What the bloody hell were you thinking, running off like that?! We were bleeding worried about you, you dumb broad!" Thief Bakura shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders with a slight bit of roughness. "Do you realize how long you were screaming?! Do you?! I couldn't wake you up! You were tossing and fighting me and it was all I could do to keep you in my arms! Then you started floating and I rose with you…But I wasn't about to let you go!"

"…Well…That just makes you sound clingy," Mirage teased, but she couldn't meet his gaze or maintain her usually bitter tone. Glancing at his brown eyes, she could tell he was genuinely concerned about her. "I'm fine, Bakura. It was…It was just a nightmare. A very shitty…very terrifying…very realistic in my realm…nightmare. That's why I did what I did. I'm fine. I only left because I needed to…to be alone for a moment. You know…To calm down before I would be berated by you fools."

"What was your nightmare?" Rath reluctantly asked.

"…You don't wanna know."

"If he didn't want to know, he wouldn't have spoken the question," Nefer-Tina grumbled, still very glum from the earlier events of the night.

Mirage sighed and looked each person in the eye. "Listen to me, all of you. If I were to tell you what I dreamt about, your insides would churn endlessly. Your eyes would never be able to close again without seeing visions of what I saw. You wouldn't be able to sleep. Your tears would never cease to end as my nightmare haunted you. Speaking wouldn't be possible—open your mouth and you could only scream. My nightmares aren't just of things that go bump in the night or monsters eating you or that shit mortals are afraid of. My nightmares make your nightmares look like the sweet dreams of a mortal babe. So if I tell you that something I dreamt of that made me scream and tremble and quiver like a bitch in a horror movie shouldn't be known by anyone ever again, you'd best believe me."

Everyone save Thief Bakura gulped and averted their gazes. The white-haired man lost a bit of his composure, but otherwise showed no effect from hearing such a description. The tension and silence lasted for several minutes, until…

"Nightmares stink," spat Grandpa. He yawned and stretched, saying, "Well, now that we know no one's killin' ya, I'm going back to bed. Don't you people stay up too much longer. You never know what morning will bring, so ya gotta be well-rested to face it."

"You guys go back. Get some rest. I…I need to walk around for a bit," Mirage told them as the old man headed into the game shop alone. She snapped her fingers and more day-appropriate clothes appeared on her form. She looked pointedly at Thief Bakura before adding, "And I want to be alone. I know that's not completely possible because Carrie sealed Uria on my arm, but at least I can ask for more…_humans_…not to come with me. Recovering from that living hell… That's something I have to do alone. That's…That's how I've always been."

"But Mirage, you don't have to be alone. I'm here now," Thief Bakura told her, taking her hands in his and looking her in the eyes. "Let me help you, dear. Even if you can't tell me what it was you saw, at least let me be there."

Mirage's brow furrowed and she tossed his hands aside. "You're growing soft, Thief. I am growing soft enough for the both of us. Return to your strong self and allow me to find my way back on my own. We can't be soft when we face the bastards who took Carrie from us. Nut up already, or fuck off."

Without any further words to those shocked by her harsh words, she disappeared, glad that when she turned her back they could not see the tears falling from her eyes.

_I will not let humans see me weak again…Like they did six millennia ago…_

* * *

Keith's body fell limp onto the ground, void of a soul, while the Seal of Orichalcos disappeared. Carrie stood above him with the most sinister smirk on her face, holding a soul card in her hand with his image pressed onto its surface. Without warning, she kicked him in the face, breaking his nose and allowing the blood to splatter everywhere, no sign of remorse in the way she carried herself. Then she turned on her heel and returned to her waiting motorcycle. A small part of her told her to call an ambulance for him since he had been helpful recently, but then, he really didn't need it if the world was going to be cleansed of his kind now did he?

"Mai," she cooed flirtatiously on the cell as she straggled her revving vehicle. "Have you gotten Pegasus's soul yet? It'd be a pain if I had to go out there to get your body and take my uncle's soul in your place. I doubt Valon and Dartz would be happy about that."

"Hush, hun. My job's done. Everything is in place," Mai assured her.

"Good to hear. I'll see you back at HQ then. Don't be late," Carrie said, closing the phone. She flipped it open again and pressed speed dial. "Hello, honey. Ready to rock, or am I gonna hafta go alone again?"

"I hate it when you talk dirty," Rafael's gruff voice responded.

"Did you deliver your message with the others to those so-called heroes?" Carrie asked in a slightly pouty voice.

"Yes. They'll be playing into our hands soon, I've no doubt," Rafael assured her.

"Good. Now that business is outta the way, why don't we play a lil, my dear? I'm awful lonely out here in this alley with this soulless bastard laying on the ground with blood on his face. This vibrating bike isn't making things easy, either. Why don't we play a game of Cat and Mouse, hm? I'll be the mouse and you be the cat."

"…You have too good a tongue for a seventeen-year-old, you know that?"

"Is that a yes? Cuz I don't hear a no…"

The only sound she heard before his end cut off was the revving of his motorcycle. Her ruby lips curled up in a seductive smile as she closed her phone and slipped it into her pocket.

"Let the chase commence."

* * *

_A/N: This is my shortest chapter ever, but I cannot bang out anymore. I hope you like this despite its length. Thank you for reading!_

_(I feel like I've failed you…)_


	84. 84 - Uncertainty

_A/N: I'm sorry for not updating in almost two months. I've had little to no motivation to write and life has gotten in the way. I've recently graduated from high school, which means I've failed to reach my goal of finishing this story in the whole of my high school career. What am I talking about? Well, I started this when I came into high school back in August 2009, nearly four years ago, and when I came into my senior year I thought it would be awesome if I finished this at the same time I finished my time in school. I failed at that—life and school proved to be a bigger obstacle than I anticipated—and failed you by not being able to update any quicker than I have. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry…_

* * *

Chapter 84

Mirage returned to the house at sunrise, tired but in a better mindset than she was when she left to deal with the stress of her nightmares. No one was outside waiting for her in plain sight and a quick scan with her powers proved that no one was waiting in shadow, either. She hadn't expected it to be otherwise, considering what she had said before her departure as well as the time since people needed their sleep. She wondered if _he_ would be up for her in the living room where she sensed him or if he just happened to be there. The others were in various rooms throughout the building, clearly dormant or just leaving dormancy, but he appeared to be active.

**If I wasn't me, I would feel bad and would want to apologize for my harsh words, **Mirage thought as she fazed through the wall into the front of the shop. **But, as we are both immortal and above the lowly feelings of those we walk among, I shall not sink that low. He should not expect me to sink that low, either…unless it's for a different reason…**

"**You had to dip into the realm of the unclean." **Uria did not seem pleased with Mirage's additional sentence that made her blush a bit at the thought.

**But of course. Would you expect anything else from me, Urine? I wouldn't be me if I didn't wish death on mortals or mention sex somehow. It's just how I am.**

"**I wish you were a bit classier."**

**Come on, Urine. You know I have a reputation to uphold. The readers wouldn't like me as much if I wasn't Bakura's horny bitch, now would they?**

"**Readers? What are you talking about?"**

"Welcome back, Mirage," Grandpa murmured, interrupting their conversation as he wiped the sleep from his eyes as he walked into the shop. He flipped the sign at the front of the store to alert potential customers that his shop was open before adding, "I hope you're feeling more like yourself now after last night's events."

"…You have never been exposed to the real me, Mister Muto. You have only seen the softer me I have become since my host body expelled me from her and cursed me to walk in this damned shell," Mirage muttered bitterly.

"Oh, don't think I don't know that. You're many things, Mirage, but you're not a closed book. Even an old fool like me can tell what you really are," Grandpa rebuked with a small grin. "However, I believe there is more to you than that dark exterior you force upon our eyes. You have admitted before to being a soul made of fragmented souls with none of those being completely evil or wishing death on the world. It would only make sense that part of you doesn't hold evil, and that part of you is the softer side that we have been seeing lately. So, I rephrase my question. Are you feeling more like the human you are underneath that immortal surface?"

"…Yes," Mirage reluctantly admitted. "…You are far too wise for one your age, old as you are by the standards of humans. You'd do well to keep that wisdom to yourself, or else it might end up upsetting the wrong person."

"If you're talking about you, I know you wouldn't hurt me."

"Why? Because of Carrie's curse?"

"No. Because you are no longer an unnecessary killer."

Mirage stared at the gray-haired man for a moment before turning on her heel and continuing towards the living room on the other side of the building. She stopped for a moment before stepping over the threshold, knowing he was still looking at her, and hissed, "As I said, you are too wise for a human."

She found Thief Bakura exactly where she expected him to be, but wasted no time with idle talk that he might have seen as necessary after the previous night. She found her deck on the floor and sat down, demanding practice with him simply by glaring at him. Rather than argue with her or try to establish any points he thought of making through the sleepless night, he gave in and joined her on the floor to prepare for the umpteenth time.

**I won't let myself become human again. My mortal lives were my low points, my times of being a weak little bitch where everyone walked all over me. I overcame that when I became whole, when I became the unnamed immortal one. I will not let myself regress. Humanity is weakness. Immortality is strength. No matter what that wise old fart thinks, I am not a human. I am immortal, **Mirage thought vehemently while she played her card game with her lover.

"**But you are in a human body of your own this time." **Uria spoke softly so only she could hear even in the dead silence. **"Perhaps that coupled with your bonds with Carrie and her friends have stirred your humanity. Not to mention how your existence is at risk of being cut short—"**

**I know what is going on, Urine! This is my body, my life, my existence! I'll be damned the moment I am unaware what is happening to me! **Mirage scowled severely as she misplayed and took Life Point damage from one of Thief Bakura's Monsters. **I…I know you and Mister Muto are right. I am becoming a fucking human again. Or at least, I'm coming to fucking resemble a mortal inside and out. I claim that Bakura is the one that's softening, but who the hell am I fooling? I have been weakening since Carrie gained control over me. Fuck, was it before then? I think seeing her beaten as a child connected me to her…We're not so different, me and her…Well, a part of me isn't…**

"**The immortal pain-feeler…The largest part of you."**

Mirage closed her eyes despite its inconvenience in her duel to do so. **Yeah. The part of me with a name that died with her family. I was only ever called a dog, monster, worthless… Fucking demeaning words were my only titles in that life, a life of pain not only inflicted by the gods' damnable curse, but also by the heartless mortal bastards that—ugh, it's best to not reflect on that time. It's almost as bad as my nightmare…**

"…**Unfortunately, I am aware of that."**

**I fucking wish you weren't. That is something, like most things about me, that I wish I could take to my grave…alone.**

"Immortal one, whatever is the matter with you?" Thief Bakura demanded, noticing her pained expression and her failures to counter strategies she had defeated before.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Mirage feebly lied. "Finish your damn move."

Much to the dark-haired woman's surprise, Thief Bakura knocked all their cards aside in a pile instead of doing what she said. She met his cold brown stare with her dark one, hiding behind it the confusion and pain she didn't want him or anyone else to see. They stared at each other in silence for several moments, tension so strong it could probably be felt by those in other rooms. She started to move her bronze lips, but the white-haired man quickly cupped a hand over her mouth to suggest she not say anything, knowing it would only be lies or harsh words diverting from the truth.

"I don't want any more of your bullshit, Mirage! I want the truth! You are the one that wanted to do this damn thing, and yet last night you accused _me_ of being soft! You are the first person I have ever gone even remotely soft for in five millennia, excluding of course Ryou since he was the one who gave me this body, and I'll be damned if I let you get away with insulting me without any explanation! You had better tell me why you are acting like this now or else you can deal with Dartz and save Carrie without me! Do you understand, Mirage?!"

She bit down hard on his hand to get him to pull it away before replying, "Yeah, I get you. You want me to break down in front of you or you'll use it as an excuse to abandon me."

"Abandon you?! Who's the one who disappeared twice last night without telling anyone where she went?! You're the one trying to abandon me and those that need your help, not me!"

"**Bakura, she is only acting this way because she—!"**

"Shut the fuck up, Urine!" Mirage growled, clamping her hand over the part of her arm that had his head as if that might keep him from revealing her thoughts. "I can speak for myself, bastard! I don't need your damn input!"

"So talk already, or else I'll let that damn dragon tell me!"

"And how the hell do you plan on accomplishing that, Bakura?!"

"My power is not as limited as yours now! Don't try me!"

Mirage groaned. "Fine! You want to know what the fuck is wrong with me so badly?! Here it is! Being around these damn mortals has weakened me! Being forced into this false skin, this shell Carrie created by using my own damn magic against me, has turned me into one of them! I'm softening and I fucking hate it! That's why I need you to be strong and hard at all times and why I'm tough on you because otherwise we will lose ourselves entirely and then nothing will remain of us! We will just be another set of villains that were nothing more than fucking jokes! Do you want that?! I sure as hell don't! I hate myself for becoming this…this human mess! There's no way you could possibly understand what the hell I'm going through! You were only ever human once and your life was nowhere near as bad as any of mine! You…You don't understand…"

She felt herself on the brink of tears and quickly clamped down on her tongue, hoping the bit of personal pain would force the moistness to leave her eyes the same way it had come. She turned away from her lover so he couldn't see her inner pain, hoping he would accept her words at face value and return to the hard-hearted person she knew he used to be both in life and in spirit form.

**Don't try to comfort me, Bakura. Don't open your heart to me. I don't need that…I don't! **Mirage tried to convince herself that what she needed was for him to be hard, to be sinister, to berate her for admitting her weakness. The organ beating within her chest begged to differ. It craved his gentle touch. It begged for him to take her in his arms and assure her that everything was going to be all right. Its desire was for him to whisper sweet nothings in her ear, to tell her that soon Carrie would be back and Dartz would be gone and then they could take over the world. Its wants were stronger than her dark logic, overshadowing her claims to needing him to be her evil rock like they were nothing more than grains of sand in the sea of her emotions. She couldn't fight it; inside, she admitted defeat and gave into her human desires. All that remained was Thief Bakura's response to her admission.

The fluffy-haired man pushed the cards out of the way and edged himself closer, wrapping his arms around her waist and taking her hands in his. She felt his breath on her neck followed by his lips, and she found that no matter how hard she bit her tongue, she could no longer keep back the tears. They cascaded down her bronze cheeks for the second time in twelve hours, salty rivers that hadn't flown since the night that broke Carrie, and several came to land on their conjoined hands to alert her lover to what she was doing. It only made him hold her tighter. She turned her head to let him place his lips on her throat and buried her face in his fluffy mess of hair, wishing she could just melt.

"**You did not tell him you might cease to exist." **Uria pointed out next to silently as he beheld the so-called evil two.

…**I told him I was becoming human. Humans die. That was enough.**

"…Mirage, never block me out again. No matter how weak you feel it makes you and me, I want to be a part of your world. I love you, you understand? That means I will be whatever you need me to be and be wherever you need me. I don't want to be left in the dark when it comes to you. Let me be a part of your light," Thief Bakura whispered in her ear.

…**But my light is in danger of going out, and I don't want you disappearing with it.**

**Bakura…My Bakura, sometimes it's better to walk in the sweet darkness of oblivion than it is in harsh light of knowledge. If only we could have remained in darkness…**

**Maybe then we could have really been happy.**

* * *

Yugi descended the stairs and headed into the kitchen for breakfast, unaware of what might have happened since Mirage's disappearance after her horrid nightmare. Nefer-Tina and Rath were sitting silently at the table, the latter sipping coffee while the former moved her spoon around a bowl of cereal. Neither looked like they had really slept and no trace of happiness could be found in their expression, but the boy couldn't fault them there. Two of their friends had been taken from them by the Swordsmen of Doma, and they had chosen to return the fallen to their sarcophagi in the museum despite knowing how hard it would be on their hearts. They would not be happy until this ordeal was over and their friends were alive again.

He noted Rose and Gun's continued absence as They had not shown Themselves earlier, either. There was a note on the fridge with his name on it that he realized was from Them. They said that in order to be ready to face the now active threat, They needed to rest in the Realm of the Duel Spirits to gain maximum power and that They would return before noon. The violet-eyed boy didn't know Matrons needed such rest for power's sake, but then, there was much he didn't know about Matrons, so he wrote it off as one of those mysteries of life rather than an excuse for those two to be alone and let it slide.

"There's a package for you, Yugi," Rath said quietly as the boy tossed the note in the trash and came to the table with his own bowl of cereal. Nefer-Tina still hadn't touched hers, but Yugi thought it better not to bug her about it. The green-eyed mummy nudged the brown-wrapped box over to him before adding, "It says it's from Maximillion Pegasus, who, if I'm not mistaken, is Mistress Carrie's uncle."

"…Last time he sent something to you and Mistress Carrie, it ended with people's souls trapped in cards," Nefer-Tina grumbled without looking up from her now-soggy bowl of cereal.

"Oh come on, guys. Pegasus has changed now. Even if he wasn't, I doubt he would pull the same trick twice," Yugi assured them as he tore through the paper and opened the box. "…I'm guessing Carrie told you about that time since you weren't there at the time?"

"No. Rath stole her diary about the same time he took Jessica's. She doesn't know," Nefer-Tina casually replied.

"I didn't steal it! I borrowed it to get caught up on what had become of Mistress Iris in her current form! How else were we to even begin to relate to her?! It's not like we could use Wikipedia to read up on her! We didn't even know what that was!" Rath snapped.

"…Carrie keeps a diary?" Yugi asked.

"Kept. She burned it shortly after…well, you know…" Nefer-Tina told him.

"Oh." With that, Yugi decided to turn to the contents of Pegasus's package. All that was in it was a tape eerily similar to the one that he had received last time from the camp individual. He held it up with a fearful look on his face. Despite his earlier claim that Pegasus wouldn't attempt the same thing twice, he did worry a little that he might have been wrong. He realized Rath and Nefer-Tina were looking at him and quickly replaced his worried look with an overzealous grin as he slid the tape back in the box. "…Uh…Maybe I should call the others over before I watch this cursed thing…I mean, before I watch this thing he sent. Wouldn't want to repeat the info more than I have to. Hehehe…" He quickly stood and ran over to the phone, hoping his pathetic ruse would keep them from thinking _too _lowly of him.

_**You do remember that he no longer has the Millennium Eye and thus can't take anyone's soul, right?**_ Yami materialized beside Yugi as he punched in the numbers to Joey's phone, here to rub logic in the wound of his best friend and worst rival.

_Of course I know that! Mirage and Bakura have all but the Puzzle and the Key in their possession, _Yugi snapped in rebuttal, though in reality the fact had escaped his mind for a moment when he had seen the tape in the box. _It'd be ridiculous to even think that he might have found another way to pull souls from people with tapes. And why is he still sending those, anyway? He should have upgraded to at least DVDs by now._

_**Maybe it's just easier for him to record on tape?**_

_Your mom's easier to record on tape._

_**Oh, wow. Nice comeback.**_

_That's what she said._

_**Really, Yugi? That's the best you can do? Insulting my mother, who I have no memory of, and using that worn-out line?**_

_Look, I'm tired and have a lot to worry about. Forgive me if I'm not on top of my game right now._

_**The King of Games is not on top of his game, huh? Who would have thunk?**_

_Have you any room to talk?_

_**No.**_

_Then shut up._

He told Joey he had received something from Pegasus and to rally the gang. It wasn't much longer that the blonde teen had all of Carrie's friends in the Muto living room. Thief Bakura and Mirage sat away from the others in the corner, but they assured they could still see the television when the tape played. The remaining two mummies sat on one couch with Mako while Serenity perched herself on the back. Tea, Joey, and Yugi sat on the other couch with Tristan straddling one of the arm rests. Rose and Gun, who had reappeared just in time, chose to sit on the floor instead of attempting to make room for Themselves on the furniture. Through Them, the other Matron-Watchers would glean whatever information the silver-haired man shared.

"Greetings, Yugi-boy," Pegasus said into the camera. Yugi noted how little the man had changed since he had been seen in the last tape. He even still had his hair over his left eye despite no longer having the Millennium Eye, leading him to wonder if Pegasus had anything there anymore. Underneath his usual campy demeanor, he seemed worried and tense, almost like he was afraid for some reason. His smile faltered for a moment to further this point before he continued with his message. "As I'm sure you noticed yesterday, there seems to have been some Duel Monster activity throughout the world. Not holograms, it seems, but still the blame has fallen on young Kaiba-boy and me. It's bad rep, but it spells out worse things for the world than falling stock prices and trashy tabloids. I have a feeling you know what's happening here, too, and that the organization that has taken something from both of us is making its move. It's not safe to say anymore here, so I'm arranging for you and yours to come here today via a personal jet. Go to the airport in Tokyo. Your flight is at one thirty sharp, Yugi-boy. And please, do hurry. The fate of the world depends on it."

The tape then shut off, awkwardly short compared to the last one they had seen from the rich man in the past. Everyone exchanged awkward glances, unsure what to make of what they had heard. Yugi stood to pull the tape from the VCR, surprised by how much Pegasus seemed to know with what he had hinted. What he said would have had to have been recorded shortly after the events of yesterday evening, and all this planning on such short notice…

_Pegasus, what do you know?_

* * *

Carrie stirred as sunlight drifted in through the crappy shutters in the equally crappy hotel room she and Rafael had crashed in once he had managed to catch her. He still slept, holding his bad girl against his bare chest, a warm place reminiscent of her times being held by her first lover. She, too, was topless, a thing she never would have allowed herself to be before with any guy, but keeping true to her beliefs they both still had their bottoms on and thus had not done anything that might have resulted in babies. She reached over his heap of a body and grabbed her phone off the stand to check the time, rubbing sleep out of her eyes with the other hand as a yawn escaped her mouth.

_Noon already? Did we really sleep through daylight? _Carrie wondered, getting on her knees for not the first time that day and stretching over Rafael's sleeping form before moving into the seated position on her bottom beside him. _I guess there are sexual things that drain your energy just as much as sex would…Speaking of, I should probably see if the shower in here that's clean enough to use. I don't think Dartz wants me meeting our future guests with sex hair and not-so-clean undies on._

She moved to stand only to feel a hand holding her wrist and keeping her from going anywhere. With a curious grin, Carrie glanced over her bare shoulder to find her partner was no longer sleeping. His gray eyes met her green ones, too drowsy for any real emotion to be reflected, but a glimmer of longing could be found. Her grin turned into a wicked smile as she leaned over and gave him a kiss good morning.

"We don't have time to fool around this morning, honey. According to what Mai found out when she took my uncle's soul, those would-be heroes will be leaving the country by one thirty to 'meet him' in San Francisco. We can't afford to be late to greet them then," Carrie reminded him as he tried to pull her down for Round Two. She ran her fingers seductively over his chest for a moment before pecking him on the forehead and standing up. "I'm going to take a shower. I suggest you do the same once I'm out. We've got a long day ahead of us."

Rafael watched her disappear into the bathroom and waited until the door closed before he let his smile fade. He sat up, resting his forehead in the palm of his hand, wondering what had become of the blonde girl he had brought before Dartz only weeks ago.

He found his discarded shirt on the floor along with his jacket and picked them up. Beneath his jacket were the top coverings of Carrie, torn and discarded so carelessly like many of the things Carrie once held close to her heart. He recalled the pained expression of the dark one, the immortal pain-feeling soul trapped within a false shell by the blonde she once considered a heroine, when he tried to get under the Pharaoh's skin by bringing up the night that everything in Carrie's life had changed. She had been in genuine pain, as had the Pharaoh and all those that had once considered the Soul Hunter their friend.

_No, not once. They still consider her a friend despite betraying them to join the true path of light. Her and Mai, _Rafael thought, tossing her shreds of clothing in the trash outside of the window along with his own shirt since they always came prepared with a spare set of clothes on these…uh, kind of nights. _For corrupt beings, they are loyal to her, far more so than any other false-righteous people I have encountered. How could they be so dark? Is it possible…? No. It's just unfortunate that such strong-hearted people are on the wrong side. That's all._

_It's Carrie that concerns me. She cast away the life in her womb without even a second thought or glance and hasn't shown any sign of regretting it since that time. She has taken the souls of those that hurt her without batting an eye, and also sacrificed her cousin without remorse. No other member of Doma has ever made such a drastic turn. It's frightening. She's no longer the strong-willed yet kind-hearted girl I brought to Master Dartz. She's become a badass that steps on anything that gets in her way without wondering if it's a mistake. I can hardly reach her anymore unless she's hot and bothered, and Mai has completely fallen out of touch with her. Not that Mai is much better. Both those women have responded to the power of the Orichalcos far stronger than any of the Swordsmen ever did, and it doesn't seem like it's for the better._

The blonde man scowled at the door to the bathroom, allowing the thought he had quickly pushed out of his head to enter again. _Is it possible that they were right? Is the Orichalcos evil after all? What if—?_

His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone.

"Oi, Rafael! Where are you and that lil sheila? Our guests are 'bout ready to leave this place and we need ya so we can blow out ourselves," Valon's Australian accent grumbled when Rafael answered.

"Don't you worry about it. Just know we'll be there soon," Rafael assured him.

"Don't tell me you blokes were fooling around again…Sheesh, that lil flyer's got a sex drive like a wallaby in heat."

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Valon."

"Who said I was jealous? Look, just because Mai didn't stick to my hip after everything does not mean I'm jealous of what you and that sheila have. You understand?"

"Are you trying to fool me or yourself?"

"Just get your pasty ass over here in the hour, or you and Carrie will have to find your own way over to San Fran."

Valon hung up before Rafael could respond. He stuffed the device in the pocket of his jacket just as another voice called out to him from beneath running water.

"Rafael," her seductive tone purred as she pushed the wood open just enough for him to see her hiding behind the translucent shower curtain, "Wanna join me so we can meet Mr. Grumpy-Roo quicker? We can consider it Round Two, if you wanna."

_Carrie, what's happened to you?_ Rafael thought as he, against what his heart wanted, came into the bathroom with her and closed the door. _Before you swore you would only be with the Pharaoh, the spirit of a man that you call Yami. You wouldn't give anything up to him, in the Puzzle or in the flesh. Yet when you change sides, you throw all of that to the wind and let me do almost anything with you. Hell, we do pretty much everything but the actual act of intercourse. This isn't the real you, the one that intrigued me. This is the shadow of what remains…Why do you do this to us?_

_I hate myself for enjoying this…_

_When will I get the real you back?_

* * *

_A/N: Thank you for reading. Please leave a review and have a wonderful day. :/_


	85. 85 - Meaning of Pain

_A/N: I'm cranking another chapter out of me before I have no time for it due to having to get ready for college. Ugh. Thanks for coming this far with me. Please read on and enjoy._

* * *

Chapter 85

Crimson eyes viewing the world from the confines of his prison as he sat on a set of stairs, Yami watched as his friends boarded one of Pegasus's private jets. He knew with the recent actions of the Swordsmen of Doma and the ripples between this world and the Realm of the Duel Spirits that soon he would not be able to escape encountering his transformed heart. No, it was only a matter of time until the twisted beings parading around as Carrie and Mai would make their appearance. He would no longer be able to fool himself with ideas that they were the same, that they were somehow innocent and forced to become servants of the Orichalcos instead of the willing Soul Hunters that Rafael suggested they were. He would have to face reality, sooner rather than later.

If that wasn't to be hard enough, he also had to face the possibility of Mirage dying in her temporary body. She had always been a thorn in Yami and Carrie's side—being separated from the blonde had done little to change that—but she had proven to be more than that as of late, and regardless of how 'evil' she claimed to be, she was still a part of Carrie. She was the last part of his love he had. If he lost her, too, he didn't know if he could go on with this fight. He needed her support through this to regain the person they had lost, the person neither could survive without for their own reasons.

_At least she seems to be holding together for now, _he thought, glancing at the back of the plane where the dark-haired Egyptian and her fluffy-haired lover chose to isolate themselves. _Besides the pain and weakness she exhibits when she uses magic, she seems normal. I can only assume she's keeping it hidden so Bakura doesn't know what's going on. Knowing him, he would only become overprotective and do all he could to keep her from using any magic to prolong her life as long as possible. I know I would do the same if I was in his place and Carrie was…_

His thoughts trailed off as he recalled Rafael's taunts about doing things to Carrie that she wanted. Hands clenched to fists and teeth bared in a snarl, he vehemently wondered if somehow that dirty blonde bastard had gotten involved with his girl the way that only he should have, romantically and sexually. She had been vulnerable when that monster had found her and managed to convince her to join him in the dark light of the Orichalcos, and perhaps she needed someone to cling to in that time. If the spiky-haired spirit had been there, he was sure he would have been that somebody. But for reasons he could not control, he hadn't, and thus Rafael stepped up and took over, filling Yami's void inside her with his darkness and distorting not only Carrie's mind, but her heart as well.

_Have they…Could she have…? No… _Yami refused to let the thought be completed in his mind, shutting his eyes in hopes that he might keep the tears at bay. A few still managed to slip out, and the Pharaoh slammed his fist into the wall beside him in anger and frustration, glad for the pain as it offset his sadness if even a little. _I don't want to think about it! Damn it! I refuse to believe that he could have put his damned hands on her with her permission…or done more! No matter how vulnerable she feels or how much she needs someone, she would not go back on our promise! She would not do that while under the age of eighteen! She swore it!_

But as much as he told himself that, he knew there was no way to prove any of this. Once upon a time, he couldn't even imagine Carrie being on the opposing side. He never thought he would be separated from her for so long, or that she could become so hurt and then so dark. Though he had long been her stone for nearly two years now, he hated to admit that he didn't know her all that well anymore. That didn't change how his heart felt in the slightest—rather, it only made it all the more painful. To think that there was another guy who might know her better, even if he was evil, and could love her in ways he couldn't…

_Carrie, why? Why…Why couldn't you have let me help you? Why couldn't I have been with you when you went with Mai that night? Why can't we be together? Something's always keeping us apart…First it was my fault for not telling you about Iris…Then it was that bastard Carl and what he had the audacity to do…Then it was the effects of that…And now, it's this…_

Angry, he turned his tear-filled eyes to the ceiling of his prison as he stood with hands clenched so hard the nails dug into his skin.

"You placed me with Carrie, but then separated us time and again to hurt her further! Why in the name of Anubis would you do that, Gods, when you were so adamant about our being together in the first place?! Why bring up together only to hurt us repeatedly by hurting her?! What the hell is going on?! Why do you keep doing this to us?! Damn it, why must you torture us?! Answer me!"

The Nameless Pharaoh's shouts echoed throughout his empty Puzzle, giving him no answers and filling him further with loneliness and misery that could not be quelled. He fell back onto the stairs, trembling with his emotions so terribly that he could no longer stand, and wept into his sleeves when he could no longer fight against the torrent.

"Hey Yugi. Why are you crying?" Tea asked, placing a hand on the shoulder of Pharaoh's reincarnation with a concerned expression on her face.

"I'm crying?" Yugi looked confused, but when he reached up to touch his face he felt the wetness on his fingertips. "Huh. That's funny. I don't really feel like I should be…"

_Damn it…My emotions are leaking out and affecting Yugi, _Yami thought, vigorously rubbing his eyes to rid himself of those wretched tears. _I don't want my problems to become his. I have already caused him enough suffering since those accursed Gods began driving a wedge between Carrie and me…He doesn't need any more._

_**Yami, hey, are you all ri-?**_

Before Yugi could finish his question, Yami shut off the Millennium Puzzle entirely from him, preventing any possible seepage of the Pharaoh's thoughts or feelings into the mind of the boy. Usually he would have no issue with verbally turning Yugi away without any true malice, but right now, he wasn't in the mood and didn't have the composure to do so convincingly. He hoped Yugi wouldn't hold such a cold shoulder against him and promised himself he would explain it to the boy later when it was more convenient for the both of them.

"Huh. Yami just shut me out," Yugi said with surprise mixed with a tiny bit of sadness. "I guess he was the reason I was crying and he didn't want to burden me with that. Wish he would have said something…"

"I guess he's taking this all pretty hard," Tea murmured.

"Yeah, and why shouldn't he?" Joey demanded from across the aisle, gaining their attention as well as a bit of Yami's. His demeanor was cold and hard, as would be expected from the young man that had lost his love interest and his close friend in one foul swoop. "He cares for Carrie more than anyone on this plane, even that bitch Mirage back there." The dark-haired woman shot him a dirty look, but remained silent, not believing this worthy of words. Joey paid her no attention. "You can't blame the guy for feeling the way he does now that he's gonna hafta face her in less than pleasant circumstances."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Tea pointed out, and as she did so she received a piercing glare from the dirty blonde.

"No, but the other times she was forced against him. This time she chose to be against him," Joey countered vehemently. "It's on a different plane entirely, no pun intended. Going against a loved one when they're being controlled is nothing like going against them when it's of their own free will. I hate to admit it, but I feel the same way…but not for the same person. Well, not just her. But I'm more pissed than I am upset, and that anger's keeping me from being a wreck in front of you."

"I don't blame you. I may not be terribly close to either of our friends that have gone over to the dark side, but I'm just as pissed about it as you," Tristan put in from beside his best friend.

"No, Tristan, you're not. No one is as pissed as I am. No one but me lost the one they love and the girl they decided to befriend when she had none. It's true I ain't as close to Carrie as Yugi or the Pharaoh or even Mako, but we have a bond forged from the moment I became her first friend that's causing me a lot of pain right now. And we're all friends of Carrie's of varying degree, but none of ya knew Mai that well. None of ya tried to get close to her. Only those that lived with her, Glimmer, and I know anything about that woman that she didn't come right out and say. So yeah, Tristan, you might be pissed, but don't try to relate to me on this. Yami's the only one that can come close with his love for Carrie and his casual friendship with Mai. The rest of you can stuff it and stop pretending that you are gonna have just as a hard a time with this as us."

This effectively shut everyone up and made many feel very awkward. Yami stared up from his soaked arms at the hard-eyed blonde, just as shocked as the others to hear just how Joey truly felt about all of this. His love for Mai was as strong as Yami's for Carrie. Mai had never chosen to return it and kept them apart, but that did nothing to weaken his determination. While the spirit asked questions and damned the gods for constantly hurting him and his beloved, Joey put aside his sadness, turning instead to focused anger and strength so he could use his power to save those he cared about. Was being angry better than being sad? It looked to be the better option…

"…So you think you know what pain is?" Nefer-Tina asked softly from behind Joey where she sat with Rath at her side. The others upon the plane turned to look at her now, the white-haired mummy that had not smiled since coming upon her fallen comrades. In her slightly bandaged hands she held the golden triangular-shaped pendant with the blue stone in the center and the engraving of a bird head at the top, the pendant that belonged to Ja-Kal, something she had taken from him when the others weren't looking. Her eyes remained focused on it and not on the many eyes that were on her. "…You lose two people to darkness and think you have it bad? That's not even remotely close."

Joey didn't even waver. "Nefer-Tina, I know you lost your leader and your closest friend because of the forces we're up against, but they're not going to be used against you. They're going to be fi—"

"How do you know what will become of them?!" Nefer-Tina snapped, allowing her tearful but fiery blue gaze to meet his cold brown one. "Their souls became fodder for the Orichalcos and the Great Leviathan! They will be used to bring him to life once more because we were unable to stop them from being taken! Ja-Kal and Armon didn't have to be lost! But now they're gone and we may never see them again! You'll see your loved ones and you have the chance to return them to what they once were, but we might not be so lucky! They're gone!" She trailed off with a sob, looking back to Ja-Kal's pendant as she clutched it ever tighter. When she spoke again, her voice was calmer, but her grip never lessened. "But even this isn't the worst of pain. I gave up my life long ago alongside the Guardians to protect Mistress Iris when we met her in another life once again, and in doing so I lost everything I've ever known. All my friends, my family, my loved ones…They were lost to time. I lost everything but those I served beside in hopes that I might meet the one I served in the flesh once more. And I…I failed to stop myself from losing her, too…"

"…Nefer-Tina, you were not alone in that failure," Rath murmured, resting a hand on her shoulder. "We all failed."

"Failing her on the night she needed us most caused Ja-Kal to act recklessly, to rush in with Armon to fend off those Swordsmen of Doma unsuccessfully. They lost their souls because of it …I believe it would have been better if I had lost mine as well…so that I would have faced rightful punishment for failing alongside them," Nefer-Tina said, but before anyone could cut in to say that was a foolish thing to say she continued on. "Even so, I know our pain is nowhere near the worst or any excuse for what we do. There is only one person who knows the worst pain on this flying chariot, and it isn't any of you."

"Who, then?" Rose inquired from Her aisle seat beside Gun and across from the mummies.

Nefer-Tina closed her eyes. "The immortal pain-feeling spirit forced outside of Carrie's body, the one the humans of today call Mirage."

"…Are you claiming that because of my curses, mummified wench?" Mirage wanted to know.

"Yes, but also no. You have felt all the pain the living has experienced for six thousand years, but in life you have also had your own suffering time and again. We're well aware of one of your three lives, the one of our mistress, and know some of your life as the pain-feeler that couldn't be killed. You had lost so much in both of those lives and yet here you still stand. You have strength despite so much pain. It might very well be simply because of your cursed existence, but in truth, you are the only one of us that knows the true meaning and worst kind of pain, and thus are the only one who can truly justify what you do."

Mirage scowled. "What is it with old people lecturing me with words wise beyond their years today? It's getting very frustrating, and damn near irritating, too."

"What are you getting at with this, Nefer-Tina?" Mako, who was seated beside Serenity in front of her brother, asked.

"I think she's trying to say that we've all lost things to get to this point and are hurting from it, but we shouldn't be arguing about who has it worse or using it as an excuse. We should just focus on getting back what we can and protecting the world without letting our emotions get in the way," Serenity piped in. "Am I right, Nefer-Tina?"

"That's pretty much dead-on," the female mummy conceded with a sad smile before turning her gaze to the Puzzle. "So, my Pharaoh, please don't let yourself suffer alone. It will only end up hurting you if you walk that path. And Joey." Her eyes flitted over to the cold boy in front of her as she said his name. "Don't let your anger fester. That won't help any, even if it is just a means to cover up the pain. You've already struck out at your friends and allies with it. Do you wish to lose more than what you already have? If you continue to be so bitter, you'll send others away, and then you'll be alone."

"Do not lecture the mortal about his anger. There are worse things than being alone," Mirage piped in. The others on the plane expected her to go on, but she simply left it hanging in the air eerily, making them wonder what was worse than being alone.

Yami let the last of his tears fall and returned to simply sitting on the stairs, left to think things over once again now that those in the flesh had given him a lot to think about.

_Carrie…I will get you back, no matter what._

* * *

About the time the gang was taking off for San Francisco, the Kaiba brothers and Jessica were landing in his Blue-Eyes Jet at Duelist Kingdom. The autumn sun felt warm on the young West's skin, making her wish she was here for friendly reasons instead of for facing her uncle with her boyfriend's brother in the name of his business. Still tired from her nightmare and not in her best mood, she didn't know what help she could be if she was needed for anything. Mokuba helped her out of the jet to the ground and they followed the taller man into the castle.

Jessica had asked before their departure if Alyssa would be joining them only to discover that her brunette cousin had virtually dropped off the face of the earth and Kaiba had been unable to reach her for awhile now. He was afraid something might have happened to her, but with this new development of Pegasus buying up his company, he now believed the silver-haired man might be responsible for her disappearance. Pegasus had hurt Alyssa once in the past during his tournament, but that was a different time when he was possessed by a wanting to regain his beloved from the grips of death and he wasn't in his right mind. Jessica couldn't imagine him doing anything to her, the girl he had raised as his own since her parents died.

Then again, it wasn't in his nature to infringe on Kaiba's business, either.

"Just let me do the talking. You two stay out of the way," Kaiba grumbled, taking the lead in his flashy blue jacket instead of his silver one for once.

"Like we could do anything, anyway," Jessica muttered.

"I still don't understand why Pegasus would do something like this. It just doesn't sit right," Mokuba commented. "Pegasus works with you to improve his game and has no desire to own your company. He fools around like a clown on occasion, but when it comes to business, he's as serious as you are. So…Why?"

"He wanted my attention. He got it," was Kaiba's vague answer for it all.

"Well, aren't you Mr. Know-It-All," Jessica remarked sarcastically. "Don't you think this is even a little suspect? I know Pegasus. You know Pegasus. He doesn't act this rashly for attention. I agree with Mokuba. There's something amiss here, and I think you're overlooking it because you want an excuse to duel whoever is in there, whether it's my uncle or some imposter. Are you that deprived? Do you think you have to prove yourself now that Joey beat my sister in a duel?"

"It has nothing to do with that. I'm just here to save my business," Kaiba growled.

_Sure you are, _Jessica thought with a roll of her eyes, but she chose to keep her mouth shut this time and just followed Big Brother with Mokuba through the castle she hadn't been in since she was little. The fluffy-haired boy's hand touched Jessica's, but she pulled away a bit coldly. It wasn't because of him; he had nothing to do with her not wanting to be touched. She was just tired from her restless night, worried from her nightmare, and irritated that Kaiba was being so headstrong. She gave her boyfriend a sympathetic look as she crossed her arms, to which he responded with an understanding smile and nod without infringing on her personal space any further.

They came to be in the same room where the Duelist Kingdom Tournament Finals, the two-story duel room without a floor and two grand halls leading into it. They entered through one, and standing at the entrance of the other was none other than Pegasus in his famous red suit. His stance and expression were of his norm, but Jessica couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about him, that he wasn't really her uncle. Kaiba ordered her and Mokuba to stay at their entrance as he stepped onto a platform that would jut forward towards the dueling platform that could rise from below. He had his duel disk despite knowing what kind of holographic tech was already present, believing his tech to be the more superior and to his advantage if they were to duel, which was likely.

"So glad you could make it, Kaiba-boy," Pegasus greeted in his typical fashion. "And I see you brought your little brother and my dear niece with you. It's always fun to have a bit of company in this lonesome place."

"Just drop the small talk already. We know why you called me down here," Kaiba growled.

"Ooh, but the small talk is the best part." The silver-haired man smirked before saying, "Well then, I suppose we'll just get to it. I have your business in the palm of my hand and you want it back all to yourself. I'll give it back to you—" He held up a finger. "—if you defeat me in a duel, that is."

"You mean to tell me that you did all of this for a duel?!" Kaiba demanded.

"But of course. How else was I supposed to get your attention? You're always so busy with your work. I figured the one way I'd be able to get any competition from you is to target your business so you'd have no choice on the matter. So what do you say, Kaiba-boy? Will you take me up on my challenge, or shall we start having personal business meetings?"

"Do I really have a choice?" Kaiba muttered.

The platform on which he stood moved forward with Pegasus doing the same on his end as the dueling platform rose to meet them. Kaiba hooked his duel disk into it so he could use it and not Pegasus's stuff, though he would be using it indirectly. The effeminate man placed his deck on the board and sneered as four thousand Life Points appeared on both people's sides.

"I've been waiting a long time for this day," the man murmured bitterly under his breath, but it didn't go unheard as he might have wanted.

_Why would Pegasus be waiting for a duel with Kaiba? They've dueled at least once before, and that time he won, _Jessica thought, recalling what Carrie had told her of Duelist Kingdom when the blonde and Ramla had revealed what everyone had been keeping from her before that time. _Is this really my uncle? He acts like him, speaks like him, and looks like him. But there are little things about his behavior that just don't fit…and that last comment…_

The man dueled against Kaiba with Toon Monsters, the signature strategy of Pegasus, and at first seemed to be on equal ground with his opponent. He debuted some Toon Cards his pink-eyed niece hadn't seen before like Toon Table of Contents, Toon Masked Sorcerer, Toon Mask, and Toon Dark Magician Girl, which were powerful but the strategy seemed weak compared to Kaiba's well-used Blue-Eyes strategies. It wasn't like her uncle to fall so easily to anyone, even someone that was of as high a rank as the CEO of Kaiba Corp. What was going on?

Jessica exchanged glances with Mokuba and could see he thought the same. Something was wrong with this Pegasus. If they noticed it as bystanders, they had no doubt that Big Brother noticed it, too.

"This is a joke," Kaiba boasted as a Wingbeat of Giant Dragon destroyed Toon World and thus cleared his opponent's field at the cost of returning his Blue-Eyes White Dragon to his hand and the destruction of his Spell Card Charm of Lamentation. He summoned Versago the Destroyer in Defense Position before adding, "The Pegasus I know wouldn't have been bested so easily, even by my superior skills. He's a master of Toons, and I'll be damned if I believe he would have lost his touch since the last time we met."

The man chuckled and spoke with a voice no longer resembling that of Maximillion Pegasus. "You're right. I'm not the man you came here to see."

"Who are you, then?! And what did you do to Pegasus and Alyssa?!" Jessica demanded now that the truth had been revealed.

The man removed the mask from his face and removed his disguise to reveal his true identity. Of a slender feminine build, he had big gray eyes and a short red hairdo that was also quite girly. He attire consisted of a midriff-bearing gray tank, dark pants, brown leather boots, black fingerless gloves, and a necklace containing a bluish-green stone that looked a lot like a shard of the Orichalcos Stone that Jessica had seen when Arthur Hawkins was in town. On one arm he also had a strange dark duel disk that didn't look at all like one Kaiba Corp. had ever produced.

"I am Alister of the Swordsmen of Doma, and I'm going to claim your soul to make you pay for what you've done!" the man declared, ignoring Jessica's second question and directing his answer to Kaiba alone as he activated a Spell Card, the Seal of Orichalcos.

The seal Jessica had seen in her nightmares appeared on the holographic field, grew in size, and knocked the girl and her boyfriend onto their backs several feet back into the hall. Just seeing the eerie green light brought that terror back in the Japanese-American, so much so that when she managed to roll on her belly and look up at the duel field, she began to tremble. Mokuba was quick on his feet to try to reach his brother, forgetting momentarily that it wasn't just him and Seto here. He only managed to encounter that the Seal prevented any outside interference.

"Mokuba! Jessica! Are you all right?!" Kaiba called back, looking back at the duo.

"Seto!" Mokuba shouted, pounding on the invisible force field that kept him from his brother.

"Don't concern yourselves with them! I'm the one you should worry about!" Alister exclaimed.

"Shut up, I'm checking on my family!" the blue-eyed businessman snapped bitterly as he had not failed to notice Jessica's reaction to seeing the Seal. "Mokuba, don't worry about me. Take care of Jessica. She's had nightmares about this card and it's affecting her now. Help her and leave this bastard to me, all right?"

Alister sneered. "You think this is just another card, do you?"

"You got it, Seto," Mokuba agreed and rushed to his girlfriend's side to try to comfort her.

"Isn't that cute? The Kaiba family that sticks together to the end and accepts others like it's nothing," Alister taunted. "Such a shame that family's the reason all of this is happening in the first place. Your family has hurt too many people, and now you will pay with your soul!"

* * *

_A/N: A short chapter…My apologies. I hope you like it, regardless. I'm going to go to sleep now, but please do review and kindly tell me what you think. Thank you for reading, have a wonderful day now._


	86. 86 - The Mortal Immortal

_A/N: This will be the last chapter I write before I go off to college. Oh boy…Please read on and enjoy, my friends._

* * *

Chapter 86

"Why are holding a grudge against my family?! What is the meaning of all this?!" Kaiba demanded of the redheaded impostor as Mokuba helped Jessica to stand. Alister reached into his pocket and pulled out a charred action figure, clutching it tightly. The brunette man sneered at this. "What's that piece of junk? Your dolly?"

"This 'piece of junk,' as you put it, belonged to my brother," Alister rebuked, stunning Kaiba to silence while also leaving Mokuba and Jessica dumbstruck. "Don't assume you know everything about me just because I come at you, Kaiba. You have never had to want for anything. Money tainted with innocent blood has paid for everything you are, and for that, you will pay."

"Seto is not that kind of man anymore!" Jessica shouted as she sprinted forward, forgetting her fear of the Seal of Orichalcos to protect Kaiba's honor. Mokuba was quick to be at her side as she encountered the force-field of the Seal and rested her hands against the evil light. "Alister, I don't know what your grudge with Seto is, but he has done nothing to deserve this! I mean, sure, the guy hasn't always been the nicest and can still be quite the jerkass, but that shouldn't mean his soul should be lost! You say that action figure in your hand belonged to your brother and then you hate on Seto for being adopted into a rich family? Explain that connection!"

"I suppose if I am going to take your soul away for what you've done, you should know why," Alister conceded, turning his gray gaze from Jessica to Kaiba. "Like you, I also had a little brother I had to look out for. Only difference was we weren't just sent to some orphanage when our parents passed away. We lived in a war zone, and death was expected. You had to protect your brother from bullies while I had to protect Mikey from killers. No place was safe. It was hard to live, let alone keep hope. But Mikey…He always smiled and believed we would be saved. He thought Dyna Dude, his favorite hero, would come to save us. There was a point when the tides of war seemed to be changing and Mikey, in his excitement to escape, boarded a tank before I could catch up…and then it blew up…" The effeminate man let that hang in the air for a moment, gripping the burnt up toy tightly in his hand as he remembered the loss of his brother. "The reason for it was Gozaburo Kaiba selling weapons to both sides of the war for testing. Testing! He used innocent human lives to prove how damn effective his weapons were in battle! Many innocent people, including my brother, paid the ultimate price for that test, and their blood stains the money that was that bastard's reward for providing such weaponry! That money was used to raise you, and since I cannot repay the father for what he has done, I have to settle for his cold-hearted son!"

"…That's a terrible thing, Alister, but Seto's nothing like Gozaburo! Kaiba Corp. doesn't even make weapons anymore. Gozaburo was a jerk who would do anything for money, no doubt, and if you saw the way he treated me and Seto you'd know he didn't really raise us as much as he beat us down," Mokuba told him. "You don't have to go against Seto for this. He shouldn't have to pay for what Gozaburo did. No one here should—"

"No!" Alister snapped. "Someone must pay for the death of Mikey! Seto is the closest thing to Gozaburo I can get to, and so he _will_ lose his soul!"

"Don't bet on it! Seto isn't a pushover in the realm of dueling, so you might not get the outcome in this duel that you want!" Jessica retorted.

"I don't need you sticking up for me, Jessica. I got this," Kaiba muttered under his breath.

"Well, too bad. Sticking up for each other is what family does," Jessica countered. "Even if it does add salt to the wound…"

"Jessica, I have no issue with you. You shouldn't even be here, but I suppose that due to your relationship with a Kaiba I shouldn't be surprised by your tagging along. Your sister has been a great addition to the side of light, proving herself to be better than I expected, and because I respect her, I don't want to hurt her flesh and blood. If you leave now, I promise you won't suffer at my hand and will only be cleansed peacefully with the rest of the world instead of giving up your soul to fuel the Great Leviathan. You'd do well to listen to me now," Alister said with a bit of genuine kindness.

The pink-eyed girl's hands clenched into fists as she defiantly met Alister's gaze. "I'll never abandon these people! I know they are not monsters like Gozaburo because they are my family! You and yours took my sister from me, and with Seto's help I _will_ get her back! So save your breath, Alister, because your words are wasted on me! I'll never leave my family behind for my own safety…Surely you can understand that much!"

"…I suppose I can," Alister conceded, sliding Mikey's toy back into his pocket before turning his attention back to the duel. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, I was just about to kick your ass and win this duel for Mikey. Prepare yourself, Kaiba, for once you lose this duel your soul will belong to the Great Leviathan!"

* * *

Mirage stood as the plane continued on towards San Francisco, stretching stiff muscles with a bit of irritation. Her body had never been stiff or sore, or at least not in five thousand years, and it bothered her to have to deal with such a mortal problem. Standing made it obvious that she had another mortal issue to take care of, and without disturbing the sleeping passengers or Thief Bakura she made her way to the bathroom to relieve herself. She locked the door and did her business with a scowl, hating this annoying function of a human body that was necessary for waste disposal as much as she hated most things dealing with humans. The only benefit of having to sit there doing nothing was the peace gave her moment to think without having to look at anyone else.

**This life is shit, **Mirage thought bitterly, pinching her nose in disgust. **It's weakened my mightiness to nothing more than a pest buzzing in the ear of the Great Leviathan. I have all my power, but fuck I can't use enough of it because of Carrie and her curse. That excess of power is damaging this shitty shell of a body, causing it to deteriorate much quicker than it would have otherwise. It won't be much longer before the effects start to show. Even if this gives me a chance to use some of that damned excess magic to cover it up, I'm not damned lucky enough for it to go completely unnoticed. Hell, I don't even think I'd be able to keep it at bay. This body is going to age quicker than a smoking, drugged-up whore. No way would Bakura miss that. There's no fucking way anyone would miss that. Damn it!**

Finishing her business, Mirage straightened and adjusted her skirt before flushing the toilet, looking forward to the tedious task of washing her hands as much as she had removing the waste from her system. She turned the water up as hot as it would go and pumped the pink liquid on her hands, grimacing at the heat on her hands but powering through the pain because she didn't care enough to correct this mistake. Germs, like humans, hated scorching temperatures, anyway.

She flicked the water from her hands with ease, drying them with her power, and shut off the overheated liquid without touching the sink again. Her eyes reluctantly met her gaze in the mirror where they would linger for a good long while. Already she could see the differences etching themselves in her face. Wrinkles were just visible on the surface of her tan skin. Crow's feet were starting to form near her eyes. The blackness of her hair was dulling. There was no use denying it—she was aging. A snap of her fingers erased all of it, but she could not do that forever. Soon even her magic wouldn't be able to fight this nature of her unnatural body.

**I've existed for over six thousand years without ever getting older than eighteen. This is gonna be the most fucking human thing that has ever happened to me.**

Mirage blinked furiously as she felt wetness in her eyes, cursing herself for wanting to cry over something so pathetic. She turned the sink back on and splashed her face with water repeatedly, hoping the scorching liquid on her skin would force the tears to leave the way they came. Only when her skin couldn't stand the heat anymore did she stop. She stood there gripping the edge of the sink as the water continued to flow, staring blankly at the stream flowing down the drain as the mixture of tears and water dripping down her face.

…**This is the first time in my existence as this immortal spirit…that I don't know what is going to happen to me. I don't know if I'm going to exist much longer. I don't know if I die in this form if I'll stay dead. There's…There's so fucking much I don't know. And that… that scares me. Zorc damn it, I'm scared shitless!**

"**Mirage, it is all right."**

**No it fucking isn't, Urine! I'm an immortal that's supposed to feel nothing and destroy the world! Mortals would kneel before me, cowering in fear at my might! But instead I'm reduced to this…this weakling! This wench! This…This human! I don't like being this vulnerable or weak, Urine! It's…pathetic…**

The Sacred Beast stayed silent, choosing to let her struggle through this on her own instead of arguing with her about it. Mirage bitterly shut the water off and looked herself in the mirror again. The young face she was used to seeing had replaced the older one, but she couldn't erase the inevitable from her mind. She would become old. She was a human again. Pissed off at the things she couldn't control, she drew back her fist and punched the mirror, shattering it into a rain of shards with some of them digging into her fists. The release of anger solved nothing, but it felt good to have her fears melt away in the pain if even for a moment.

As she healed herself from the damage of releasing her anger, she felt something vibrating in her pocket where she kept her deck. She grabbed the card responsible for it and pulled it out to find that it was the Wing of Lysis glowing in response to something. The last time the Legendary Dragon did this, it was when Yugi and Yami had summoned the Eye of Timaeus. She could only assume that this meant another Legendary Dragon had been released from its prison. Timaeus should be glowing as well, and from the sounds she heard coming from the once-sleeping passengers of the jet, there was no doubt.

"Lysis, show me who has been brought to this world and who brought them here," Mirage commanded, mixing her magic with that of her monster in order to see what had caused the reaction. She was only granted a limited viewing, but it was enough to see Kaiba and a black dragon in the midst of a duel that he appeared to be losing. She heard Kaiba call its name before she was forced back to seeing only the bathroom on the jet.

…**The Fang of Critias…That makes three. Wonder when the last one will be freed…and by whom. Also that rich fuck better not lose that duel. That'd be a waste of a Legendary Dragon if he did.**

"**I doubt he will be easily defeated, especially with such power bestowed unto him. Kaiba is not a weakling when it comes to dueling."**

**Yeah, but he can be an overconfident fucktard.**

"…**I am not going to argue with you about that."**

**But of course, he is going to win. He's Kaiba. Losing just isn't in his blood. Unless it's against Yugi. Then it just bleeds out of him.**

"**You cannot blame Kaiba for that. Yugi is the King of Games, after all."**

**But can the King of Games, the rich bitch, the immortal spirit trapped in a mortal form, and whoever the last guy is save the world from being devoured by darkness…before I'm gone?**

"**Only time will tell."**

* * *

As the duel ended in a draw and the Seal spat out both of the competitors, Jessica moved to catch Kaiba so he wouldn't hit the hard ground. His weight came crashing into her like a ton of bricks, causing her to fall on her backside but breaking his otherwise harsh fall. He grumbled something that sounded like a thanks before quickly getting back on his feet and reaching his hand back for her to take without looking. Alister was nowhere to be seen, but his last words echoed throughout the room.

"You may have avoided losing your soul this time, Kaiba, but I will have my revenge!"

"Well, _that_ was fun," Jessica muttered as she took Seto's hand and stood up, brushing the dirt from her clothes. "When did you get a card more powerful than the Egyptian Gods and Blue-Eyes? I've never even heard of the Fang of Critias and I'm the niece of this game's creator."

"I don't know. It just appeared in my deck," Kaiba reluctantly admitted. "It doesn't matter either way. That bastard has threatened my business and my family, and no sob story from his past is going to save him from my wrath. He and whoever he works for are going down."

"But what about Pegasus and Alyssa? What do you think happened to them?" Mokuba asked, reminding his brother and his girlfriend that two people were unaccounted for. "…According to your emails, Pegasus was supposed to be in San Francisco this week for promoting Duel Monsters in America. Maybe he and she are there."

"Guess we'll have to go there and see for ourselves. We've wasted enough time here as it is. Let's go before something else decides to butt in," Kaiba said, already heading for the exit.

"Shouldn't we check this place for them? Or maybe for Alister? They could be here…Pegasus and Aly…could not have lost their souls," Jessica murmured quietly as her nightmare of the Seal of Orichalcos came back full force into her mind. She crossed her arms, tightly hugging herself in fear as she thought of what could have become of her relatives at the hands of people like Alister. Mokuba stopped following his brother when he realized she hadn't moved and looked back at her, which in turn made Kaiba stop walking.

"Jessie, it's not likely for them be here and for Alister to have run about as he did. They're either gone or…well, uh, gone. We shouldn't linger here. I don't think Alister could have taken out all of Pegasus's bodyguards on his own. There could be more of those guys here and I for one don't wanna face them," Mokuba remarked. As he spoke, he stepped towards her and wrapped an arm around her bare shoulders. She was shivering from fear and cold, which made him feel like a terrible boyfriend as he had no jacket to offer her. He just held her as close to him as he could and whispered, "Come on, Jessie…Let's go."

"No, Mokey," Jessica said, shrugging him off. "I can't leave here without knowing for certain what's happened to Pegasus and Alyssa. You and Seto go on without me. I can fend for myself."

She sprinted past both the Kaiba brothers and down one of the halls that was closed off by a door. As she grabbed the doorknob, Kaiba heard a click that wasn't supposed to be there and foretold of something dangerous.

"Jessica, don't—!"

His warning came too late as she started opening the door. An explosive ignited and sent her flying backwards all the way down the other end of the hall where another door was. The blow seemed to knock her unconscious as she hit her head against the hard wood. The one explosive set off any and all others that were within Pegasus's castle on Duelist Kingdom, destroying the building and setting the place ablaze. Kaiba grabbed Mokuba, who wasn't willing to move after watching Jessica get blown up, and escaped with his little brother before their way out could be blocked off or exploded into oblivion. They made it to the Blue-Eyes Jet before the whole of Duelist Kingdom practically crumbled to the ground with flames and smoke rising above the stony rubble.

Now that they were safe, Mokuba collapsed on the ground in tears, believing his beloved to be dead. Kaiba stood beside him and rested a hand on his brother's trembling shoulder, stoic as usual though he wasn't too ecstatic by this turn of events. He knelt down at Mokuba's side and the young teen fell into his brother's arms, seeking comfort though he knew he'd find none.

A howl ripped through the air, catching the brunette's attention. Emerging from the fire was a white wolf carrying the unconscious Jessica upon its back. Beyond the damage of being blown back by the first bomb, she appeared untouched by the destruction of the castle. The wolf walked slowly as to not drop the girl, approaching the brothers, but something seemed off about it. Even Kaiba, the disbeliever in magic and all that he had been told by the gang, thought this animal seemed to not be of this world. How else could something living emerge from disaster unscathed? Even so, it had saved Jessica's life, and that was something he couldn't cast aside.

He straightened as the wolf came to stand in front of him, catching Mokuba's attention and causing him to see his tears were in vain. Kaiba ignored his brother's triumphant cheers and smile because he knew that just because Jessica was alive didn't mean she wasn't hurt. She had hit her head pretty hard and thus could have a serious head injury. He took the girl from the wolf's back and laid her down on the ground, noting with a scowl that though her body had sustained no additional damage from the fire, her clothes were not so lucky and thus were a bit tattered. He averted his gaze to examine her head instead. The wolf, a female by the looks of it, remained at her side, watching them all the while.

In the blink of an eye, a little brunette girl was suddenly standing beside the wolf. She seemed to be about twelve or so, with big brown eyes and a face that looked like a younger version of Jessica's. Her clothes were in a regal style that had died a very long time ago, but how could this be when she was so young? Startled by her appearance, Kaiba and Mokuba both backed up, wondering where she had come from. Like the wolf, something seemed off about this little girl. Even though she looked solid enough, she also looked very ethereal.

The little girl rested her palm on Jessica's forehead and an orb of light shot out, seeping into the skin of the unconscious teen. Afraid that she might be hurting his beloved, Mokuba grew brave and tried to tackle her. The wolf intercepted him and pinned him to the ground, growling quietly to warn him that trying something like that was foolish.

"_Skye, let him go," _the girl commanded, and the white wolf did as she said, removing herself from the boy and returning to her master's side.

"…Who are you?" Kaiba demanded. "What are you doing to her?"

"_I am Chris, and I am healing Jessica's head injury," _the girl replied without looking up at the man she addressed. _"She acted foolishly and if not for me, she might not be able to awaken from this. I understand the wanting to believe your family is safe until your eyes show you differently, but…She knows better." _Her eyes rose to meet Kaiba's as she continued. _"Seto Kaiba, you must go to the Industrial Illusions Headquarters in San Francisco. It is there you will discover the one responsible for this attack and the one pulling the strings of Alister. Destiny calls you there, and if you are wise you will heed it."_

"I don't need you to tell me what to do. We were planning on going there, anyway," Kaiba grumbled.

"_I know that," _Chris said with a smile. The light faded and she straightened, looking now at her companion. _"Skye, stay with these people. I must recede from this plane once more. Protect these people as if they were me or Grandfather, all right?"_

Like the orb of light she used to heal Jessica, Chris seemed to disappear into the unconscious Jessica, freaking out Mokuba and unsettling Kaiba. As soon as the girl was gone, Jessica stirred, grimacing and eyes flickering behind her eyelids before she finally came to consciousness again. Mokuba helped her to sit up as she was sore and still hurt a bit from the explosion, though Kaiba could tell by just looking at his brother that he was wary of his girlfriend now. He had a reason to be after seeing that girl dissipate into Jessica, so his brother wasn't about to hold that against him. Hell, he was a bit on edge himself.

"…What happened? Why does my head hurt? And here the hell did this wolf come from?" Jessica asked, holding her head in her hands but not failing to notice the things around her.

"Pegasus's castle was rigged to explode when one of the doors was opened. Those in association with Alister must have done that as a fallback in case he failed to defeat me. You were knocked back by the first explosion and that made you hit your head. That mutt saved your life as there wasn't enough time for us to do so ourselves," Kaiba told her.

Jessica glanced over her shoulder at the burning remains of the castle with a shine in her eyes that could only be caused by tears. "…So…If Alyssa and Pegasus were in there somewhere…I just…"

"They weren't in there, Jessica. You wanting to find them didn't cause their deaths," Kaiba interjected before she could blame herself for something she didn't do as she usually did. Catching his brother looking at certain parts of Jessica slightly exposed by her tattered clothing and quickly pulled his jacket off to give to her. "Now cover up and let's go. We have a long flight ahead of us if we're going to San Francisco."

"Do you think they're there?"

"No, but answers will be."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

* * *

The plane touched down in San Francisco sixteen hours after takeoff at 8:30 AM, though the date was the same as the day they left. The gang shook off their jet lag and wiped the sleep from their eyes as they made their way off the plane. Mirage was the only exception. She hadn't managed to get to sleep until an hour before touchdown, and even while the others were waking, she didn't stir from her slumber. Thief Bakura, through clenched teeth, asked them politely if they would quiet down and carried the sleeping woman on his back off the jet, minding her comfort as best he could when surrounded by people who saw them as enemies more than allies.

They and their luggage were escorted through the terminal by a couple of Pegasus's men until they were outside. Transportation was now in the form of a stretch limo complete with a chauffeur. The gang allowed Thief Bakura to slide in with the sleeping Mirage first before piling in as well, only stopping when Tea was asked about a bag that no one could account for. That mystery bag was carted off towards lost and found, and with that, they were sent on their way towards Industrial Illusions American Headquarters.

Mirage didn't stir until they were a good thirty minutes into the drive as Pegasus's business was a bit out of the way, and even then she didn't seem to be completely conscious. She heard them talking about Timaeus glowing and wondering who was the one that freed the third Legendary Dragon. They had a point that there were plenty of people it could be. It could be one of the Ishtars. It could be Kaiba, Mokuba, or Jessica. It could have even been Pegasus or Alyssa. Their logic for not jumping to conclusions about who it was made sense, but it irritated the former immortal who knew the answer that they didn't know it, too.

"…Kaiba unleashed Critias…," she mumbled into Thief Bakura's jacket sleeve.

"What was that, Mirage?" Rose asked as she and Gun were the only ones to pick up on the fact she had said something, though even they couldn't really understand her.

"The third Legendary Dragon…Fang of Critias…Kaiba released him," Mirage muttered bit more audibly. She moved her head onto her lover's chest as he moved his arm to wrap around her shoulders, looking at those in the limo through barely opened eyes.

"How do you know that?" Tristan inquired.

"How does she know anything? She uses magic," Tea replied in her place. "She probably used it in union with her card to trace it and saw the whole thing."

"Not…really. I more or less…just saw him summoning in the midst of a duel…," Mirage murmured.

"Why the hell are you so tired?" Joey demanded.

"The same reason any human…is tired."

"You're not human, though," the blonde boy didn't hesitate to remark. "You're an immortal bitch trapped within unnatural flesh."

"Sod off, Joey. You know Mirage has been cursed by Carrie so that the rules of possessing a body no longer apply to her," Thief Bakura growled. "She gets tired just like the rest of you and that's bloody that. Now leave her be. She hasn't slept all night, unlike you lazy wankers, and deserves to catch a few winks before we get anywhere." Mirage's eyes closed completely once more and she was again lost to the world. The white-haired man stroked her arm affectionately as he looked down at his sleeping mistress before quietly adding, "She won't be useful to us if she can't even hold her head up."

"Don't even say it, Joey," Serenity interjected before her brother could make a snide comment. She fidgeted a little, unsure if she should bring it up, but did so anyway. "…Has anyone noticed anything weird with Mirage lately? I'm not saying this to be rude…She just seems off of her norm. And did anyone go into the bathroom this morning before we reached the city?"

"…Are you talking about the mirror being shattered and the blood and water all over the floor? Yeah, I saw it," Mako told her. Most of the others in the limo nodded, knowing what they were talking about. "You suggesting that she did that?"

"…Well, she was the only one who didn't sleep last night," Rath pointed out.

"I didn't sleep," Nefer-Tina piped in morosely. "It doesn't show because technically I'm dead, but yeah. I was up when she went to the bathroom. I heard the water and the smashing of the mirror…I agree with Serenity. Something is wrong with her."

"If something was wrong, don't you think she'd tell me?" Thief Bakura snapped.

"No. She wouldn't tell anyone anything," Gun countered. "When it comes to other people or other things, she'll tell anything you want to know about it. But when it comes to her and what's going on with her, she stays silent. She's like Carrie in that way. She doesn't want to burden others with her problems. It takes a lot to get her to talk. You of all people should know that." The fluffy-haired man's expression showed as much.

"…Her strange behavior started just before the Swordsmen of Doma made contact with us. When she chose to duel Yami while wearing the Puzzle herself," Yugi commented, recalling how out of place it seemed at the time and how strange it was even now. "I think they might have talked about something, but…neither one has said anything about that discussion. And hasn't using magic drained her more than it used to? I don't mean when she was in control of Carrie, either. I mean compared to how she used it when she first had this body."

"Now that you mention it, she has been weaker than usual," Rose agreed. "Bakura…If you wouldn't mind, I could use my Matron abilities to look her over and see if I can identify what is causing this."

Thief Bakura said nothing, but the look in his eyes was answer enough. He glanced down at his lover, caressing her hair as she slept, and then looked out the window before nodding to officially give his consent. Rose's right hand and crystal blue eyes glowed with a red light that matched the color of Her hair and She moved it over the length of Mirage's body five times. She closed Her eyes as the glow faded, clasping Her hands together as She decoded what had been revealed to Her.

Yugi shifted uneasily as Yami, upon hearing what Rose was doing, had raised his voice against this. He claimed it wasn't for them to know if Mirage didn't want it known, to which the boy's morals agreed, but his logic didn't. Mirage would never tell them until she had no choice, and by then it could be too late. Her pride would beat out her logic and reasoning. This was the only way to find anything out about her, and Yami would just have to accept that.

"…Her body is disintegrating. The curses placed upon her in this unnatural shell for her soul are doing to her what happens to a body in eighty years. In simple terms, she's aging quicker than normal humans exponentially," Rose told them, eyes wide with shock.

"And that means…?" Tristan didn't dare finish his question.

"If we don't return her to Carrie's body soon, she's going to be dead. Permanently, from the looks of it," Rose explained.

"She can't die…Her curse—"

"Keeps her natural body from dying. Now it keeps her soul alive, but it won't keep this body alive," Gun interrupted before Thief Bakura could argue. "…Rose, how soon do You think she'll face this fate?"

"If she wasn't to excessively use magic from this point on, she may have a month. However, if she uses magic as much as she has been, she'll be lucky to last a week."

Thief Bakura swore and looked away, angry but no one was quite sure at whom that anger was directed. Tears were noticeable in his brown eyes. Yugi could only guess how he was feeling as he hadn't faced the possibility of losing his significant other to death. Yes, he had a great deal of feelings for his best friend Carrie, but she didn't share those feelings and so it wasn't the same. Mirage and Thief Bakura actually loved each other in their demented ways, so for him to lose her…

His fingers ran through her hair for a few moments before he opened his mouth to speak. "…Let's let her continue to believe she's fighting this fate alone. She likes to keep her secrets. If she finds out we know, it will only anger her, and she'll bloody expend herself even quicker because of that. We'll only tell her when we have to for her sake. It'll be better this way." The others silently agreed.

"…Hey, uh, not to change the subject or nothin', but, uh…Why are we stopping?" Joey asked suddenly, realizing the limo was no longer in motion.

"Where's our driver going?" Mako demanded as the chauffeur walked off past the rundown gas station in the middle of now.

"What the hell is going on?!"

* * *

_A/N: This is the last chapter I'm posting before I go off to college Sunday, August 18. Classes won't start for me until August 26, but I'll still be in another location surrounded by a bunch of people I don't know. I don't know how much time I'll have for writing, so my update rate might become even slower than it is now. Sorry, guys. What did you think of this chapter? Please tell me kindly. Also, if you don't mind reading some more, I've started up a short series of scenarios for that night in Chapter 43-44, __**A Different Outcome**__, that has one of these What-Ifs up already. If you are interested in seeing what could have happened that night instead of Carrie getting beaten up and raped, check it out! Feel free to check out any other fanfics I have as well. Thanks for everything, everyone!_


End file.
